Western States Mid-March to Mid April

[Peter McLennan]

Early spring, solo trip in a mini van from the top of the Idaho Panhandle to Phoenix, AZ.  
Three weeks, a D300, several lenses and a Flip camcorder. : )

Leave northern ID first week of March, work the coast southbound, heading inland at LA or so.   Phoenix by April 01.  
Return from AZ to ID via The Great Basin in mid-April.

Certainties:

Kent, WA (Boeing Surplus Store)
Redwood NP
Silicon Valley (computer museum)
SoCal coast from SFO to LA
Death Valley (tenth visit)
Las Vegas (because I love it)
Salton Sea (been once, need more)
Joshua Tree National Park

Possibles:

Owens Valley (possible entry to Death Valley via Lone Pine)
Venice Beach/Beverly Hills/Mulholland Drive (just because)
Carrizo Plain (never seen it)
Tehachapi Pass/Mohave, CA
Anza Borrego


I've been to nearly all of these locations before but I seek new vistas, campsites, photo galleries, routes and photography locations. Landscape mostly, but enjoy street.

[Paul Sumi]

I've been to nearly all of these locations before but I seek new vistas, campsites, photo galleries, routes and photography locations. Landscape mostly, but enjoy street.

Don't know how familiar you are, but if you do make it to the Owens Valley check out the Alabama Hills (outside Lone Pine), Manzanar (National Historic Site near Independence), Mountain Light Gallery in Bishop (Galen Rowell's photography), Mono Lake (outside Lee Vining), Bodie (north of Lee Vining, but may be snowed in), Hot Creek near Mammoth (geothermal hot springs).

If you enter or exit Death Valley via 178 through Ridgecrest (coming from or going to Los Angeles), take a look at the town of Trona and the Trona Pinnacles. I have seen photos of the latter but not yet visited.

And here in L.A., there are two great city vistas at the Griffith Park Observatory and the Getty Center in Brentwood (not to mention architecture.  Unfortunately, tripods not allowed at either).

Paul

[wittsend2]

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Early spring, solo trip in a mini van from the top of the Idaho Panhandle to Phoenix, AZ.  
Three weeks, a D300, several lenses and a Flip camcorder. : )

Leave northern ID first week of March, work the coast southbound, heading inland at LA or so.   Phoenix by April 01.  
Return from AZ to ID via The Great Basin in mid-April.

Certainties:

Kent, WA (Boeing Surplus Store)
Redwood NP
Silicon Valley (computer museum)
SoCal coast from SFO to LA
Death Valley (tenth visit)
Las Vegas (because I love it)
Salton Sea (been once, need more)
Joshua Tree National Park

Possibles:

Owens Valley (possible entry to Death Valley via Lone Pine)
Venice Beach/Beverly Hills/Mulholland Drive (just because)
Carrizo Plain (never seen it)
Tehachapi Pass/Mohave, CA
Anza Borrego


I've been to nearly all of these locations before but I seek new vistas, campsites, photo galleries, routes and photography locations. Landscape mostly, but enjoy street.

Peter: Some ideas:
Travel north of SF to the Marin Headlands/Point Reyes/Tomales Bay for some beautiful scenery.
The East Bay Park District across the bay from SF has some beautiful parks. www.ebparks.org
If you like street photography, you can't beat Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley(next to campus) for a diverse crowd. (Top Dog is also a must!!) Time permitting, you should also try Strawberry Canyon, especially the UC Botanical Garden.
When coming down the coast, instead of 101 into Santa Barbara, take Hwy 154 through the mountains. It will take you through the SB wine country and put you on 101 in Santa Barbara. Great drive.
Depending on your timing, you may hit the wildflowers on the Carrizo Plain (March/April depending on conditions) Camping, but very basic with no water
For scenery, take Hwy 178 and skip Hwy 58 through Tehachipi (I live in Bakersfield, which is 40 min from Tehachipi) Hwy 178 takes you through the Kern River Canyon, and the Kern River should be flowing pretty fast at this time. It is a much more scenic and fun drive than 58. You will go past Lake Isabella and end up on Hwy 14/395 just west of Ridgecrest.

Sounds like a great trip-enjoy!

[Don Libby]

Peter

Sound like a great trip planned; what’s at the Boeing Surplus Store or shouldn’t I ask?  

I happen to be in Crescent City this week shooting the Redwoods and along the coast and highly recommend Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park; you may want to take Howland Hill Road that runs past Stout Grove (they filmed Jurassic Park there).

Good luck

don

[Peter McLennan]

Excellent suggestions, all.  Thank you for your valuable input.  

The Boeing Surplus Store is where Boeing sells off all of the stuff that's left over after they make airplanes.  A long-time, fantastic resource for both tools and materials, it is now unfortunately closed.

My departure is slated for the first few days of March, allowing for a full moon visit to The Racetrack. : )

[Paul Sumi]

My departure is slated for the first few days of March, allowing for a full moon visit to The Racetrack. : )

Peter,

You sound like you're an old Death Valley hand, so I'm not going to give the usual caution about the rough road conditions out to the Racetrack.

However, have you ever camped there overnight? Definitely worth doing at least once and especially since you're there during the full moon.  There's a primitive dry camp past the south end of the playa.

Paul

[Peter McLennan]

Peter,
However, have you ever camped there overnight? Definitely worth doing at least once and especially since you're there during the full moon.  There's a primitive dry camp past the south end of the playa.
Paul

That's the plan, Paul.  I can hardly wait!  : )  Thanks for your input.  I'm driving an AWD GMC Safari which has good ground clearance and I'm taking a second spare wheel-mounted tire.

And lots of drive space for giggage.  : )

Peter

[Justan]

...The Boeing Surplus Store is where Boeing sells off all of the stuff that's left over after they make airplanes.  A long-time, fantastic resource for both tools and materials, it is now unfortunately closed.

Boeing’s surplus store closed in ’07. Here’s an article on some of what the store offered. It was a local treasure.

Don’t know of another surplus store that is even close to Boeing’s.

The area has some of the coolest outdoor scenery anywhere. The ski resorts or Mt Rainier National Park offer winter in the forest. Or any of the San Juan islands that ornament Puget Sound will delight. If you want to make a trip to the coast there are areas that will make you feel you’ve traveled back in time. The northern Washington coast but Kalaloch, Ruby and Rialto Beaches in particular are sublime….