MT. INYO (10,975') AND KEYNOT PEAK (11,101'), WITH EASTERN SIERRA FALL COLORS October 9-11, 1987

Signing up for this strenuous DPS climb, I left home by about noon to head east on Highway 88. Taking a photo at Devil's Garden, a vista point, with views of the Crystal Range to the north, I soon came into Hope Valley. The fall colors were good, and I snapped away.

Continuing south on U.S. 395, I shuttered even more colors. I came into Lone Pine, CA, with plenty of neon to shoot. I camped nearby, and had to get up early to meet the DPS group of four towards the base of the Inyo Range. I gained a short ride in someone's pick up truck, and we began our backpack up to our base camp for these two peaks.

Getting fine views already, we made good time, about five hours to gain 5,000 feet, even hauling our water to Bedsprings Camp, where we took a short rest. With day packs, we climbed up to the Inyo Crest, and went north to bag Mt. Inyo. This made for a good peak the same day, and we enjoyed the views.

Back down to Bedsprings Camp, we had a campfire for a temperate evening. I slept well, then we got up at a good hour to start our climb back up to the Crest. Our goal this morning was Keynot Peak. We had fine sights of the Sierra to the west, lit by the morning sun. There was some class 3 to get by an obstacle on the ridge, then we came to the summit with glorious views.

Hiking back down to camp, we had more views, and I loved the sights of the gnarled pines. We didn't touch the water and whiskey stash someone had left, and then we started down. I recalled a good scree run, and then we were back to the lower wash.

It looked good to get back so early, giving me time to shoot more colors. The Eastern Sierra made for a sight, and then I was motoring north along U.S. 395 again. With a short stop at Manzanar, the concentration camp for so many Nisei during WWII, I took a loop about June Lake to see even more colors.

Then it was north to about Conway Summit, and then I took Highway 89 over Monitor Pass. Stopping for a museum in Markleeville, CA, I noted the colors in Hope Valley once again.

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