On Friday, May 25 the fence in front of the Committee’s remodel was opened, allowing visitors in town for Memorial Day weekend to walk up the new steps and across the new deck into our Information Center & Bookstore. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and concrete specialists all worked hard to make this happen, and we were happy they did so.

We were even happier when we realized that we were celebrating an anniversary—on the very same day in 1979, the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore first opened its doors! What great serendipity.

Rose and Morgan enjoy the new front steps last Friday. Photo by Geoff McQuilkin.

An exciting project called Digital 395 is bringing fast broadband internet service to the Eastern Sierra, and construction starts in the next few weeks. The fiber optic line is expected to “light up” in mid-2013, opening the door to many new opportunities currently unavailable in our rural area.

Digital 395 has successfully worked through the environmental approval process, and construction has started (more…)

Registration opened today for the 11th annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua! Take a look at the program of over 70 events, begin the registration process to see which events are still open, and sign up … you won’t want to miss out. Mono Lake is for the birds—and you too! We hope to see you at the Chautauqua in June.

Yellow-headed Blackbird at Mono Lake. Photo by Ben Winger.

Last week the Mono Basin Visitor Center reopened for the year. Stop by and see their exhibits, visit the bookstore, and enjoy the beautiful view of Mono Lake from the back patio! The Visitor Center is open Thursday–Monday from 9:00am until 4:30pm.

The Mono Basin Visitor Center. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.

Don’t miss your chance to participate in the eleventh annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua on June 15–17. Join us for three full days of fascinating field trips, workshops, and presentations exploring the natural wonders of the Mono Basin. This family-friendly event is open to everyone, and kids under age 12 attend for free.

Wilson's Phalaropes on the wing at South Tufa. Photo courtesy of Marie Read.

Registration opens Sunday, April 15th bright and early at 6:30am so be sure to mark your calendar with that important date. We recommend you take the time to identify your first and (more…)

Change is positive, necessary, and good. And change is what we’re about to see out in front of the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore starting tomorrow morning as the storefront remodel gets underway. Are you ready?

For the past few days I’ve been poking around out front taking photos to document what things look like before the remodel, and generally just getting used to the idea that this project, years in the making, is actually going to happen.

The Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore on the morning of March 27, 2012.

Today we took away all of the things we want to keep … the wine barrels for flowers, the river rocks that marked the garden areas, the signs from inside the kiosk out front. Yes, we kept the rocks.

Geoff McQuilkin and Rose Catron saving soil from the old planters before the construction crew arrives.

It’s impossible not to get excited for things like the new deck to welcome people into the store, the seating areas for visitors, the new greywater system, the ADA-accessible lift, and the drinking fountain and water bottle filling station.

A conceptual drawing of the storefront remodel. Drawing courtesy of Siegel & Strain Architects.

There’s a little bit of nostalgia too. I haven’t (more…)

For a beautiful break in your workday, take a look at this moving slideshow about the “magnificent 70″—those state parks on the closure list. See if you can recognize those that have been removed….

Saddleback Butte State Park in Antelope Valley.

Morro Strand State Beach on the Central Coast.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park in Northern California.

Starting Tuesday, March 27, the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore storefront will begin to look quite different. The next phase of the outdoor remodel includes removing picnic tables, planters, and signs in order to tear up asphalt and prepare the storefront for some exciting new additions!

By mid-summer, we hope to have: an expanded retail space in the form of a patio, a wheelchair lift, amphitheater (more…)

Castle Rock State Park. Photo by Karen T. Borchers.

THE ENCOURAGING: Today is Park Advocacy Day at the state capitol in Sacramento. Please take a moment to tell policymakers that state parks should be defended from park closures. The successes of the ten state parks to come off the closure list show that your voice makes a huge difference!

THE GOOD: Castle Rock State Park, located along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is the tenth California state park to be removed from the closure list! Congratulations to all who (more…)

This past Thursday, March 8, the Mono Lake Committee hosted SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Los Angeles. The event took place at The Landmark West Los Angeles and was a fun-filled evening with a great selection of inspirational environmental and adventure films.

Lively discussions followed the premiere of The Mono Lake Story at intermission. Mono Lake Committee Board member Vireo Gaines chatted with festival attendees at the Landmark Theater West Los Angeles. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.

This was the LA premiere of the Committee’s new film, The Mono Lake Story. Recently accepted into the Colorado Environmental Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Sun Valley Film Festival, and the Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival, we were very excited to show this film in LA to our members, Board, and lots of (more…)