Hiking amongst the Chalk Bluffs

Native rock art can be found and appreciated at a distance by intrepid desert explorers. Photo by Dave McNeil

By Dave McNeil

12-8-2007

One of the most beautiful things about living in the Eastern Sierra is the endless hiking opportunities. When the snow closes out the mountains to all but skiers and snowshoers, the hikers move out onto the desert expanse.

The Chamber of Commerce always likes to say that a visitor to the Mammoth-Bishop area can fish, golf and ski all in one day. There are so many other possibilities for things to do, from hiking to riding dirt bikes to galloping horses. So how cool is that? And where else can you do all these fun activities?    

The Chalk Bluffs tell some of the history of the ancient people who lived in the Eastern Sierra. These circular divots were formed in the soft rock to grind grains. Photo by Dave McNeil

            
One winter adventure is a tour of the Chalk Bluffs which are 10 miles north of Bishop at the Pleasant Valley Reservoir turnoff on U.S. 395. This is where the huge, hot ash flow roared down from the Mammoth caldera thousands of years ago. Then, the Owens River cut a deep gorge down through the Volcanic Tablelands to Pleasant Valley, where it became a flood plain at the base of the Chalk Bluffs. This ash flow covered the old sea bed up to hundreds of feet thick and can be seen in profile in the Gorge. The chalk is way down on the bottom by the river.                         
The Owens River meanders for about five miles at the base of the Bluffs and many trails go up to the rim from spots all along the road. Some go to climbing areas and some do not. The drive along the river goes through an archeological treasure trove. Numerous petroglyphs, food grinding areas, rock shelters and hunting blinds attest to the fact that many thousands of people lived there in ancient times. There are probably more archeological sites in this area than most places in the nation. The same situation exists 600 or 700 feet up from the river on the rim of the Chalk Bluffs. The entire area is like one gigantic prehistoric food processing plant. And Sky Rock, the giant petroglyph panel that faces the heavens, is its center of the universe.    

Things get really wild on the rim, and the area goes for miles through faulted rock cliffs, sand and pumice. The sharp rock can wear down a pair of boots in no time. It didn’t seem to bother the original inhabitants, who walked barefoot everywhere. The soles of their feet were as hard as leather. The Tablelands can be tough on a dog’s feet too, whether they are used to it or not. The sharp volcanic rock and heat can wear down a dog’s footpads quickly and cause them to limp.                             
It is always a relief to reach the sandy areas where it is similar to the beach at the ocean. It is so soft that you sink deep with every step. For me, walking in the pure, buffed out sandy areas in the desert is like making first tracks in powder snow. It is a free feeling to become one with nature in that way.                  
The repetitive and often monotonous nature of walking on sharp rock for miles can be maddening. I like to zone out and run a song through my head over and over again. It can become like a meditation while walking. Who says you have to sit down and assume the lotus position to meditate?                    
The Volcanic Tableland that leads down to the Chalk Bluffs is one big drainage system. The stream beds that run through the solid Bishop tuff rock are colorful purple and lavender with strange formations and a sprinkling of petroglyphs. Just a little reminder that we walk in the footprints of the ancestors.                 
There are two temperatures in this high desert elevation of 4,500-6,000 feet: hot and cold. You can be sweating during the day and shivering at night. All that the Paiute people had to keep them warm was a rabbit skin robe and a small fire in a rock shelter. Yet, they managed to survive the coldest temperatures, fiercest winds and snow.                  
One winter it snowed so heavy in Bishop that it stayed on the ground for six weeks. When it finally warmed up enough to melt, the water formed small streams and cascaded over the Chalk Bluff cliffs. That is a most amazing sight to see in the desert, where it has been going on since the birth of the Volcanic Tableland so many hundreds of thousands of years ago.
The only other time that this could happen would be during a flash flood in summer. Climate change is nothing new to this area, where it has been repeated throughout history.
Every once in awhile wildlife is spotted on the Chalk Bluffs, but most animals roam at night out there. I have seen hawks, eagles, ravens, deer, bobcats, coyotes, many lizards, a few rattlesnakes and the comical roadrunner. Roadrunners actually hunt for food up in the cliffs, and when startled, can soar like a grouse for hundreds of feet to the river below. No wonder Wile E. Coyote has such a hard time trying to catch them.        
Here are a couple of desert driving tips that I have had to learn the hard way. In addition to  all the regular maintenance and standard equipment on your vehicle such as a good jack, some other items should be thrown in the truck. Carry electrical tape in case of a hose leak. Tape the leak, crack the radiator cap and limp back at under 35 mph. A spare fan belt is a must. Carry extra water to refill the radiator. Make sure the spare tire has enough air in it. (One small mistake like that could be your downfall.)
Also try to park on an incline facing downhill for standard transmissions, so you can roll down and pop the clutch if the battery dies. Always do the right thing, have fun and stay happy along the trail of life.