When it hit 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Lone Pine, I knew I had to head to higher elevation and out of the Owens Valley. There are plenty of options for refreshing mountain air, including heading up Whitney Portal Road for a hike around Lone Pine Lake without needing a permit. However, I had something else in mind. About an hour and twenty minutes north of Lone Pine is one of the most interesting and remote destinations—the White Mountains. When you hit the northern end of Big Pine, take the 168 east through the Westgard Pass for thirteen miles to White Mountain Road. You lose phone service pretty quickly on the 168 and there is nothing out there, so make sure you have plenty of gas, food, and whatever water you will need. Luckily, I came equipped with not only ten million gallons of water (which still was not enough for thirstiest dog of all time), but also my new Jackery 240w power station and 100w portable solar panel.
The Climb into the White Mountains of California
The drive is enchanting. The narrow, meandering highway climbs up the White Mountain range, offering impressive views of the Eastern Sierra to the west and even Death Valley to the east. Each sharp turn opens up to another vista overlooking some of California’s most insane landscapes.
For stunning views westward towards the Sierra, hit the Sierra View Overlook on your way up the mountain. This is a small little turn out on the western side of the road and definitely boasts the best view of the Sierra Nevada. There are a few parking spots and a little viewpoint area that extends out into the hill tops for breathtaking high elevation views of some of California’s most rugged topography. Ironically, this is also the only place for cell phone service in this whole area. So naturally, I spent a lot of time up here enjoying the sunsets and catching up on work. Sit for a bit after sunset to witness strange air flow and cloud patterns form as the sun sets the Sierra range on fire with vibrant magentas, reds, and pastel pinks.
Ancient Bristlecone Forest
The White Mountain range is home to the ancient bristlecones, Pinus longaeca, a species of pine with an impressive lifespan and a unique way of dealing with the harsh, high elevation conditions. These bristlecone pines are found above 9,000 feet in Eastern California, Nevada, and Utah. They are forced to stunt their growth in order to survive on the little water that is found in the region, resulting in their gnarled, twisted appearance. The green pines of the trees can grow for nearly 50 years before falling off.
Around 24 miles from the 395 at big Pine, you will finally reach the Schulman Grove. It is on windy, steep roads, making the commute longer than expected—but breathtaking. As you reach the zenith of the mountain, the landscape changes before your eyes, unfolding into a soft meadow with rolling hills. The visitor’s center was closed both times I went this summer due to Covid, but the trails were open. There is a fee for parking that is $6 a car. Making sure to have cash on you ensures you are doing your part to help keep the visitor’s center well-maintained. Even further up the road is the Patriarch Grove, which requires an off-road vehicle--not a Honda Fit.
The Discovery Trail
The easiest of the two hikes is still quite rewarding. The 1-mile Discovery Trail loop had an incline of around 200 feet that wasn’t too bad. However, I want to stress this altitude (the visitor center sits at around 9,800 feet) because it can truly affect your endurance. I spend a lot of time at high elevations but those who do not should expect to have a much harder time with the trails than at lower elevations. The entire trail has interesting plaques, commenting on the biology and history of the bristlecones.
Towards the end of the Discovery Trail is where you will find some of the most photographed bristlecones with a stunning view of the hills beyond. Here, two gnarled trees stretch out their talons to the pale blue sky. Their bark twists and curls around branches with thick, gluttonous knuckles like something straight out of a horror movie. Personally, I get major Evil Dead vibes.
Especially because I actually came back in the middle of the night to try to catch these trees with the Milky Way behind them. Although I was skunked by some ominous clouds, I did get an interesting shot of the International Space Station trailing in the sky. In the middle of the night, the silence is deafening. Given that my dog and I both were born in Los Angeles, we were both uneasy with the weight of stiff silence in the vast expanse of the White Mountains.
***klaatu...verata...niiiiiikto?
Grandview Campground
After hiking the Discovery Trail, I headed back down the road a few miles to Grandview Campground. These campsites are technically free, but please make sure to leave a donation! It helps keep them open and maintained! The Forest Service recommends $10 a night so bring some cash because like I said earlier, you are on your own out there. The donation is well worth it for the spaced out, impressive campsites that over amazing views of the stars and relatively clean pit toilets. The wind can be quite persistent, but most sites have welcoming clusters of bristlecones to block out the wind and sun.
There is also a trail at the back end of the campsite that heads to an old Mill, With the sun setting, I was not able to make it all the way down, but now have another item to add to my growing bucket list in the area. There were even a few very remote campsites down some lonely, bumpy road that I would say definitely needs an off-roading vehicle to navigate. The next morning, I woke up for the sunrise. Eastward views from the campground give you a glimpse of Death Valley with its white sand dunes far out into the distance. The sky lit on fire as the sun climbed higher above the horizon, exposing the miles of vast nothingness to the east.
Methuselah Trail
After an epic sunrise, I drove back up to the Schulman Grove for my second of the three available hikes. The Methuselah Trail is the hardest of them all. Beginning at the visitor’s center, it covers 4.5 miles with a 900 feet elevation gain. This is not just one straight shot up, but rather a series of brutal switchbacks on thin, rocky trails. In the thin air of the high elevation, I was definitely excited to see small benches set up for rests along the trial. It was nice to sit and catch my breath with impressive views of the range extending eastward into Nevada.
This grove is home to the oldest bristlecone tree, Methuselah, which was dated to 4,852 years old. As of today, it is considered the oldest living organism on Earth. It was crazy to me that after all my time spent chasing the past in Europe all over the last few years, the oldest living thing I would find was right here in California. The tree remains unmarked to prevent any damage from greedy tourists looking to chip away small souvenirs.
There is also a Cabin Trail that loops onto the Methuselah Trail. I did not get to hit this one up on my trip but will definitely keep it in my mind for the future. After a quick nap back at the campsite the heat was starting to climb its way up the mountain, so I decided to head back down in search of some much-needed water and more adventures.
Word to the wize, don’t lose your focus always looking west as you drive up the 395. This range is too often overlooked as people speed up their way to the High Sierra, but something ancient lies just to the east.
Thanks for reading and let me know if you’re planning an excursion to the White Mountains!
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