East Sierra Trip - Twin Lakes - September 2022

Walk One - Mine Creek & Bennettville

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our first hike was along Mine Creek, just off Tioga Rd. (Hwy. 120), a few miles from the east entrance to Yosemite National Park. 

The Mine Creek trail starts at 9,500 ft., climbs gradually to Bennettville, and from there is a gentle uphill stroll to Shell, Mine, and Fantail Lakes. 

In the 1880s, Thomas Bennett, a mining company owner, somehow was convinced that silver could be extracted here, so tunnels were dug & 14 wooden buildings went up, and from 1882 - 84, Bennettville even had a US Post Office. Initial projections were for a town of 2,000 people. 

Tom Bennett spent $300,000 in vain. Instead of precious metals, the miners discovered that this was a forbidding elevation for year-round habitation, too remote to stay supplied in the winter.  Currency note - $300,000 in the early 1880s equals $10M today, a LOT of capital to blow on an unfounded idea !    

The most valued legacy from 'the dream of Bennettville' was the rough supply road from Lee Vining that miners had built.

In modern times this became Tioga Rd., a scenic drive & civil engineering masterpiece, climbing 3,000 ft. at a nearly steady 8% grade.   

Tioga Road, from Aug. '13 visit

From Rich's handout - "Although the treasure they sought eluded them, the true treasure lies open for us all to enjoy: these tranquil hills & valleys, these radiant peaks and shimmering lakes and streams" (reference is below).

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again (but not on a smartphone) . 

	Mine Creek & Lee Vining Creek combine near the trailhead		start of the walk
		Mine Creek trail at 9,500 ft.		Diane, Jean, Linda, Cathy, Rich, John and me (see note 1)
	The Bennettville saga...		Jean at Shell Lake		first look at Mt. Conness at 12,002 ft.
		Mt. Conness		'shimmering lakes & streams'
	Fantail Lake				Linda & Diane
				a smoky sky prevails...
	Mt. Dana at 13,061 ft. in hazy air, see note 2				John & Rich looking for a lunch spot
				paintbrush

note 1 - On the first day out we had 7 hikers, with 8th member Barb arriving later in the day.    

note 2- Hazy skies were caused by smoke drifting south from the Mosquito Fire, which broke out near Auburn, 150 miles to the north, a day or two prior to this trip.     

After lunch at Fantail Lake, a few up us did a little more uphill walking, getting to approx. 10,150 ft. before heading back.         

					the high point
		Kathy, John & Rich's lunch spot		uphill rock garden
	Mt. Dana from Fantail Lake				downstream walk
				goodbye to Bennettville
	Linda & Jean		falls on Mine Creek

The round trip walk was about five miles, with 600 ft. of gain. The hikers had a lot of positive comments about this being a good altitude acclimation walk.

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Postscript - below are photos taken at Twin Lakes Resort. 

Twin Lakes & Sawtooth Ridge, Sept. '19

Sawtooth Ridge,  Sept. '22

references

(1) Trail quote from 2019 Tioga Tramps: Day Hikes in the Tioga Pass Region, by John & Elizabeth O'Neill, published by Great Owl Press in 2018 (Rich's handout).  

(2) Historical info about Bennettville comes mainly from Wikipedia, and the sign shown above.

After the hike, on the drive home on hwy. 120, we dropped 3,000 ft. and met Barb at 4:30 pm at the Whoa Nelly Deli bistro, located inside the Mobil Station at the intersection with Hwy. 395, near Lee Vining.  

In a modest-sized kitchen, a group of 3 or 4 chefs generate a continuous flow of (limited menu) gourmet meals, available immediately, with other menu items taking only a little longer. It has an established food reputation going back years.      

Being the last in the group to order, I had barely paid when my number was called for counter pick-up, so grab a tray, etc. When I found the others they were seated in booths, fish tacos being the prevalent favorite. The house salad I ordered was enough, but Diane gave me one of her fish tacos, with a lot of cabbage, amazingly good. 

Gas station (absence of) decor aside, the Whoa Nelly Deli gets high marks for (1) freshly made gourmet dishes that come out fast, and (2) because the owners did create a small dining room space, blocked off from store or gas station views, and (3) because just outside a single glass door are metal dining tables, under an overhead canopy, with a stupendous view of Mono Lake ! 

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