Bill, Frank, and Stella start their hike at Mono Craters.
The old gate still stands.
Stella and Frank make their way up the overgrown footpath that remains of the old road.
Obsidian stone
Frank climbs up the old road.
Mounts Dana (center) and Gibbs (l) rise in the background.
PIne cones litter the trail below the only tree in the area.
Bill's hat is visible in the distance above the sagebrush. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella approach the pass at the top of the overgrown trail.
East side of Mono Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Petrified lizard
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Circus Tent Hill, our goal for the day
Stella walks up the road through the volcanic plugs.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank climb into view.
Bill pauses before walking through "Ambush Alley".
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill on the slope of Circus Tent Hill
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank takes the trail leading to my position.
Stella arrives at Circus Tent Hill.
Bill decides to push straight up the gradient.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella presses up to the summit, while Bill waits at the top.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
360-degree panorama from the north summit of Circus Tent Hill
Frank and Stella stand atop the north summit of Circus Tent Hill
The western face of Circus Tent Hill is remarkably flat.
The rock, mostly fine pumice, appears to lie at the angle of repose.
Bill photographs the remarkable flatness of the side of Circus Tent Hill.
Stella sits and enjoys the view from the north summit. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
360-degree panorama from the south summit of Circus Tent Hill
polarized
Frank stands at the north summit of Circus Tent Hill.
Mono Lake is in the background.
Frank on the north summit of Circus Tent Hill
Bill on the south summit of Circus Tent Hill
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank starts down from the south summit to our meeting place next to a pine tree on the road.
Frank is at the far left, and Stella is at the right center of the photo.
I attempted with limited success to herd Frank and Stella toward each other by issuing instructions over the radio.
We rest again at our meeting spot on the road.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella start down the road.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Half-living tree
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Layer-cake stone: obsidian and pumice
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank's hat comes into view.
I rest in the van at the end of the hike.
