To higher ground

Trona Pinnacles is in the Searles dry lake bed. It’s where rain runs on the rare occasions it falls in the region. The washes can flood and the hard packed soil can turn soft. The forecast said there was a small chance of thunderstorms, and having passed some axle-deep ruts in the road from someone else’s misadventure, I figured it would be wise to head for higher ground. Like Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills. The chance of rain was even greater there, but at least it’s not at the bottom of a basin.

Besides, it’s just a really neat place. The photo at the top of the blog was shot there. That’s 14,505' high Mount Whitney in the background. It’s probably the most dramatic view you can get of the Sierras without actually climbing them.