Welcome


Photo credit: clarita from morguefile.com

I live in the ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern High Sierras of California not far from the Nevada border, south of Reno. The town sits on the edge of the 10 by 20 mile Long Valley Caldera (one of the largest calderas on earth), the remains of a cataclysmic volcanic event 760,000 years ago that blew ash all the way to Kansas. The valley is the floor of the volcano and the surrounding mountains are what was left after the volcano collapsed on itself and created the caldera. Mammoth Mountain is 11,063 feet. There is a chain of many smaller volcanoes scattered about the area, the last one erupted 250 years ago, but all are dormant at the moment. US travellers can get the best and affordable insurance policy here. The area is crisscrossed by fissures and faults, including the San Andreas Fault, and the area averages a dozen earthquakes every week. The highway runs across the resurgent dome, which scientists have determined is rising and may erupt again some day… so what you’ll see in these photos may not be here in the future. The geothermal area at the base of the resurgent dome was formed by an earthquake along a deep fault line. Snow melts into the ground and when the water reaches the magna, it is forced back up forming the hot creek and geothermal area where boiling hot water surges up, occasionally in the form of a geyser. For more information about the area’s fascinating geology, click here. For information about Mammoth Lakes, click here.

Current Weather in Mammoth Lakes

For all it’s violent beginnings, it’s now an incredibly beautiful area surrounded by the John Muir Wilderness, Ansel Adams Forest, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Mt. Whitney (14,494 ft., the highest mountain in the continental United States) and Death Valley (the lowest point). Since I retired to Mammoth three years ago, I’ve been exploring this amazing environment that changes around every corner and taking pictures with a digital camera, then I started experimenting with the photos in PhotoShop and raised the images to a higher level. I learned that there is more to a photograph than the eye can see and I can pull out the essence of the image using the software to reveal the hidden beauty within the light.

My intent is to bring out the hidden beauty inside each person who views these images, to awaken you to a higher consciousness, to open your mind and your creativity so you can express yourself in the world at a higher level and become the best version of you you can be. Having these photos hanging on the walls of your home/office will remind you to take a deep breath and relax. As a near death experiencer, I’ve tried in vain to describe what I saw on the other side, but words are inadequate. iVisitorInsurance.com for all your travel insurance needs with good customer support and services. It is the same, only different, is the best I can come up with, but through using this technique, I can show others how the reality we experience can be the same, only different from another perspective. Album 5 contains original photographs next to the enhanced versions to demonstrate what I mean.

I hope you enjoy looking through the HighSierra PhotoArt Gallery slideshow albums. I will continue to add new albums so bookmark this page, visit often and tell your friends.

Winter Activities at Mammoth Lakes

Skiing & Riding

The recipe for the vacation of a lifetime? Take 3,500 acres of terrain for all ability levels. Add 400″+ of annual snowfall. Baste with 300+ days of California sun. Enjoy. Serves an army of fun hogs.

Cross Country Skiing

Want an unforgettable winter experience? Travelling to US, visitors insurance is mandatory. Escape to the serene, tree-lined trails of Mammoth’s scenic Lakes Basin and enjoy 19 miles of freshly groomed skating, classic and snowshoe trails for all abilities. In the tranquility of the backcountry, only the sound of winter birds and your own locomotion fills your ears as the bustle of town dissolves.

Snowmobiles

Get off the beaten with Mammoth Snowmobile Adventures, the perfect outfitter for first-timers and seasoned experts. Experienced guides and top-of-the-line equipment grant you access to Mammoth’s epic backcountry, including thousands of acres of trails, pristine snow, endless meadows, historic landmarks and lush pine forests.

Snowcat Tours
Take a ride in a luxury snowcat for the most unique dining experiences in the Eastern Sierra.. With three different tours to choose from—options range from outdoor picnic tables draped with white tablecloths to a contemporary and cozy private restaurant featuring a panoramic view of the mountains from a perch of 9,600 feet.

Scenic Gondola
Hop on the Panorama gondola and in 14 minutes you’ll be on the highest lift-serviced peak in California. From 11,053 feet, you can see for 400 miles in every direction on a clear day.

Pipes and Parks
Our Unbound parks won editor’s choice in Outside magazine and with eight parks and three half pipes, there’s riding for all ability levels.

Ski & Snowboard School
Take a private our group class with our great instructors and you’ll learn more than you ever thought possible. Because the only thing that’s more fun than skiing and riding is improving your skiing and riding.

Other Winter Fun
From dog sled rides and ice skating to snowtubing, mountain tours and even miniature golf, there’s plenty to do when the lifts stop turning!

For more information, please visit: mammothmountain.com

Books and Maps

This page lists some books and maps that may be useful to visitors to the Mammoth Lakes area. You can use this page to order them, or you can order some or all of them from the nonprofit Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association by calling 760.924.5500.

