The Martin Family had the joy to spend our Easter celebration on a road trip. The main attractions were Death Valley and Mammoth Lakes with cool travels and places along the way.
The first day we left early and drove eastward across the lower central valley, through both Tehachapi and Mojave until we reached the Owens valley in which we took an abrubt right hand turn in Olancha. Death Valley would be our next step over the beautiful Panamint Mountains. We landed in the valley and Furnace Creek campground at approximately 3pm and set up camp. It was an awesome desert landscape.
(The great Owens valley and dry lake bed. Sierras at left and the rise of the Inyo Mountains on the right)
(The descent into the valley via atop the Panamint Range)
(desert camp out - a comforting fire...)
The second day was planned ahead and we rented a Jeep Rubicon for a mountain and desert adventure through Titus and Echo Canyons with several stops along the way including the famous DV sand dunes. Mid day between the canyons, we poached the ranch inn pool to enjoy refreshment poolside and wipe the dust of our bodies. We encountered petraglyphs, historic lead and silver mines, reptiles, and just amazing desert landscape...
(Jeep packed and ready for exploration!)
(Lunch in the canyon!)
(Sean feeling his scale against massive and beautiful canyon walls - Titus Canyon is simply a must visit!)
The third morning we all woke together to worship our risen savior Jesus Christ! It was a delightful morning as family as we read 1 Peter together and reflected on the Gospel in our lives. It was great to hear the kids and my wife talk about the scriptures together. It was awesome to praise God in His creation on a day of resurrection celebration. The balance of the morning was spent quickly packing and hitting the road for Scotty's Castle, and northern Death Valley run, and a trip back westward through the Inyo/White Mountain passes into Bishop and then to Mammoth Lakes. This drive did not dissapoint and the new landscape was an amazing adventure. The Castle too was a great history lesson on early California and it's folks. We arrived into Mammoth Lakes in time for another quick dip in the pool before an Easter dinner at a family favorite restaurant known as Angel's. Great time. Sweet time.
(Death Valley Ranch aka Scotty's Castle)
The next two days was spent on the slopes of Mammoth Mountain and both Sean and Amber got their alpine game on with Seany skiing with his dad, and Amber snowboarding with her mother. Awesome time. First day it snowed and the wind blew. The next day was a beautiful sunny day. Both days were nonetheless very enjoyable.
(My girls on their sleds!)
(The fam in their groove on the mountain!)
Our final night, after a day of skiing entailed a quick 90-100 mile drive south on 395 along the eastern Sierra to Independence in which we turned again abrubtly right straight into the mountain foothills and made camp at Grey's Meadow at approximately 6,000 foot elevation. We were so close to Whitney and other major mountains simply directly above us. The mountains towered above us with snow caps. Simply massive and awsesome. Made camp, cooked dinner of quesadillas, and enjoyed some refreshments and family time around an open fire. It was an amazing time to end our Easter road trip before returning home the next morning.
(last night with wine, sodas, and grilled quesadillas on open range - does not get any better than this)
We are so very grateful for the blessings God gives us in exploring His landscape. Praise God for these future memories and this great trip... He is Risen and risen indeed!
More pictures of this great trip - Just click on the active FLICKR site at right...
