| Lone Pine, California doesn't look like
| |
| | Mount Whitney
|
| much at first. It's a dusty desert town
| |
| | Lone Pine is the gateway to Mount
|
| of a few thousand, on highway 395, on the
| |
| | Whitney. At 14,496 feet, it is the
|
| eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. There
| |
| | highest mountain in the lower 48 states.
|
| might still be only one traffic light. So
| |
| | Whitney Portal Road starts in the center
|
| what makes it a great vacation
| |
| | of town, and takes you 20 miles up to the
|
| destination?
| |
| | trailhead and campground. The Whitney
|
| The Lone Pine Film Festival
| |
| | Portal Trail goes to the top. It's a
|
| Here are some of the movies filmed in
| |
| | strenuous hike, and the 22-mile round
|
| this part of California: Gunga Din, How
| |
| | trip is best broken into two or three
|
| The West Was Won, Star Trek, Tremors,
| |
| | days, with a night or two spent in the
|
| Springfield Rifle, Joshua Tree,
| |
| | beautiful high country. By the way,
|
| Gladiator, and Maverick. John Wayne, Gene
| |
| | you'll find snow up there most of the
|
| Autry, Gary Cooper, Kirk Douglas, Robert
| |
| | year.
|
| Mitchum, William Boyd, and dozens of
| |
| | The National Forest Service has
|
| other movie stars have all spent time in
| |
| | designated much of the Inyo National
|
| Lone Pine. Television series filmed here
| |
| | Forest and Sequoia National Park around
|
| include The Lone Ranger, Have A Gun,
| |
| | the mountain as "The Whitney Zone." To
|
| Bonanza, and Wagon Train. Spend much time
| |
| | hike within this area you need a permit,
|
| in Lone Pine, and later, when you're
| |
| | which can be obtained from the
|
| watching movies at home, you'll find
| |
| | inter-agency visitors center on Highway
|
| yourself saying "Hey I've been there."
| |
| | 395, just south of Lone Pine. Plan ahead,
|
| More than 200 movies, and numerous
| |
| | as permits are limited, and a seperate
|
| television series have been filmed in and
| |
| | summit stamp may be required now to go to
|
| around the area. The Lone Pine Film
| |
| | the peak of Whitney.
|
| Festival, which is held in early October
| |
| | There is a campground behind downtown -
|
| every year, features the classics, as
| |
| | to the west, and several nice motels in
|
| well as more recent films. If you watch
| |
| | Lone Pine. The visitor's center south of
|
| many movies, you can see familiar movie
| |
| | town has a lot of information on
|
| scenery any time of the year.
| |
| | activities and sights in the area. The
|
| The Alabama Hills
| |
| | reservoir south of town is good for
|
| Drive a few minutes south of Lone Pine,
| |
| | fishing and swimming. The Beverly and Jim
|
| turn west, and you'll find the Alabama
| |
| | Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History
|
| Hills, one of the most unique geological
| |
| | will open soon. Actors have gun battles
|
| areas you'll ever see. Rounded and smooth
| |
| | in the local bar just to entertain you
|
| rocks are piled up in the most amazing
| |
| | (no charge).
|
| formations. You may recognize some of the
| |
| | My wife and I love Lone Pine. Where else
|
| scenery from old westerns. On the south
| |
| | in California, or anywhere else, can you
|
| side of town, at the visitors center, you
| |
| | - all in one day - go swimming, watch a
|
| can get free maps that will guide you to
| |
| | gunfight, explore caves and rock
|
| rock arches, caves and other sights.
| |
| | formations in the desert, then drive up
|
| You'll have to walk into mazes of rocks
| |
| | the mountain for a snowball fight?
|
| to get to the better ones.
| |
| |
|
