Sierra Nevada in September: A Pashnit Ride of Elevated Proportions

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Several-pic panoramic! This is looking northward at Glacier Point. Yosemite Valley is below.




This is Glacier Point (at dead center) looking westward




You need a sense of space and perspective to figure out what you're looking at, but once you get it, these are pretty cool.

Pulled back a bit, still looking directly at Glacier Point westwardly. Recognize Half Dome?




Now check this out- this is the satellite image of what we are looking at while standing atop Glacier Point. Recognize anything?



Btw, Michael mentioned Old Priest Grade in the other picture thread about this ride, so see if this one makes any sense. The more bold thicker line at center is the twisty section of Hwy 120 down to Hwy 49 outside Groveland. See Old Priest Grade? It looks in these pics as if it runs straight down the valley, but in actuality, it simply goes straight down.



Rotating around, looking north towards Sonora


-end day 1-

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The next day is was time to experience the Sierra Nevada Mountain Passes.

Don on the Triumph Speed Triple




Cathy on her CBR599




Vince on the ST1300

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Michael on his brand new 2006 Vulcan 750 - Mike also wrote the other thread about this ride located here! Clicky!



My other Michael




The CBR599

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Michael on the Vulcan headed up to Ebbetts Pass - Hwy 4




At Mosquito Lake, fly fishin' Bet some of you were wishin' you were standin' right there!



Highway 4 at the top of the world

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Let's Ride!! Tim headed off with the group in tow




Nothing quite like Hwy 4 in all of California



Ebbetts Pass - El. 8730, There's actually two summits up here, Pacific Grade Summit is the first one right after the Bear Valley Ski area, than Hwy 4 actually dips down and starts back up again to the Ebbetts Pass Summit. Two for one deal!



So Hwy 4 - Ebbetts Pass works something like this, again to make any sense of these, helps to have ridden the road, and have a sense of spatial apitude. Remember to look at the compass at bottom left.

In this one of the summit, Lake Tahoe is to the north. This would be the ride furthest east. Kinney Reservoir is a lil reservoir as you head down the hill on the backside. You can also see the really steep-switchback descent right after the reservoir, plus the mountain valley (to the right) that we always stop and take pics of. The road at top center that begins to curve around through Markleeville is the beginnings of Hwy 88 - Carson Pass back to Kirkwood.

The road headed off at top right is Monitor Pass on over to Hwy 395.




This is the far east end of Highway 4 looking the opposite direction west, see the steep descent then Kinney Reservoir?
Start of Monitor Pass it at bottom right.

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Great shot of Michael headed down the backside. Gives you a sense of how fantastic is up here!




See the bike?




Headed back down goes something like this... What I don't have are pics of the 24% grade drop!

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Little better sense of space with the Panoramic version...

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Another similar version of the view- Hwy 4 really is something!

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And a little bit of this



Fall is here, there were brilliant colors at certain elevations. Michael on the Vulcan

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Then one of my all time favorite rides- Monitor Pass. The view at the 8900 feet summit.




Pashnit Riders... Tony & Steph, then Don




Tim & Cathy




Monitor Pass as it drops down to Hwy 395, wee bit hazy today, so didn't get any shots of the valley



Now scroll down and compare the satellite image with real life!

[pashnit]

Forget that satellite 3-D stuff, now this is real life!!

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For those that are familiar with the pass, this one also may look strangely familiar.

Looking back westward over the top of Topaz Lake, Hwy 4 makes westward at top center,
while Hwy 89 eases on into Markleeville at center right. Btw, that white spot at center right is the Leviathan Mine.
The valley in the above pic is at center left.




Then onto Hwy 395 and make south! Seconds outside Bridgeport, CA. With the Sierra Nevada in the background, bit of a ranching area.

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-CLICKY for the full width panoramic-