Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
California’s budget woes played out over the summer as word of the planned closure of 70 state parks, including Mono Lake and adjacent shoreline lands that compose the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, spread far and wide. The Mono Lake Committee has been hard at work seeking solutions to change the state’s plan. The chance of success is looking very good, which is rewarding given the common closure responses we heard at Mono Lake over the summer: “no way,” “how can we stop this,” and “what are they thinking?”
Campers with a tufa fire, 1970s. When you invite 250,000 people to visit your favorite lake, visitor management experts like state park rangers are a critical asset. When the first state park rangers arrived in 1982 tourists camped on the shoreline, made campfires in tufa, and carted whole tufa towers away in their cars to decorate their front lawns. Mono Lake Committee archive photo.
Indeed, it remains unclear exactly what the thinking was behind the closure list released on May 13, 2011. The Committee submitted a public records request the next day, seeking the analysis (more…)
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
The Mono Lake Committee’s new film, The Mono Lake Story, has garnered some impressive accolades recently.
The Mono Lake Story was chosen to be part of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival! The the festival’s mission is to inspire people and unite communities to heal the earth. It is considered the largest film festival of its kind, and the Mono Lake Committee and Bristlecone Media are honored to be part of it. The festival is hosted by the South Yuba River Citizens’ League each January in Nevada City.
Sunday, October 23rd, 2011 by Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistName: Carolyn Weddle Title: Project Specialist About: Graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Policy, Carolyn loves the outdoors and the Eastern Sierra and is known to make forays in the Nevada hills for further exploration. After spending summer 2011 as a Retail Assistant in the Information Center & Bookstore, Carolyn stayed through winter 2012 as a Project Specialist.See All Posts by Carolyn (22) Contact Carolyn
It’s that time of year again, time for the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) count at Mono Lake. Most visitors in the Mono Basin can easily say that they have seen a lot of birds at the County Park and Old Marina sites, but how many grebes are there exactly? That’s where photographer Rick Kattelmann, volunteer Lighthawk pilot Geoff Pope, and researcher Sean Boyd come into the picture.
What look like tiny white specks in a black abyss are actually Eared Grebes on the surface of Mono Lake. There are 76 dots in this photo. Photo by Rick Kattelmann.
Since the mid-1990s aerial photographs have been taken of the lake surface. These surveys of the Eared Grebe populations are (more…)
Thursday, October 20th, 2011 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
Great news for fans of Andrea Lawrence and those tracking the renaming of peak 12,240! Barbara Boxer introduced the bill last May and it was passed unanimously in the Senate this week. The next step is the House, where Republican Representative Buck McKeon of Santa Clarita has already sponsored the bill.
The peak itself is in Mono County, 0.6 miles northeast of Donahue Peak on the northern border of the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite National Park.
Monday, October 17th, 2011 by Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistName: Carolyn Weddle Title: Project Specialist About: Graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Policy, Carolyn loves the outdoors and the Eastern Sierra and is known to make forays in the Nevada hills for further exploration. After spending summer 2011 as a Retail Assistant in the Information Center & Bookstore, Carolyn stayed through winter 2012 as a Project Specialist.See All Posts by Carolyn (22) Contact Carolyn
The fall colors in the Mono Basin have begun to peak!
A row of brilliant aspens in Lundy Canyon on October 15, 2011. Photo by Rose Catron.
Brilliant yellows, oranges, and touches of red were spotted this weekend throughout the Mono Basin. Some places to visit in (more…)
Saturday, October 15th, 2011 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
A peaceful winter scene on Mono Lake's west shore. Photo by Rick Knepp.
Registration opens Tuesday, November 1 for Mono Lake Committee members only; non-members can join to register on November 1 or wait to register until Tuesday, November 15.
Winter at Mono Lake: a lifting morning poconip fog, tufa towers jacketed in snow and reflected in the mirror of the lake’s surface, ice sculpting crystalline filigree along creek and lake banks. This photography seminar will be based in Lee Vining and will explore locations along the lake to photograph the serenity and (more…)
Friday, October 14th, 2011 by Bartshé, Education DirectorcloseAuthor: Bartshé, Education DirectorName: Bartshé Miller Title: Education Director About: Bartshé directs the Committee's Outdoor Experiences Program, Canoe Program, and Interpretive Programs, and manages the Mono Basin Field Station. He has been an Eastern Sierra resident since 1993.See All Posts by Bartshé (30) Contact Bartshé
Lundy Canyon, October 14, 2011. Photo by Bartshe Miller.
