Driving the June Lake Loop (CA158)

by Steve Reiss (Dalmdad Landscape Photography - www.dalmdad.com and https://www.facebook.com/Dalmdad.)

June Lake, California - I can't believe its almost been a year since I took a long "solo" non-holiday weekend to drive across the Sonora Pass.  Ever since moving to California, I wanted to take the drive across the pass, but it is kind of out of the way and closed due to snow for several months a year.  So, it took me 9 years to finally do the drive.  Yet, despite achieving this personal goal, I wrote so little about the trip; though we have offered a large number of photos taken during that trip for sale on our website, especially of the Stanislaus River rapids and dramatic fall leaves at Lake Sabrina. 
  

Leaves Turning at Lake Sabrina

After crossing the pass, there is only one way home; driving down the US395 along the eastern slope of the Sierras. Having done that drive before, from Reno, NV, to Bridgeport, CA, to Mono Lake, to Bodie Ghost Town, to Bishop, and then down the Owens Valley, I did not expect to find any new gems that I had never seen before.  However, I did.  One was Lake Sabrina, in the mountains to the west of Bishop, CA and the other was June Lake Loop.

June Lake Loop is CA-158 in Mono County.  The north and south ends of the 16 mile loop road junction with US395 between Lee Vining and to the north and Mammoth Lakes to the south.

June Lake Loop From the Sky

The loop is at an elevation of around 7621 ft, about 1300 ft above the eastern Sierra valley floor, near Mono Lake.  

While the June Lake Loop encircles several lakes, the most scenic are Grant Lake and June Lake.  Grant Lake is the first lake you come upon when heading south.  Grant lake certainly has that alpine, above the tree line feel about it.

Grant Lake

Grant Lake

Grant Lake

Grant Lake

The temperature drop from the valley floor to lake level is quite noticeable and even more-so when in the shade of the mountains surrounding the lakes.  

In the shade on June Lake Loop

In the Shade of June Lake Loop

The temperature in the area never exceeds 72F.

There is a town of June Lake that acts as the tourist base for the lake.  The town of June Lake's population jumps from 629 to over 3100 during the summer. SR 158 from 3.5 miles north of June Lake to the northern junction with U.S. Highway 395 is closed during winters, typically from mid-December through mid-April.

 

View of the town of June Lake through the Trees

A lucky meet-up for me happened on this drive around the loop.  The government shutdown of 2013 was in progress and this resulted in most National Park and National Forest locations' restrooms being locked up.  Well, when you have to go, you have to go.  You find a place to pull over, run into the bushes and do your thing.  As I turned off the main road, I almost hit this deer that was crossing the side road.  She was a fine specimen and allowed me to follow her for a short while until her and her doe ran off into the woods.

Fawn and Doe

Doe

Doe a Deer...A Tourist Loving Yosemite Deer

by Steve Reiss (Dalmdad Landscape Photography - www.dalmdad.com and https://www.facebook.com/Dalmdad.)

October 3, 2013, Yosemite National Park: Though the park was officially closed, traffic on the major roads of Yosemite (CA120, CA140, CA41) were open to through traffic. As I mentioned on Facebook:

Post by Dalmdad Landscape Photography.

I was given the following rules to travel by:

Post by Dalmdad Landscape Photography.

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In any event, despite the shutdown of Yosemite, the animals of the park seemed to go along with their normal business.  

For example, this buck was spotted outside the Wawona Hotel, almost immediately north of Yosemite's south entrance on CA41.

Buck Outside Wawona Hotel

After traveling north and zooming by the nominally closed Tunnel View, the premier viewing site of the Yosemite Valley, a slow moving southbound car told me something was nearby.  Indeed, this beautiful doe was on the side of the road, basically just looking around. 

I continued north until I could make a U-turn; a not easy task along the winding and often shoulderless Wawona Road.

After making the U-turn, I coasted uphill, until I was near the doe.  Most luckily, the doe was in the area of a pull-out and I was able to pull over, put the truck in park, and shoot away.

I managed to get a near-perfect shot.

They Don't Pose This Nice That Often

This doe must be quite experienced in the way of tourists.  She unflinchingly approached the truck, looked in the open window, and then ducked down.

Doe Ducking Down -- Picture out Truck Window

After some quick shots, she headed downhill towards the drop to the valley.

Down Into The Valley I Go

The Doe Went Off into the Beautiful Valley

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