| Page Views: 1,153 Last Visit to Lee Vining: April, 2007 | Save Mono Lake! by SteveOSF - last update: Oct 27, 2007 |
Lee Vining clings to Highway 395 on the edge of Mono Lake. This small town is located at a high elevation of 6780 feet. Staying at Lee Vining is your best bet for seeing Mono Lake or visiting the nearby ghost town of Bodie. Lee Vining offers lodging, restaurants, gasoline and other services. It makes a great base camp for visiting the nearby attractions. |
| Boat House on the Shore of Mono Lake |
|  | Some Recent History Some of you may remember the slogan “Save Mono Lake”. In 1941, water began being diverted from Mono Lake’s tributaries to squelch the growing thirst of the Los Angeles area to the south. The culprit was the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Ecological havoc raked upon Mono Lake as a result of drastically lowered the water levels. By being deprived of its freshwater sources, the volume of Mono Lake was cut in halve, while its salinity doubled.
In the late 1970s activists began to organize and lobby lawmakers, policy makers, and the public at large. The message was heard and compromises introduced. Eventually in the late 1990s the water diversions were reduced and Mono Lake could begin the slow process of recovery. However, before the reduction in diversion occurred, the water level in the lake had already dropped 40 feet!
Because water will continue to be diverted to Los Angeles, Mono Lake will never be completely restored. The lake will always be at least 25 feet or more lower than its pre-diversion level. But the lake and its ecosystem have been granted a reprieve from certain tragic death. |
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
| Pros: | "Very scenic area" | | Cons: | "It is a bit out of the way" | | In A Nutshell: | "On the shore of a beautiful lake" |
SteveOSF's Lee Vining Travel Tips
 Comments for SteveOSF about Lee Vining | | | | |
mtncorg Sun Sep 20, 2009 15:53 UTC
Lee Vining is a great place to explore the northern Sierra from. Next time go later in the Summer - say like now - and enjoy the view from the top of Dana Peak, hiked directly east from Tioga Pass. | JLBG Mon Jan 19, 2009 20:53 UTC
Mono lake is a very sad story! It is too bad that such a wonderful landscape is little by little destroyed. I hope that will end. I remember that we camped near Tioga pass, in the forest. | risse73 Tue Jun 24, 2008 20:28 UTC
You've just opened my world to these less known destinations. Mono Lake & Lee Vining look appealing for a future trip. Cheers! | Ewingjr98 Sun Apr 27, 2008 19:41 UTC
Very thorough page on this interesting spot. ~Joe |
|
|
email me
add as friend