Spectacular colors in the Mono Basin are emerging in Lundy and Lee Vining canyons. Upper and lower elevation stands are a mixture of brilliant color and aspens-yet-to-show. Aspens along the June Lake Loop, particularly along Silver Lake and Grant Lake, are displaying yellows, reds, and oranges, and are just beginning to reach their peak (at least one week later than normal!). Warm sunny days and cool nights have accelerated anthocyanin production. Mild weather in the coming week will help to preserve the display through at least next weekend. Overall we can expect another two weeks of xanthous, ocherous, glory.
Thursday, October 13th, 2011 by Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagercloseAuthor: Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagerName: Jessica Ashley Title: Information Center & Bookstore Manager About: Jess stocks the store with educational, handmade, local, and ecologically friendly merchandise and keeps operations functioning efficiently. After working for a summer in the Committee bookstore, Jess joined the staff full-time in May of 2011. Jess' extensive retail experience and love of the Eastern Sierra make her perfectly suited for her role as Information Center & Bookstore Manager.See All Posts by Jessica (22) Contact Jessica
Norman Schaefer. Photo by Dan Pattitucci.
Join us for this special evening as legendary mountaineers and writers Norman Schaefer and Doug Robinson read from their respective books at 4:30pm, Monday, October 17 at the Mono Lake Committee. (more…)
Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 by Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistName: Carolyn Weddle Title: Project Specialist About: Graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Policy, Carolyn loves the outdoors and the Eastern Sierra and is known to make forays in the Nevada hills for further exploration. After spending summer 2011 as a Retail Assistant in the Information Center & Bookstore, Carolyn stayed through winter 2012 as a Project Specialist.See All Posts by Carolyn (22) Contact Carolyn
Fall has arrived and with it a few changes in the Mono Basin!
Hours and closures:
The Scenic Area Visitor Center is now open Thursday–Monday, 9:00am–4:30pm.
Tioga Pass Resort is now closed for the season.
Saddlebag Lake Resort is now closed for the season. The water taxi is no longer running.
Campground updates:
Ellery, Junction, Tioga, and Saddlebag campgrounds have all closed for the winter.
Aspen Campground is scheduled to close on October 17.
Visit the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore, open 9:00am–5:00pm daily, or the Scenic Area Visitor Center for more information on seasonal closures.
Sunday, October 9th, 2011 by Morgan, Policy CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Morgan, Policy CoordinatorName: Morgan Lindsay Title: Project Specialist About: Morgan works to support the protection and restoration of Mono Lake and its tributary streams in the office and out in the field. She loves doing something different every day, from monitoring the lake's rise and groundwater patterns along the creek's bottomlands to researching policy issues. But after three summers sharing Mono Lake with visitors by canoe, Morgan's favorite job will always be making new friends for the lake. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College with an Environmental Studies degree in Water Science & Policy, there is nowhere Morgan would rather be than the Mono Basin. If she's not out hiking, skiing, or digging in the dirt with the Sierra Bounty CSA, Morgan's probably at rehearsal for the next Eastern Sierra theatrical adventure—eager for any socially acceptable excuse to sport a goatee.See All Posts by Morgan (33) Contact Morgan
The Mono Lake Committee hosted the 31st annual Tioga Pass Run on September 11, 2011. Just under 100 participants raced up Highway 120 West, starting in front of the Committee in Lee Vining and finishing at the east entrance to Yosemite National Park. That’s 12.4 miles … but only one hill!
And they're off! Tioga Pass Run participants start the race in front of the Mono Lake Committee in Lee Vining. Photo courtesy of Dick Erb.
Locals once again dominated the run, with 51 of the 84 participants coming from the Eastern Sierra communities of Bishop, Crowley Lake, Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, Lee Vining, Mono City, and Walker. But participants also came from (more…)