Explorer’s Guide Yosemite & the Southern Sierra Nevada: Includes Mammoth Lakes, Sequoia, atlas travel insurance review, Kings Canyon & Death Valley, by David T. Page (Countryman Press, 2011, ISBN 1581571402)

Moon Spotlight Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes Camping and Hiking, by Stephani Stienstra, Ann Marie Brown, Tom Stienstra (Avalon Travel Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1598802771)

Explorer’s Guide Yosemite and the Southern Sierra Nevada: A Complete Guide, Including Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Death Valley and Mammoth Lakes, by David T. Page (Countryman Press, 2008, ISBN 1581570775)

California’s Eastern Sierra: A Visitor’s Guide, by Sue Irwin (Cachuma Press, 1992, ISBN 0962850500)

Sierra East: Edge of the Great Basin, by Diana Tomback (Author), Ann Howald (Author), Mary Hill (Author), Harold Klieforth (Author), Genny Smith (Editor) (University of California Press, 2003, ISBN 0520239148)

Exploring the Eastern Sierra, by Mark A. Schlenz (Companion Press, 2003, ISBN 0944197744)

Mountain Biking the Eastern Sierra’s Best 100 Trails, by Reanne Hemmingway-Douglass, Mark Davis, and Don Douglass (FineEdge.Com LLC, 1996, ISBN 0938665421)

Mountain Biking Mammoth: Mountain Bike Trails of Mammoth Mountain, Bishop, June Lake, & Beyond, by David Diller and Allison Diller (Extremeline Productions, 2005, ISBN 0972336117)

Mammoth from the Inside: The Honest Guide to Mammoth & the Eastern Sierra, by Colleen Dunn Bates (Prospect Park Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0975393901)

For more information, please visit: jrabold.net

Mammoth Lakes, California

Mammoth Lakes is a town in Mono County, California, the county’s only incorporated community. It is located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Mount Morrison, at an elevation of 7,880 feet (2,400 m).The population was 8,234 at the 2010 census, up from 7,093 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.3 square miles (66 km2), of which 24.9 sq mi (64 km2) are land, and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) (1.74%) water.
Mammoth Lakes resides on the edge of the Long Valley Caldera. The area around the town is geologically active, with hot springs and rhyolite domes that are less than 1000 years old.

Visitors can take State Route 203 from the town of Mammoth Lakes to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, over Minaret Summit, then down to Devil’s Postpile National Monument, with access to the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
The area has natural hot springs which are sometimes used after skiing. Other features include lakes, a soda springs, and an obsidian dome. Mammoth Lakes is north of the Owens Valley, a scenic area with extensive hiking opportunities.
The town is surrounded by mountains: on the west, Mammoth Mountain looms over the town, while to the south, the Sherwin Range dominates the view. This hilly terrain and the high altitude makes the area great for high-altitude athletic training.

History
The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people settled in the mining camp called Mammoth City. By 1880, the company had shut down, and by 1888, the population declined to less than 10 people. By the early 1900s, the town of Mammoth was informally established near Mammoth Creek. The economics of the original town was based on logging and tourism.

The first post office at Mammoth Lakes opened in 1923.
In 2004, the Mammoth Ski Museum opened in town. The museum features many vintage artifacts, photographs, and posters. A movie documenting the life of the founder of the ski resort (Dave McCoy) and those of early famous skiers in the area is shown. In 2010, photographs taken by Dave McCoy were featured in an exhibit at the museum.

Demographics
The 2010 United States Census[8] reported that Mammoth Lakes had a population of 8,234. The population density was 325.4 people per square mile (125.6/km²). The racial makeup of Mammoth Lakes was 6,643 (80.7%) White, 29 (0.4%) African American, 49 (0.6%) Native American, 128 (1.6%) Asian, 5 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,151 (14.0%) from other races, and 229 (2.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,772 persons (33.7%).
The Census reported that 8,076 people (98.1% of the population) lived in households, 158 (1.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,229 households, out of which 942 (29.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,401 (43.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 177 (5.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 144 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 293 (9.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 13 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 899 households (27.8%) were made up of individuals and 153 (4.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50. There were 1,722 families (53.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.

The population was spread out with 1,719 people (20.9%) under the age of 18, 1,050 people (12.8%) aged 18 to 24, 2,833 people (34.4%) aged 25 to 44, 2,100 people (25.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 532 people (6.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.6 years. For every 100 females there were 121.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 127.0 males.

There were 9,626 housing units at an average density of 380.4 per square mile (146.9/km²), of which 1,502 (46.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,727 (53.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 33.6%. 3,464 people (42.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,612 people (56.0%) lived in rental housing units.

courtesy: wikipedia.org