“USA 🇺🇸 ~California Through the Eastern Sierras; Lone Pine and The Alabama ”

• July 21, 2021
• By Pen
• 2 Comments

California to Oregon 🇺🇸

Woot-woot ~road trip’n!

….and we are off to Oregon; stopping along the way at various locations. Sadly, there are forest fires burning in Southern Oregon, so we are not sure what to expect. But, we will be careful.

We did not get a super early start for the day, by any means, but we would end up doing a comfortable six plus hours on the road on day one.  We really would like to stay in Independence, at a particular Inn, which is suppose to be haunted!  Why this particular Inn, you ask? Well, here is the back story, why Daryl “owes” me another night at this place. AND, here are some photos from our first visit in August of 2016! ⬇️

First of all, the Eastern Sierras is such a beautiful place, with nature, old gold mines, ghost towns, and several small, charming towns to drive through.
Daryl couldn’t wait to take me to see Lone Pine, Mount Whitney, Alabama Hills, and the Western Film Museum, to name a few stops.

I was most excited about our stay at the Winnedumah Hotel, as I was intrigued about hearing it was supposedly haunted!
So we got set up in a great room and I couldn’t wait for night to fall….. only, Mr Terrific lit the sage to “protect” our room and hallway! WHAT? To say I was disappointed is an understatement, and I told Mr Terrific, he owed me a second night at this haunted Inn; “sage-free!”

So, tonight is hopefully the night, and I’m super excited! Daryl may be less so, without sage. Ha! I do hope it is still open for guests. It’s a great place.  

From our Stay at Winnin August 2016 ⬇️

Is it really haunted? You must go and “see” for yourself! Regardless; one of the best stays I have ever had on a road trip. Gracious hosts, and fascinating history! I have included (photographed) original journal entries of what guests had to say..Very fun to read; hope you enjoy!

Built in 1927, this historic Inn is loaded with period furnishings. Many famous people have stayed in the Hotel: Bing Crosby, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne, just to name a few.

In fact, many of the Winnedumah’s first visitors were local, coming from Hollywood. Numerous early westerns were filmed in nearby Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills. This brought the likes of Roy Rogers, Gary Cooper, Gabby Hayes, John Wayne and Bing Crosby to the newly built Winnedumah Hotel.
John Wayne had a favorite room at the hotel and when Crosby visited, he was given the room above the managers’ suite, so they could hear him sing in the shower. Even famed California photographer Ansel Adams sought comfort at the property while on photo shoots.

Independence is located off U.S. Route 395, the main north-south highway cutting through the Owens Valley. The tiny town is a gateway to outdoor havens such as the John Muir Wilderness Area and Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. Hikers pass through while trekking the Pacific Coast Trail, or on their way up California’s two tallest peaks: Mount Whitney and Mount Williamson. Others stay at the Winnedumah Hotel, while skiing in busy Mammoth. Whatever the reason, the hotel gets about 60 percent of its clientele from international travelers.

The John Wayne Room

The big guy reading through the journal entries from overnight guests in the “Dukes Room.”

I loved reading the journal entries!

The hallways were plenty spooky

Dining Hall

⬆️ Directly across from the Winnedumah Hotel is the iconic Independence Courthouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1969 the courthouse held 24 members of the Manson Family for possession of stolen vehicles and property.

CURRENT DAY
July 2021

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Well, bummer. There were no vacancies at Winnedumah this time. Though it was good to see the place looks as amazing as ever! ⬆️

It’s a large hotel, but the building is over 100 years old, so not as many rooms are available to stay in, due to bad wiring and plumbing. Renovations start next month, we were told. I was disappointed, but we tried. I’m sure there will be another chance in our future to visit.

The Legend of Winnedumah

Long, long ago there lived in what the white man calls Owens River Valley, two tribes; one, the Paiutes, occupying the eastern side and the slopes of the Inyo Range, the other the Waucobas on the western side on the slopes of the Sierra and in particular the region about Mt. Williamson and extending westward to the valley now called San Joaquin.
The roaring ocean backed up its waters and flooded the wonderful valley, so the Indians had to signal to each other by fires, but the Great spirit sent a terrible earthquake which shook the mountains for many days, and the pale waters fled away and the green grass came again.

