HOW TO GET TO BIG PINE, CALIFORNIA AT THE BASE OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS
The town of Big Pine is just to the west of the White Mountains. From both northern and southern California, Big Pine is approached via US Highway 395.
Big Pine is on the east side of the Sierra Nevada
in the Owens Valley, not far from the Nevada state line. It is just west of the WMRS facilities. Most visitors
travel here by car. Bus service may be available from Los Angeles, to
the south, and Reno, to the north. The nearest major airports are in
Reno, NV, Las Vegas, NV, and Los Angeles, CA. There are also small
airports in the towns of Mammoth Lakes, Inyokern, and Bishop, but
commercial service to these airports is not always available.
Driving to Big Pine, California. From Big Pine it will take an additional hour or more to reach the Crooked Creek Research Facility, where the workshop participants will be housed. We plan to gather at the Crooked Creek Facility Lodge Friday, July 20, in the early evening. Approximate driving times to Big Pine from the nearest airports are:
Mammoth lakes: 1 hour
Inyokern: 3 hours
Reno: 4 hours
Las Vegas: 4.5 hours
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): 5 hours
Los Angeles Ontario: 5 hours
From Big Pine it will take an additional hour or more to reach the Crooked Creek Research Facility.
DRIVING TO WMRS HIGH-ELEVATION STATIONS
WMRS high-altitude facilities are located at altitudes above 10,000
feet. The road is usually cleared of snow between late June and
November. Discomfort and altitude sickness can happen to anyone,
regardless of age or physical condition. If you have questions or
concerns about your reaction to high-altitude environments, please
consult your physician before attempting to drive to Barcroft or Crooked
Creek Stations.
There are no services or communications facilites after leaving Big Pine. If you are a WMRS researcher, please visit or call the Owens Valley Lab to leave your travel plans before attempting to drive to Crooked Creek or Barcroft Station.
Parts of the unpaved portion of the White Mountain Road are rocky and have washboards. Although WMRS recommends the use of high clearance vehicles when the road is open it can usually be negotiated without difficulty by standard passenger cars. For current information about the status of the White Mountain Road, please call Inyo National Forest at 760-873-2500.
DRIVING TO CROOKED CREEK STATION
From California: Access to the Owens Valley from both northern and southern California is via US highway 395. At the junction of highway 395 and California highway 168 at Big Pine, drive east on highway 168 into the White Mountains. About 13 miles from 395 at Westgard Pass, turn north (left) onto the White Mountain Road. The White Mountain Road is paved and its intersection with highway 168 is marked with a sign. Drive north on the White Mountain Road. At Schulman Grove, about 10 miles from highway 168, the pavement ends. Continue north about 9.5 miles until the junction with the road to Crooked Creek. This junction is marked with a sign. Drive east on this road just over 1 mile and the Crooked Creek station will come into view.
From Nevada: Approach California Highway 168 from the Oasis junction at the south end of in Fishlake Valley. Drive west on 168 over Gilbert Pass, through Deep Springs Valley and up Westgard Pass to the intersection of 168 with the White Mountain Road. A sign marks this intersection. Turn north on the White mountain Road and follow the instructions in the second paragraph above.
WMRS Area Map - larger