Owens Valley History

Ray DeLea
(aka: the Pigmy Packer circa 1969)

NOTICE:
All items on this website have been catagorized as fair use and are being displayed strictly for non-commercial and nonprofit educational purposes. No items on this website are in anyway sold or used in publications of any sort by the website owner. Wherever possible, permission to use each item has been obtained from the author (if still alive) or from the collector of such material, and an agreed upon credit has been given.

What is this site all about?

1. The telling in words and pictures of one of the Eastern Sierra's most incredible mule packing outfits - Mt. Whitney Pack Trains which operated out of Lone Pine, CA from the 1940s through the early 1970s.

2. The history of Owens Valley towns, pioneering families, and individual people who made Owens Valley what it is today.

3. Stories of mining camps and surrounding areas affecting mining in the mountains surrounding Owens Valley.

4. Stories and photos about the Sierra Nevada Mountains (The Range of Light that is like none other), the personalities who enjoyed them in the past and who are part of the lore we relish to hear about today.

Revised - May 2020: High Sierra Adventures
Added endorsements and poem, expanded Foreword, needed format enhancements.

This book follows the adventures of a teenager who worked for Mt. Whitney Pack Trains, out of Lone Pine, CA, for six summers between the years of 1965 - 1970. It details his journey from being a "city slicker" knowing nothing about livestock and packing to becoming a seasoned packer / guide for one of the most prestigious pack stations operating on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Using a combination of photographs and life events he takes the reader progressively through six summers of "learning the ropes" of being a packer as he packed in such groups as the Sierra Club, the Trail Riders of the Wilderness and private parties. This book is full of events that will make you laugh and cry as he describes the pack trips, wrecks, wrangles, livestock and personnel that made each summer a greater adventure than the preceding one.

Copies are now available through Amazon
The Western Museum of Film History in Lone Pine, CA
The Eastern California Museum in Independence, CA
and at the Whitney Portal Hostel & Hotel in Lone Pine, CA

Mt. Whitney and the Eastern Sierra crest as seen from Thunder Mountain.
(Photograph by Mike Porter - 1977)

This site is graciously being hosted by the owner's of Shocking.Com - Stop by and pay them a visit and express you thanks for their generosity. Without their generosity, this site would not be possible.

Owens Lake and Vacinity
1939 USGS Topographical Map

A 7-shot vertical pano stack of the Sierra Nevada west of Lone Pine as seen under a full moon from the Alabama Hills.
(Photograph by Noah Becker - Thanksgiving 2018)

