LA to San Francisco Prius Road Trip

I love thinking that "you just got passed by a hybrid"! I thought I was the only one that had those dirty thoughts! I love passing people on the grapevine!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Nrgyzd @ Jul 5 2006, 02:53 PM) [snapback]281646[/snapback]</div>

The trip was to Mammoth Lakes~we stayed slopeside at Juniper Springs, so maybe technically it was to Mammoth Mountain come to think of it. The car handled perfectly at those altitudes, we were there for a full week and I have no complaints about it whatsoever (other than my less-than-stellar mileage of 34.3 mpg I believe it was, due mostly to the climb up the Sherwin Grade). The Prius was definitely NOT overtaxed in any way. The Prius will handle just fine on mountain roads, especially non-icy roads. It snowed ~8 feet while we were there (the great snowstorm of April '06) and I didn't even have to use my tire chains once.

We're going back up there at the end of next month for a few days, so I'll get to see how it handles in summer weather vs winter weather. We plan on doing a lot of sightseeing while we're there too, like to Mono Lake, Devil's Postpile, Convict Lake, and other places we don't get to visit in the dead of winter when we're on our snowboarding ventures.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seasidetraveler @ Jul 6 2006, 09:05 AM) [snapback]282040[/snapback]</div>

I think those dirty thoughts too. Maybe we both just have dirty minds...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rancid13 @ Jul 6 2006, 11:39 AM) [snapback]282136[/snapback]</div>

Two suggestions:
1) At Mono Lake be sure to visit the South Tufa area – best seen at sunset if you are staying nearby . . . such as in Lee Vining. The lake is quickly filling to a mandated level, and this may be your last chance to walk amongst the tufa.
[attachmentid=4038]
South Tufa at sunset on June 22, 2006

Also, the Mono Lake Visitor Center, just north of Lee Vining, is well worth the stop.

2) Visit Toulumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park if you have never been there before. Yosemite Valley is nice, but Tuolumne Meadows, at 8,600 feet, is the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada and is spectacular - if you happen to like gorgeous views and no crowds. :lol:
Getting there from the Mono Lake area will give you a chance to test the Prius going over the highest auto pass in California (hint: It does just fine). The eastern entrance to Yosemite ($20 cash) – is Tioga Pass - 9,945 feet. I drove it in June '06. In 11 miles, the road climbs from the 6,780 foot elevation at the junction of 395/120 with an average 5.4% grade. Yes, the Prius is grasping for breath at that altitude, but it has more than enough power to go faster than the speed limit – or what common sense dictates.

While in Toulumne Meadows I suggest the Lembert Dome hike (approximately 2.5 hours and fairly easy considering the altitude). http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/LembertDome_0000.asp
After the hike, a picnic and possible swim at Tenaya Lake would look and feel nice. . . but make sure you have on mosquito repellent. You can stop at the store between the Lembert parking area and Tenaya Lake for food if needed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rancid13 @ Jul 6 2006, 11:39 AM) [snapback]282136[/snapback]</div>

Some people have this crazy idea that the prius is the slowest car around, it's not the fastest by far, but it's not really super slow either. So when you blow by people going 90mph getting 2x the mpg they are getting only going 75mph it's just funny.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 6 2006, 01:42 PM) [snapback]282200[/snapback]</div>

We hiked in and around the Tufa a few years back, in the winter to boot. We were pooped after 1/2 day of snowboarding, and decided to drive around and sightsee. We ended up at Mono Lake, still dressed in our snowboarding gear (but changed out of snowboard boots and into hiking sneakers) and tromped around for a good couple of hours, taking pictures and admiring wildlife.

Also been to most areas of Yosemite~did a weeklong trip up there about 4 years back at the beginning of September. It was beautiful but unfortunately just after a season of very little precipitation, so the waterfalls and rivers/streams were reduced to mere trickles and even just 'drips' at times.

We tend to do a lot of random sightseeing on the way to or home from Mammoth, including (but not limited to) Rock Creek (lake and campground area), Kennedy Meadows, Fossil Falls and Red Rock Canyon.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 6 2006, 03:42 PM) [snapback]282200[/snapback]</div>

Oh yes, we did that hike back in 1989, actually from Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows, or was it the other way around, beautiful, lost my big toenails on that journey.