We spent the night at Sage Hen Natural Reserve and were off to Mono Lake the next day. Mono Lake is like something from another planet. It is super salty, but alkaline (it feels oily like soap). Not much can live in this environment, mostly brine shrimp and alkali flies. Washed up along the shoreline are piles upon piles of fly pupae casings. Hungry yet? However, the lake does have some redeeming values. Tall carbonate deposits, called 'tufas,' can be found here. Also, Mono Lake acts as critical resting and feeding habitat for migratory shorebirds. Nearly all of the migrating shorebirds in North America stop here for lunch.
The TAs wore costumes the whole trip, which lightened the mood and was an integral part of the experience. Vans had themes... Big Lebowski, Derek Zoolander's Derelicte Campaign, Mario & Luigi, etc. Pink day and costume dance parties were absolutely wild. Acting ridiculous is a great way to get to know someone!
We next visited the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab, or SNARL (nice acronym, huh?). Late night activities included hot springs, which I had never experienced before. It was pretty incredible. A series of pools provided a gradation of heat to suit your taste.
We visited Rock Creek and Inyo National Forest for a bit of hiking, although a few people fly fished instead (catching lake trout mostly). During the hike to Mono Pass (10,599 ft) we went for a dip in Ruby Lake, which is snowmelt-fed. I lasted about a minute. The vistas of mountains and high-elevation forests were unbelievable. Until now, I hadn't done much exploring at this elevation, among such striking mountains.
We continued to gain elevation, exploring the bristlecone pines in the alpine tundra of the White Mountains. The geology and biology of this region is, of course, breathtaking. Bristlecones grow very slowly at high elevation, resulting in incredibly dense wood. They are thought to be among the oldest organisms on the planet (some perhaps 5,000 years old). Even the dead trees are beautiful, since decomposition occurs so slowly at elevation. Small lichens growing on rocks are typically thousands of years old, as well.
Finally we reached the ultimate goal of The Odyssey: climbing White Mountain (14,254 ft). The hike started at about 12,000 ft and is roughly 5 miles each way. But, the climb is "up-down-up-down-up" and with the thin air was intense. It is remarkable how low oxygen kills performance. We first five up the mountain made it in under 2 hours - respek! Lunch and nap on the warm roof of the summit building was a necessity before the return hike. The next day, on the drive back to Davis, we stopped by Yosemite for lunch.
In every way, this was an amazing trip. Definitely full of memories that I will cherish. More amazing than the stunning sights and exciting activities were the 50 new friends I made. In meeting all these new people, I am really looking forward to a year at Davis. :) It is going to be hard to leave.
