A Hidden Gem

Panum Crater is a hidden gem, literally.

Located adjacent to Mono Lake in north-eastern California, off Mono Lake Basin Road, or Highway 120 East, Panum Crater is a geological wonder with giant shards of obsidian (the largest I've ever seen) and contrasting rough chunks of pumice (pick one up to feel its weight). The other-worldly crater is worth the short hike; it's as though you step onto another planet the moment you enter its core.

XplorMor Panum Crater Expedition

There are two trails at Panum Crater, one leads into the core and the other circumvents its rim. Both are worth the effort as they each offer a unique perspective of the crater, from its internal commotion to panoramic scenic vistas of the surrounding Mono Lake Basin and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  If you have to choose between them, you cannot go wrong.

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XplorMor Panum Crater Expedition

XplorMor: Kayaking Mono Lake, Inyo National Forest, California

Kayaking to the Tufas

Kayaking on Mono Lake, California was one of the best expeditions we coordinated this year. The day was early October, blue skies with enough clouds to offer interest and no wind, making for glassy, reflective waters, and a day to remember!

XplorMor Kayak Excursion on Mono Lake

Mono Lake, situated in a 700 square-mile valley off Highway 395 just south of Lee Vining town in Mono County, California, is one of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere.  It lies 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park, and boasts spectacular views of  the  high Sierra Nevada Mountain range along its eastern shore.  Mono lake is a large, yet shallow saline lake about 70 square miles in size, and was formed around 700,000 years ago.  The lack of any outlet or run-off forces the lake to maintain high levels of salts, creating a unique ecosystem and an amazing buoyancy for kayaks!

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XplorMor Kayak Excursion on Mono Lake

Shutout but not Shutdown

The planned XplorMor photo-expedition to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was thwarted by the U.S. government shutdown.  We had to think quickly as we were already enroute to the parks.  Thanks to Starbucks and WiFi, we soon discovered another option: Mono Lake and other California State and Local Parks.

South Tufa Trail, Mono Lake, California

We re-routed our journey, and set course a little disoriented, yet optimistic.  Apparently we were not alone, encountering locals and travelers from Californians to Englishmen to Eastern Europeans to a Japanese couple who were also adrift and uncertain how to reorient themselves.  As the days unfold, Good Fortune seems to have followed along for the duration with one lovely adventure leading into the next.  Even the weather has behaved beautifully. And instead of another trip to Sequoia, though beautiful and worthy of numerous visits, the new destinations are exactly that: new.  Finding places and trails and scenic views not previously experienced adds to the excitement.

Lundy Canyon Trail

There has been exceptional photo opportunities and memory-making moments to share.  So with life's lemons, we made tasty lemonade and despite the shutout, we were not shutdown.

View slideshows and read more about Inyo National Forest.