Now, the tribes were at war.
One day on his lookout on Mt. Williamson, a Waucoba Brave, espying two Paiute brothers ascending the crest of the Inyo Range, set to the sinewy bow-string of his mighty bow, an arrow made from a tree growing only in the western mountains. The arrow released from the twanging bow, winged its way fifteen miles across the valley and pierced the back of one of the Paiutes, who fell dead, his body turning to stone and lying face down across the crest; his head to the east, and feet to the west. Terrified, his brother started to run, but the Waucoba warrior in a voice of thunder shouted to him the command, Winnedumah! which means, STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. And lo, the Paiute instantly became the shaft of granite and has never moved, since, awaiting his release by the great spirit. Marvelous to tell the fatal arrow took root in the stone body of its victim and grew into a tree, still living like that from which the arrow was made and the only one of its kind in the Inyo Range.

Winnedumah Paiute Monument ~Inyo Mountains (not my photo) This location requires time and hiking. 

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After there was no room at the Inn for us, we pushed on through Big Pine, and into Bishop, where we found a place for the night for $80. This would be until we found out the WIFI didn’t work, after I confirmed with the human it did. Then, we got money back to make the night $55. This helped when spending $50 on dinner of two salads. 

Also, On our Drive Today

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Obviously, NOT a big place

These metal grates in Johannesburg had to be erected over old Gold Mines, to protect Motorcycle enthusiasts from “dropping” into them.

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Randsburg “A Living Ghost Town”
Another interesting stop along Highway 395 ⬇️

Gold was discovered in Randsburg in 1895. The town of “Rands,” sprung up, almost overnight. By 1899, there were almost 3500 residents. It was estimated almost 60,000,000.00 worth of gold was removed from the many gold mines in this area, during the boon years.
From 1895 to 1933, an additional $25,000,000 was removed by one mining company, alone. These prices, btw, would be the olden-day prices of $20 an ounce.

We also recommend this stop, if you are ever out this way. We loved it!

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Before the town of Independence, there is the town of Lone Pine ⬇️

Mount Whitney ⬇️

⬆️ Mount Whitney is located just west of Lone Pine, about a one hour drive south of Bishop. 

Rising to 14,496 feet above sea level, Mount Whitney towers 10,000 feet over the 4,000 foot Owens Valley floor. The Mount Whitney Trail, one of the world’s most popular trails, sees thousands of visitors annually, climb the strenuous 10.5 mile trail to the summit.

⬆️ Mount Whitney as seen from Highway 395

Driving through Lone Pine 

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Alabama Hills of Lone Pine is an amazing California town to explore. An easy stop on a road trip up Highway 395, the Alabama Hills are fun and can be explored in an hour or a week. The Alabama Hills, a recreation area located in the shadow of Mt Whitney and the Eastern Sierras, was a favorite movie location for old Hollywood and a staple of more cowboy movies then you can count.
Throughout the last century, the Alabama Hills have appeared in hundreds of films with even a Quintin Tarantino project being shot here.
The surrounding mountains and sweeping desert give way to this small plot of majestic rocks that can’t cover more than a couple of square miles of the area. Other than this section, there is nothing like them to the north or south, and because of that, they make for a unique day of exploration.
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Not exactly used on a movie set, but I liked it!

This landscape that has been the venue to over 700 films and 1000 television commercials.

⬆️ The Lone Ranger Ambush Point (movie spot)

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⬆️ The Museum of Western Film History, also in Lone Pine, is America’s leading institution of Western Film history that pays tribute to the men and women of the silver screen, who interpret the lives of the American Cowboy; the legendary iconic heroes and heroines of America’s West. Founded in 2006 the museum, located in Lone Pine, California collects, preserves and exhibits a broad and diverse collection of western film memorabilia associated with the American western film genre.
Film programs, artifact preservation and exhibits, including interpretive projects and displays, provide narrative support for the movies, actors, directors, producers and most importantly, the landscapes that served as a canvas for their stories. The Museum’s exhibits and archival documents are the core of educational programs created to stimulate dialogue in the enduring legacy of our American West. Visitors from around the world have sought out the museum to gain better understanding of Western film and the historical relevance, fact and fiction, that has permeated American and worldwide cultures. The Museum collection, one of the largest and most significant in the United States, is complimented by a publishing arm that supports the Museum’s mission with complementary works. In addition the Museum supports the annual, Lone Pine Western Film Festival on Columbus Day weekend. The Festival features three days of screenings, panels, western authors, entertainment and Alabama Hills tours that feature guided movie site locations tours of movie sites where Hollywood’s biggest western stars performed and of the landscape that has been the venue to over 700 films and 1000 television commercials. The Museum inhabits a unique niche of western history and culture. Although there are many museums featuring documentation on films and historic screen figures, The Museum of Western Film History is the only museum devoted to chronicling western film history and its impact on American culture. ⬇️

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CALIFORNIA 

AMERICA 🇺🇸