Southern Sierra Trip Summary

Great mid-winter trip to the Mojave Desert and the lower Owens River Valley/Eastern High Sierra region of southern California.  The first five days were sunny and mild in the 60s, and then a winter storm blew in to the mountains and it cooled off to the 40s and 50s.  I wasn't able to get in to the High Sierra above 8200', so I mostly avoided the snow (other than a couple of low snowshoe hikes).  63 miles of hiking over nine days plus 688 miles driven. 

I look forward to my next trip to the Owens River Valley and the Eastern High Sierra! September or October are ideal months because the roads that are closed in the winter are open and offer much deeper access to these beautiful mountains, and the weather is generally dry and mild.