10/19 Mono Lake Basin, California

I think Mono Lake is just as amazing and wonderful as Yosemite! Thanks to my sister June, and her partner, Vinny, for pointing it out to me! Here you can see the size of the lake. It fills a natural basin that is 695 square miles in size!

The most distinctive feature of Mono Lake is its 'tufa" towers made of crystalized minerals.  Their location is indicative of higher water levels in the past.

This 'tufa' tower was along the path from the visitor center to the lake. It was large enough for me to stand inside it and still leave plenty of room for 5 or 6 of my family and friends to join me!

So, of course, I stepped inside and sat down on the rock bench along the wall.  

Looking out at the lake from inside the tufa.

Now I'm standing on the 'beach.' which is filled with more "tufa" and the islands which are also composed of 'tufa.'

....so what is 'tufa,' and how does it form?  'Tufa' is a kind of limestone rock that is formed underwater. It develops when calcium-rich spring water flow up through the alkaline lake water and the calcium in the spring water binds to the alkaline lake water making calcium carbonate which is what makes limestone. Varying amounts of calcium and other minerals in the spring water create different kinds of 'tufa.'

Mono Lake is 760,000 to 3,000,000 years old! It is one of the oldest lakes in North America!

Mono Lake is fed by streams and ice melt from the surrounding mountains. This boardwalk leading to the lake protects the marsh along the beach.

Standing on the edge of the water, you can see another process in action. The evaporation of the lake water leaves tiny white crystals on everything......

...including these plants growing on tufa at the water's edge.

These tufa are on land now, but they formed underwater many thousands of years ago. The water level in the lake fluctuates naturally, however the city of Las Angelos, almost 400 miles away, built a pipeline to divert the fresh water entering Mono Lake which had a devastating effect on the lake. In addition, in the past this area was plowed and planted in alfalfa, and fenced off for ranchers raising cattle, endangering the native plants and wildlife.

You might think that nothing could live in the water of Mono Lake, but tiny brine shrimp and alkali flies live in it and are food to hundreds of species of birds which live in the basin year-round, or migrate through it.  The Native Americans, who called this basin home, ate the larvae of the alkalie fly which is very nutritious.

Some tufa, like this one, includes silica as well as calcium-carbonate, which makes them look like gigantic sand castles!

When the water level drops, the exposed tufa are exposed to erosion.

The plants that grow at Mono Lake are similar to those growing at Ash Meadows because the soil and environmental factors are similar. 

Mono Lake was established in 1984, the same year that Ash Meadows was established. Since that time water levels have been monitored, wetlands protected, and native plants have been added to the lands surrounding the lake.
(Los Angelos is still allowed to drain fresh water from the streams that feed into Mono Lake, however it is limited in how much it can take in order to protect the lake.)

Looking toward the Sierra Mountains from the beach at Mono Lake. See the people standing in front of the tufa?

Those white objects in the lake that look like sailboats are really islands of tufa!

See how beautiful it is?

Sunset at Mono Lake.