Sunday, October 21st, 2012 by Erica, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Erica, Project SpecialistName: Erica Tucker Title: Project Specialist About: Erica learned about Mono Lake Committee while attending the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua. She previously taught environmental education in Yosemite National Park and worked as a manager for a San Francisco Bay Area non-profit. During the winter of 2011-2012 she took a birding-focused, 13,000-mile cross country road trip, worked as a milker on a dairy goat farm, and built an 8’ x 16’ tiny house. Erica knows all the good birding spots around Mono Lake and is happy to share them!See All Posts by Erica (9) Contact Erica
On Saturday morning, October 13, a small plane flew over Mono Lake. It banked multiple times, and then flew across the lake over and over. A sightseer? No, this was scientific research in action—the annual Eared Grebe aerial photo survey!
A view over Mono Lake's eastern shore, looking southwest over the Mono Craters to the Sierra Nevada range. Photo by Arya Degenhardt with aerial support provided by LightHawk.
A bit of background: Eared Grebes nest in the northern Rockies and southern Canada, and visit Mono Lake mid-migration. While here in the fall, they undergo molt and gorge themselves on (more…)
Saturday, October 20th, 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
Visitors to the Mono Basin and Long Valley area in the next two weeks can expect to see golden aspen trees, snow dusted peaks, and something quite unusual—a lone helicopter flying only 500 feet from the ground.
An example of Mono Basin volcanism: Negit Island, a lava dome on Mono Lake. Photo by Rose Catron.
The helicopter marks an exciting new development in an ongoing project by the US Geological Survey (USGS) to monitor volcanic activity in the Eastern Sierra. (more…)
Friday, October 19th, 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
This looks like the best weekend yet for beautiful fall color in the Mono Basin … drop everything and come on over!
Golden cottonwoods line lower Mill Creek, in a capture from the Mono Lake Committee's Mill Creek webcam.
The Sacramento Bee reports that Conway Summit, Lundy Canyon, Lee Vining Canyon, and the June Lake Loop are all at the peak (more…)
Friday, October 19th, 2012 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
Since 1986, the magnificent geological and ecological wonders of Mono Lake have been celebrated in the Mono Lake Calendar, published by the Mono Lake Committee. Sales of the calendar help to fund the efforts of our non-profit organization to protect and restore both the lake and the Mono Basin. (more…)
Friday, October 12th, 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
It snowed yesterday for the first time this season!
A dusting on Mt. Wood and Mt. Lewis just west of Mono Lake last night at sunset. Photo by Elin Ljung.
After so little snow last winter … after a paltry runoff season last spring … after looking at brown mountains all summer … this healthy dusting on the peaks is a beautiful relief. The sun is already peeking (more…)
Friday, October 12th, 2012 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
The October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012 water year recently came to a close. Happy new 2013 water year!
What is a water year?
It is said that hydrologists get to celebrate a new year at least four times a year—January 1st for a calendar year, April 1st for a runoff year, July 1st for a coastal California rainfall year (as well as a fiscal year), and October 1st for a water year. Needless to say, this creates challenges in organizing hydrology data.
Here in the Mono Basin, we typically use the runoff year to summarize most measurements involving stream flows, since (more…)
Friday, October 5th, 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
It looks and feels like fall! Visit any of the canyons in the Eastern Sierra and Mono Basin to experience the ever-changing fall colors. Each canyon holds its own beautiful surprise and array of colors from yellows and oranges to fiery reds. Higher elevations areas are displaying more color, while lower-elevation areas have just begun to change within the last week or two. Here is an update for curious fall color explorers and seekers.
Aspens at Conway Summit on October 2, 2012. Photo by Angie Glaser.
Rock Creek Canyon: At or near its peak as of October 1. Colors range from yellows to oranges, some reds. (more…)
Thursday, October 4th, 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
Have you been to Bing.com lately? Take a look at the striking photo of Mono Lake featured there! (Click on the link and scroll through the photos using the arrows at the bottom right of the screen.)
The photo shows a view from Old Marina looking northwest over the lake to Black Point and Conway Summit at a lake elevation (more…)
Monday, October 1st, 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
Ranger Jim Pence at Mono Lake in December 2011.
The Mono Lake community grieves with the passing of Ranger Jim Pence. While at home on September 27, Jim died of heart attack. He was 49 years of age. Jim had recently retired in May as a California State Park Ranger after thirty years of service. He had served as a ranger for the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve since 2006.
Mono Lake Committee staff remember Jim for his constant smile and service on behalf of (more…)
Saturday, September 29th, 2012 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Thanks to recent efforts of California Trout, a video of part one of Elden Vestal’s November 3, 1993 deposition is now on YouTube. You can watch the hour and forty-seven minute video here on the Mono Basin Clearinghouse.
Watch the YouTube Video of Elden's 1993 historical testimony here!
Elden was a California Department of Fish & Game Fisheries Biologist whose deposition was instrumental (more…)