Backroad Tours in the Eastern Sierra - Inyo County

WebCams

Mt. Whitney-1

Owens Valley

Mono Lake

Mt. Whitney-2

	Entries since 25 April 2020 - Added a new page on Swansea Entries since 02 September 2020 - Added a new page on the Piper Family of Oasis, CA Entries since 03 September 2020 - Added a new page for Little Lake Entries since 11 September 2020 - Added a new webpage on Keeler and Cerro Gordo Entries since 12 September 2020 - Added a new webpage to the Carson & Colorado RR Entries since 15 September 2020 - Added a new webpage on Ed Thistlethwaite Entries since 17 September 2020 - Added a new webpage on the Big Pine Citizen newspaper Entries since 21 September 2020 - Added 3 photos of Chrysopolis Entries since 31 December 2020 - A Thousand Acres of Nothing Entries since 27 January 2021 - Added a new page with many of the Native American Paiute photos from the Bishop area consolidated Entries since 03 February 2021 - Completely reorganized all of the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Railroad webpages Entries since 23 April 2021 - Completely revamped and reorganized all of the Manzanar webpages Entries since 02 May 2021 - Completely revamped and reorganized all of the Sierra Nevada / Owens Valley Place Names webpages Entries since 11 May 2021 - A Survey of the Inyo County Schools (1935) Entries since 11 May 2021 - Water Delivered for 5 cents a Ton Entries since 26 June 2021 - Irene Cuffe Entries since 11 September 2021 - Added a new page on the construction of the OV Radio Observatory at Big Pine Entries since 20 October 2021 - Added several photos and stories of desert prospector Joe Ward from the Isle of Man Entries since 23 November 2021 - Old Timers of Inyo by Lester Reed Entries since 15 January 2022 - Hydroelectric Power Production in Owens Valley Entries since 24 January 2022 - A Trip Through the California Sierras by George Bucknam Dorr Entries since 26 January 2022 - Bob Powers Cowboy Country and the 1920 Monache Rodeo Entries since 28 April 2022 - Historical "Inyo-Mono Fishing Guide" advertisements Entries since 28 April 2022 - The Mount Whitney Marathon Entries since 28 April 2022 - Bill Burrud"s Pack Trip to the Summit of Mt. Whitney - Inyo-Mono Fishing Guide of 1957 Entries since 28 April 2022 - Elisha Cook - Inyo's Favorite "Cookie" - Inyo-Mono Fishing Guide of 1957 Entries since 28 April 2022 - High Sierra Nellie: Nellie O'Bryan - Inyo Mono Fishing Guide of 1956 Entries since 11 August 2022 - Added a link to the Sierra Club Bulletin Archives on the Index Page Entries since 27 October 2022 - Added a new page on the rural community of Sunland south-southwest of Bishop Entries since 24 November 2022 - Added a new page on Sierra Nevada Packers (Not MWPT)
	Entries since 30 January 2022 - Avalanche at Jordan Entries since 03 February 2022 - Pearsonville Turns 20 and is Still Growing Entries since 06 February 2022 - Added 6 new photos of Bob White's N4792U aircraft and a video link with a cameo appearance by Bob Entries since 13 February 2022 - Added a blueprint and 7 photos to SPNG Owenyo Entries since 18 February 2022 - Added 8 new photos to SPNG Laws Entries since 20 February 2022 - Added 3 new photos to Little Lake Entries since 20 February 2022 - Added 2 new photos to SPNG Keeler Entries since 01 March 2022 - Added 2 new photos to SPNG Mt. Whitney Entries since 01 March 2022 - Added 1 new photos to Swansea Entries since 01 March 2022 - Added 2 new photos to Lone Pine Entries since 01 March 2022 - Added 1 new phots to Little Lake Entries since 04 March 2022 - Added 3 new phots to SPNG rolling stock Entries since 06 March 2022 - Added the stage lines between the Owens Valley railroad lines and their time tables Entries since 12 March 2022 - Added a hand-drawn map of Owens Valley that is in Kings Pharmacy in Independence, CA Entries since 12 March 2022 - Added photo of the 8-Mile Ranch in Independence, CA - circa 1930 Entries since 12 March 2022 - Added an advertisement for the 8-Mile Pack Train of Independence, CA Entries since 12 March 2022 - Added 2 new photos to Cerro Gordo Entries since 14 March 2022 - Added 2 new photos of Frontier Pack Station to June Lake Entries since 14 March 2022 - Added 2 new photos of Drover's Cottage to Laws Entries since 19 March 2022 - Added 8 new photos to Benton Entries since 19 March 2022 - Added a photo of Carrington's Garage to June Lake Entries since 20 March 2022 - Added an article on the sale of the Lone Pine jail in 1928 Entries since 23 March 2022 - Added an article on the 1961 Mt. Whitney Marathon