Sierra Nevada splendor... Photo courtesy of Nick Weinberg

While hanging out in camp is a great option, restless types will head north on 395 to the hot springs around Bridgeport. We are hungry people who can’t cook so we head south to the Mobil station in Lee Vining. That’s right, a former chef of one of the finest restaurants in Mammoth Lakes heads up the Whoa Nelly Deli, located in the Lee Vining Mobil Station. The food and views of Mono Lake are unbelievable. Lobster Taquitos are a favorite dish but everything is great. Do not miss the Whoa Nelly Deli if you come through Lee Vining. Full of delicious food we head back to camp to swap stories and settle into the tent to have the creek lull us to sleep.

Lee Vining is at the base of Tioga Pass (9,945’) which not only marks the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park but also serves up the finest roadside sliding in the state, if not the world. Ellery Bowl, Mount Dana, My Lyell, False White Mountain, Mt Conness and Gaylor Peak are but a few of the endless options up here. Tioga Pass is often open from Lee Vining to the top of the pass well before the road is actually open all the way through the park.

Ellery Bowl (11,580’) is the first very obvious spot when driving up from 395. The bowl provides about a 2000’ ft drop and may be one of the finest roadside hits on the Eastside. There is enough here to satisfy all levels. Simply head up until you reach your comfort level and whoop it up down. The very top of the bowl has some pretty steep terrain if you are up to it. A short distance up the road lays a turnoff to the right that leads to Saddlebag Lake. Parking here and heading Northwest leads to the eastern slopes of False White Mountain (12,000’) with descents up to around 2,500’. False White is part of a broad ridge with many options.

Just around the corner from Saddlebag Lake Road lies the Tioga Pass Resort. The resort sells food and has lodging available year round. This time of year anyone can drive right up to the lodge and check in for the night (with reservations).

Just north of the resort and a little further towards the pass on the road and across from Tioga Lake is 11,004’ Gaylor Peak. Gaylor Peak offers fine, short descents, a great place to do laps. The bottom half consists of some tree lined chutes while the upper half is a gentle alpine bowl. We head up Gaylor, ride down the North side, hike back up and head down to the car, fantastic. Finally we reach Tioga Pass. Often the road is closed here but that’s ok because this is the starting point for Mt Dana (13,053’). To reach the summit, simply head south from the pass and straight up. You can head down the way you came up via the north facing slopes. A more exciting option is to head east off the summit and get into Dana Couloir. From there loop back around the mountain to your car. It is easy to see why people spend their entire lives in the Sierra’s; fun terrain like this is to die for. The entrance to Yosemite is open but we turn around, the Whoa Nelly Deli is calling our name again.

Heading south takes us to the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Not exactly roughing it but Gwen deserves the best. Watching the sun set over the minarets from the Mammoth Consolidated mine is worth the trip alone. Night time in Mammoth means you head out to the naked hot springs of Benton Crossing road. You always meet interesting people at the springs and tonight is no exception. We meet a real live polygamist from Utah. Luckily a beautiful night, warm water, good moods and the sharing of beer kept everyone just happy to accept other points of view for the night.

Simply walking across the street to the slopes of Mammoth did not hold a lot of adventure but provided unlimited fun. For those seeking a rougher experience look for Bloody Mountain, Mammoth Crest, Mt McGee or Rock Creek to get your backcountry fix on.

After three days we had ridden multiple peaks, soaked in hot springs, done some resort riding, explored an old ggold mine, ate great food, enjoyed the sun, camped, stayed in a ghost town and saw a lot of California. Being working folks we headed south for the surf of Carlsbad, where I live. Gwen caught a plane home to The Golden Gate and the Eastern Sierras had enriched two more people’s lives.

-- Written by George Crosland