The Sierra Nevada mountain range in eastern California
From the heart of California through British Columbia lies the Sierra Nevada mountain range. To the west are the fertile plains of the Pacific, and to the east desolate deserts. The Sierra mountains provide a wilderness get-away and much of the water for southern California.
Our journey began up highway 395 in the eastern Sierra. Just an hour and a half outside of Los Angeles is Red Rock State Park, the first hint of the volcanic region we would soon enter. Another hour up the highway as the rolling hills begin to grow into towering peaks we enter Lower Owen's Valley. An ancient lava flow follows the highway past Little Lake Ranch and we turn off to Fossil Falls. Before the Los Angeles Aquaduct was constructed in the 1970's the Owen's river provided life-bearing water to the desert valley. With the rivenbed now dried and exposed, Fossil Falls, an 80 foot basalt waterfall, is exposed to explore.