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

Relics of a Booming Wild West

Bodie Ghost Town is a time capsule to its "boom time" days, with beds made, tables set, lessons still written on the school chalk board, and cars parked in the driveways.  The town lies in silent wait for its former inhabitants that will not return.  It's as though the citizens of Bodie, gathered little belongings, and took off in the middle of the night, leaving even the clocks king.

XplorMor expedition to Bodie Ghost Town

When the goldmines dried up, there was nothing left to help Bodie's people survive this inhospitable terrain so they were forced to seek new lives elsewhere.  The only movement now are rolling tumble weeds, an occasional bird and biting cold gusts of air.  Make sure you take a jacket no matter the time of year!  And, bring water and food are there are no provisions in the town.

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XplorMor Expedition to Bodie Ghost Town