As the first splotches of yellow begin to appear in the aspen groves of Lundy Canyon, the time has come for many of us to think about the future. Many interns who spend a summer working for the Mono Lake Committee eventually return to the basin—working either for the Committee or the Park Service or another conservation group. Some interns never leave, and instead slip first into winter seasonal work and then eventually into new roles as their knowledge and skill set grow.
It takes a 16,000-member, 20-staff village to save Mono Lake. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
But what about those of us who are headed off to other jobs and divergent paths this fall, and who may return only as visitors: what has a summer in the Sierra meant to us? (more…)
A new study published in “McKinsey Quarterly” demonstrates what many business owners have long recognized—good resource management and efficient resource use is simply good business.
The Mono Basin is a great place to explore. There are paved and unpaved roads to drive, trails to hike, volcanic features to scramble upon, shore line to visit, and scenery that is breathtaking. Do you have just a few hours to see the highlights, or perhaps a day or two?
The next time you visit the Mono Lake area, think about going someplace new. Have you been (more…)
Monday, September 17th, 2012 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
Please take a moment tosend a letter to the California Department of Transportation today—now is the time to make your voice heard for a safe, ecologically-sound project!
A view of roadcut 4 from the Old Marina entrance with a visual simulation of the mesh drapery proposed in Option 1. Visual simulation courtesy of the Caltrans Lee Vining Rockfall Safety Project Initial Study.
TheLee Vining Rockfall Safety Project has the potential to solve old eroding roadcuts next to Mono Lake but only if Caltrans combines permanent slope stabilization with aggressive and guaranteed revegetation measures. Otherwise, a unmitigated version of the project will remove existing trees and shrubs, creating more erosion and permanent visual scars on the landscape.
There public comment deadline is September 24 and now is the time to make your voice heard on behalf of Mono Lake. To learn more about the Caltrans Rockfall Project, please visit our action center and send a letter today asking Caltrans to do the right thing for Mono Lake.
Monday, September 17th, 2012 by Angie, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Angie, Project SpecialistName: Angie Glaser Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from coastal Southern California, Angie answered the call of the mountains and has spent the past three summers in the Sierra, including one as the Mono Lake Committee's Canoe Coordinator. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara she worked in outdoor education and interned for the National Park Service. When she’s not paddling through swarms of brine shrimp, you can find her backpacking, climbing, or cooking really spicy Thai curry.See All Posts by Angie (18) Contact Angie
Yosemite National Park has made international headlines this summer after nine visitors contracted hantavirus after visiting the park. Although the presence of hantavirus is not new in the Sierra Nevada, the rodent-carried disease is rare and the high number of cases this summer is unprecedented.
Hantavirus is a respiratory disease that manifests itself in (more…)
Thursday, September 13th, 2012 by Angie, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Angie, Project SpecialistName: Angie Glaser Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from coastal Southern California, Angie answered the call of the mountains and has spent the past three summers in the Sierra, including one as the Mono Lake Committee's Canoe Coordinator. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara she worked in outdoor education and interned for the National Park Service. When she’s not paddling through swarms of brine shrimp, you can find her backpacking, climbing, or cooking really spicy Thai curry.See All Posts by Angie (18) Contact Angie
Despite a windier summer than the last, canoe tours this season gave a whopping 987 people a chance to experience Mono Lake from the water. Hidden underwater tufa formations, brine shrimp clouds so thick they turned the water murky, Osprey returning to their nests with seven-inch trout in tow … these are just a few of the wonders experienced by visitors this summer.
Canoeing offers a great way to see and learn about Mono Lake. Photo by Angie Glaser.
Some paddlers looked upon the wonders of the lake with fresh eyes, experiencing all Mono Lake has to offer for (more…)
Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 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
Meet at the Mono Lake Committee at 8:30am this Saturday, September 15 for the Great Sierra River Cleanup—we’ll be cleaning up the shore of Lundy Lake Reservoir! Please wear closed-toed shoes, be ready for fall weather, and bring water. We’ll provide the snacks. (more…)
Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 by Lynette, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Lynette, Project SpecialistName: Lynette Villagomez Title: Project Specialist About: A native of the Coachella Valley, Lynette attended Humboldt State University and graduated in June of 2012 with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Natural Resources Planning. She enjoys traveling, knitting, baking, collecting agates, hiking, and exploring new places. She brings her interest in water politics and environmental justice to the Mono Lake Committee, where she manages social media and assists with membership. Lynette likes to paddle board on Mono Lake and has plans to someday build her own yurt.See All Posts by Lynette (8) Contact Lynette
Three thousand, one hundred sixty-five feet of elevation gain is what you’d experience if you participated in the 32nd annual Tioga Pass Run. On Sunday, September 9, 113 runners and walkers ascended all 3,165 feet in a grueling but scenic 12.4 miles.
Participants line up for the start of the 32nd annual Tioga Pass Run.
The annual race begins in front of the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore at an altitude of (more…)
Saturday, September 8th, 2012 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
Enjoy Yosemite National Park without the travel stress—use the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) and leave your car behind. September is the final month of 2012 YARTS bus service to the eastside. On weekends only, through September 30, you can ride to and from Yosemite Valley or Tuolumne Meadows, see more dramatic scenery, forget about parking, and enjoy the freedom that comes from being fully bipedal in Yosemite (save on gas too!). YARTS also links Yosemite with its westside communities. Cruise the YARTS website to check out bus fares, stops, and schedules.
Friday, September 7th, 2012 by Nick, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Nick, Project SpecialistName: Nick Holt Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from San Diego, Nick spent the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2012 with the Mono Lake Committee. Recently back from hiking the John Muir Trail, Nick works on IT problems, troubleshoots computer issues, and maintains the Committee's network, server, and computer systems. He spent four years at UC Berkeley making weekend trips to the Sierra as much as possible and earning a degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering. When out of the office, you can probably find Nick somewhere in the mountains fishing, mountaineering, hiking, climbing, or back in Lee Vining working on his newest pursuit: gardening.See All Posts by Nick (3) Contact Nick
Skypilot (Polemonium eximium) are found in the high Sierra above treeline, including near the summit of Mt. Dana. Photo by Nick Holt.
America’s National Parks and extensive wilderness system provides millions of acres of unspoiled lands in which we can all escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a day, a week, or even months at a time. Enjoying our protected public lands is not the only activity we can pursue in the great outdoors, however.
Adventurers & Scientists for Conservation is a nonprofit founded by Gregg Treinish after he was able to partake in the adventure of a lifetime—trekking 7,800 miles along the length of the Andes, worthy of 2008 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year honors—but he felt (more…)
