Transiting the Tioga Pass

Today is the day we have anticipated and planned alternative routes for in the event of the pass not being open.

According to Yahoo (now Bing – yup yet another Microsoft acquisition) maps the transit to death Valley and Furnace creek ranch should take 5 hours 17 minutes (for those of you that have been following this blog you will know that is a full 2 hours 20minutes faster than the fastest alternative I found.)

I feel sure that we are bound to pass a series of plow drivers with surfboards strapped to the tops of ageing campers heading for the beaches of California as we head over the pass.

We take breakfast at Yosemite view lodge, a simple but adequate buffet, curiously coffee and soda is included in the reasonable cost of $10.95 per person, Juice or an alternate hot drink is extra. We are on the road by 08:30 and although we have a park ticket I stop at the entry hut and enquire of the Ranger if there is a place to 'Gas up' on the Tiogra road, she doesn't understand and I explain I would like to put fuel in the car, 'Oh, yes no problem, Crane flats has a gas station, just before you turn East.', 'Doh!'

There are many cars coming down the 120, we appear to be the only vehicle going up. David comments that there is not as much snow compared to Glacier point yesterday. We aren't that high yet I reply, the altitude of the pass maxes out at 9856ft.

At Crane flats I pull up at the Gas station and attempt to confirm I can use a travellers cheque to pay for the gas. The store is closed, so the only way to get the gas is to insert a credit card into the pump, which I duly do. Having topped the tank off for $22 I clean the windows using a squeegee and trough located at the pump.

While doing this, the couple who have pulled up behind enquire how they can fill up, I point out the instructional screen on the pump and ask if they have inserted a credit card, the man frowns and shakes his head, 'we were going to pay cash', I explain they are out of luck and move on.

The 120 up to the pass has many turn outs where we can pause and take in the stunning scenery. As we go higher the air thins, we have the windows open at this point as the air is warm but not uncomfortable.

We start to pass snow on the verges, which gets deeper the further we drive, the roads however are seriously clear and generally dry, the exception being where roadside waterfalls splash onto the macadam as they dive into culverts and drains.

We pass a low loader preparing to accommodate an immense snow plow, no sign though of its driver or his surfboard.

We eventually arrive at Olmsted point and pull into the car park just as a large coach of German tourists arrive. We get our photos in before the passengers generally disembark and David even gets a snap of a Beaver caught in the open on the rocks. Disappointingly apart from some deer this has been the only wildlife we have seen.

Its already 10:00, the drive is taking longer than 'Bing' suggested. As we reach Tioga pass the road starts to cling precipitously to the side of the mountains, the drop on Davids side is something I neither wish to consider or can look at as the need to focus on the road, despite my adherence to the posted speed limits is pressing.

After a short pause at 'Teneya Lake' for photos, We eventually arrive at Lee Vining where we avail ourselves of the restrooms, had the car needed gas it was also available here, although at a slightly higher cost per gallon.

We turn onto the 395 and begin our drive towards Death Valley, Simon the Sat Nav confirms 123 miles before the next turn with an expected arrival time of 15:24, this means that the journey will have taken seven hours (ouch). We switch off Simon and set the cruise control at 65, whistling past a police cruiser parked on the central divider.

Although driving across a plain we remain at 6000ft above sea level. The road is mainly straight but occasionally jinks one way then another for no clear reason, its not as if the turn is needed to get to a particular town or stop.

The road starts to descend steeply soon we are at 5000ft, we pass through a couple of towns which stand out as clumps of green on the highway as we approach them, the first Bishop is fairly large and attractive shops and homes pass us as the speed reduces from 65 to 25 miles per hour, then were through it cruising back up in stages to 65mph.

At lone pine its 12:30 so we pull over at a restaurant for a break, David has an appetizer of boneless chicken wings which is huge, I foolishly choose a 'Duke' burger, the pound of beef patty ham and cheese it contains sits poorly in the bun, the pickles, onion and salad never made it to the sandwich and nestle uncomfortably alongside, some dry fries still with their skins on somehow squeeze onto the plate.

I manage only the burger and David completes all but one of the wings washed down with cheery coke and multiple coffees, as we overhear another diner discussing account fraud on their ipad, they are Canadian and the call centre they speak to seems to be struggling to communicate the issue.

The restaurant is covered in movie memorabilia and as I settle the check(american) I ask why. It turns out that Lone pine is a popular location for desert scenes for all sorts of movies, one of the most recent being 'Iron Man' – doubling for Afghanistan.

After the rest stop we turn onto the Death Valley road and start to descend once again, the landscape starts to change what greenery there had been segues seamlessly to dry desert stone in variegated shades.

The road winds down steeply giving views of an arid valley with huge dark hills and an apparently sandy floor, we pass a sign that insists we 'Turn off air con for next 10 miles to avoid overheating' We comply and the temperature inside the car immediately starts to climb.

David sips continually at one of the several water bottles we have aboard, my lips feel dry and licking them has little effect as my mouth is dry also.

The Honda seems to strain the speed decreasing although we are heading apparently down hill, initially I keep the cruise control set, but the Honda's attempt to maintain speed result in several short changes down through the auto box.

I flip cruise off and have to depress the pedal hard to maintain speed, the rev counter hovers in the upper 3000 rev range. We appear to be going downhill, this isn't right, A Landcruiser accelerates past us dissatisfied with our speed.

I suggest to David he may wish to conserve the water until we pass this point of the Journey, he nervously complies.

A sign on the road requires trucks to test their brakes due to an upcoming gradient. Seven miles has passed, The road now is steep and straight with an undulating surface.

A lorry ahead, strangely fitted with what appears to be a plow pulls into the distance as does the Landcruiser, there is no way the Honda is comfortable with a speed exceeding 58 miles per hour, the rev counter needle remains high, 9 miles, I switch on the air con we are travelling down hill and picking up speed, the rev counter needle falls back as the car finally seems happy to change up.

The air temperature in the car starts to fall and we shortly come across the entrance to Death valley National park and a ranger station where the National park fee must be paid. We have to turn in and I approach a machine which requires payment.

The machine suggests that entry is free but refuses to give a permit, I consider briefly introducing it to Simon, think better of it and try the office door, it swings open and I announce my entry. A ranger steps out of the inner office and I explain my predicament.

He doesn't understand me but goes on to advise me that as its the first day of summer the entry fee is waived to all national parks (thereby saving me $20), he hands over a permit and Death valley guidebook and confirms that Furness Creek is 25 miles straight down the road.

We return to the car and pass a number of signs that show our decreasing elevation until finally we pass one that indicates we are 200 feet below sea level, the Honda is now officially a submarine I comment to David, who shrugs.

Tomorrows instalment - Death Valley!

Posted in: desser,Snow,Tioga,travel