East Yosemite and Mono Lake

Funky looking trees

Tenaya Lake

Tuolomne

Colourful hillside

Eastern parts of Yosemite looked subtly different from the South entrance, the plants looked a lot more hardy, as if they’ve gotten used to being battered by harsher climate.

We stopped by a few places: the beautifully tranquil Tenaya Lake, Tuolomne Meadows (that’s when the rain started, which was later followed by snow) and a few other unnamed vista points. There was a little visitor centre at Tuolomne Meadows, maybe it was the horrid weather, the staff seemed just a little bit more depressed than those at the South… Hope they are feeling better now.

Mono Lake

Big ol’ tufa

Tufas on Mono

After a little while more, we had driven past the blizzard, and were greeted by an amazing sight. We had a little to eat at a gas station just short of Mono Lake, while we admired the scenery.

We then went for a stroll down to the lake. The lake is famous for its salinity and alkalinity. Salt pillars crystallise from the lake’s water, and are called “tufas”. There is a unique species of fly that lives in/around the lake, its larvae are able to survive in the incredible salinity!