Memorial Day: Climbing and Exploring the East Side of the Sierra
March 22-25, 2015
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This Memorial Day weekend was a wet one, with thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast for the mountains. So we loaded up the camper and headed south, hoping to escape the majority of the bad weather by being on the East Side (which is in the rain shadow of the Sierra). We got to see a gorgeous sunset over Mono Lake as we drove down, which was a highlight of the trip! On Saturday & Sunday we went hiking up Big Pine creek, rock climbing at Alabama Hills in Lone Pine (a few easy pitches in a remote area), and also drove up to check out the Ancient Bristlecone Pines forest above Big Pine (though it was snowing there!) Having the camper was awesome because it rained every single afternoon/night...

On Monday (Memorial Day), we met up with Lynette and Lisa who were on their own east side adventure (skiing and biking by Bridgeport the day before) - we all went to Al's Garage which is a small climbing area near Clark Canyon in Mammoth. We dodged the thunderstorms there quite well (they passed a few miles to the south), and had a great time cragging and hanging out! Alas, the long weekend ended all too quickly...

  Rain over Mono Lake  
  Rain over Mono Lake

  Gorgeous storm clouds over Mono Lake  
  Gorgeous storm clouds over Mono Lake

  We caught the sunset at Mono Lake by only minutes!  
  We caught the sunset at Mono Lake by only minutes!

   
 

   
 

  Lee Vining  
  Lee Vining

  Love our camper! After it rained most of the night, we woke up to this :) What a spot to wake up to!  
  Love our camper! After it rained most of the night, we woke up to this :) What a spot to wake up to!

  Hiking in Big Pine canyon  
  Hiking in Big Pine canyon

  North Fork of Big Pine - beautiful spot!  
  North Fork of Big Pine - beautiful spot!

  Hiking at Big Pine canyon in the rain  
  Hiking at Big Pine canyon in the rain

   
 

   
 

  We visited the ancient bristlecone pines for the first time! Cool spot!  
  We visited the ancient bristlecone pines for the first time! Cool spot!

   
 

   
 

   
 

  Alabama Hills!  
  Alabama Hills!

  Melissa climbing for three! A good-looking but quite dirty/grainy corner... Lunch break  
  Melissa climbing for three! A good-looking but quite dirty/grainy corner... Lunch break

  The Alabama Hills are gorgeous! It's Mule Days in Bishop! Friendly mule with a hurt ankle?  
  The Alabama Hills are gorgeous! It's Mule Days in Bishop! Friendly mule with a hurt ankle?

  Yes, the bolts next to the crack are slightly odd...  
  Yes, the bolts next to the crack are slightly odd...

  Lynette leading an arete at Al's Garage Melissa climbing at Al's Garage  
  Lynette leading an arete at Al's Garage Melissa climbing at Al's Garage

  The crew! Arlo chilling, as usual!  
  The crew! Arlo chilling, as usual!

   
 

  The switch-over on Karma  
  The switch-over on Karma

  Lynette on Karma  
  Lynette on Karma

  View from Al's Garage - not bad! Chilling out at Al's Garage, great place to hang out and climb! Lisa on Karma, Al's Garage  
  View from Al's Garage - not bad! Chilling out at Al's Garage, great place to hang out and climb! Lisa on Karma, Al's Garage

  Epic clouds over Mono Lake  
  Epic clouds over Mono Lake

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