Washoe and Mono Lake, Autumn in the Sierras

 Woke up by Washoe Lake, near Carson City, and hiked to this vista point and to the sand dunes by lake.  Then off to Mono Lake in California, where all the National Forest Campgrounds on the eastern road into Yosemite were closed. We made the best of it and found amazing walks among aspen in full fall color and great rock formations and a beautiful river with several waterfalls.  Had a great walk through the Mono Lake tufas (calcium carbonate structures formed when freshwater springs bubbled into a very alkaline lake and then the lake receded).  Tonight we had to make due with a lousy RV park and word has it that it will snow tomorrow, so we will head for lower elevations!

View of our campsite and Washoe Lake on Monday morning

View from our bedroom in Inyo NF-renegade campsite

Aspen NF campground waterfall---campground closed!

Awesome tree on climb near our RV

A lot of people are frustrated about loss of recreational options.  Had to camp on the road by this National Forest campground.

On the shores of Lake Mono, with amazing features.

South shore of Lake Mono, CA, with its calcium carbonate "tuffs"

Beautiful aspens in fall colors near Grant Lake, CA (east Sierras)

Rock scrambling above our RV improvised campsite to the east of Yosemite (closed)