race Entries since 23 March 2022 - Added an article on Packing into Top Spots Entries since 04 April 2022 - Added 2 photos to Lone Pine Entries since 06 April 2022 - Added a matchbook cover from Janie's Ranch Entries since 12 April 2022 - Added an article about Nellie O'Bryan - Packer & Movie Star Entries since 27 April 2022 - Added 2 new photos to Little Lake Entries since 29 April 2022 - Added 20 new photos to Mary Hunter Austin Entries since 01 May 2022 - Added 2 new photos of Bob White's Cesna 170 at Tunnel Meadow Entries since 01 May 2022 - Added a map of the stage lines servicing the railroads in Owens Valley Entries since 20 July 2022 - Added the story of Jim Thorpe's medal reinstatement after 110 years of IOC nonsense Entries since 09 August 2022 - Added 13 photos in the SP Jawbone Branch Entries since 09 August 2022 - Added photo and map of the CalTrans Cartago/Olancha U.S. 95 bypass construction project Entries since 10 August 2022 - Added ancestry search of Irene Cuffe and Leslie Cuffe Entries since 10 August 2022 - Added a poem by David S. Bromley to the tungsten mine Camp Cook Art Pomeroy and 3 new photos Entries since 10 August 2022 - Added a photo of Hancock's Service Station in Bishop Entries since 10 August 2022 - Added article on the 1926 proposal of an aerial tram to the summit of Mt. Whtiney Entries since 11 August 2022 - Added a brochure for the Owens Valley Salt Company and the Mt. Whitney Pack Trains Skiing School Entries since 11 August 2022 - Added the Sierra Club 1913 Outing to the Kings River Canon Entries since 12 August 2022 - Added 5 photos of Hans Georg of Mammoth Entries since 12 August 2022 - Added Rocky Basin Lakes place name Entries since 13 August 2022 - Added the story of Emmett Hayden of Mammoth, CA to the OVH Stories Entries since 13 August 2022 - Added the story of Emmett Hayden to Mammoth Lakes, CA Entries since 13 August 2022 - Added 9 new photos to SPNG decomittioning page Entries since 14 August 2022 - Added 3 photos from the town of Crater, CA Entries since 14 August 2022 - Added 7 new photos of Lee Vining Entries since 14 August 2022 - Added 8 new photos of Mono County/Mono Lake Entries since 14 August 2022 - Added 3 new photos of Paradise Camp and 5 new photos to Round Valley Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added "Inyo Magazine" to Stories Page Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added "Inyo County California", "20-Mule Team Borax - How to Use It," "Souvenir Booklet of Independence," "Union Carbides Tungsten Mine in the Sky," and "Trail 'O The Trout" to Stories Page Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added "Early History of Lone Pine" and "Mt. Whitney From Timberline Lake" to Stories Page Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added a vintage Sportsman's Cafe menu to Lone Pine Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added "Trail 'O The Trout" to Golden Trout Camp Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added Lemoyne Hazard's 1924 Dream-A-Log Magazine Entries since 15 August 2022 - Added 4 Bishop Rodeo programs photos Entries since 15 August 2022 -Added a Pacific Coast Borax Company brochure Entries since 23 August 2022 - Added 9 new photos of the 1933 Bishop snow storm Entries since 12 September 2022 - Added "Sierra Basques" story Entries since 15 October 2022 - Added 5 stories from George Palmer Putnam's book "Up in Our Country" Entries since 15 October 2022 - Added "From Coso to Carricart" and 3 photos Entries since 15 October 2022 - Added a photo and a story to 20-Mule Team page Entries since 25 October 2022 - Added the story of Sunland by Enid Larson Entries since 02 November 2022 - Added a photo of a Curtis "Condor" bombardment airplane over Mt. Whitney Entries since 02 November 2022 - Added a photo of Rena Elizabeth Roop as a young child Entries since 19 November 2022 - Added to new Charles H. Lee photos of Owens Lake Entries since 22 November 2022 - Added the History of the Lone Pine Stampede Entries since 24 November 2022 - Added six new photos to Bishop Entries since 03 December 2022 - Added Hollywood Outtakes of SPNG Carson & Colorado by Speed Graphic Film and Video Entries since 04 December 2022 - Added a link to California's Gold episode 110 on the "Wedding of the Waters" to Fr. Crowley's page Entries since 07 December 2022 - Added 9 photos of SPNG rolling stock Entries since 07 December 2022 - Added 8 SPNG Photos to Keeler Entries since 07 December 2022 - Added 3 new photos to SPNG Laws Entries since 20 January 2023 - Added story, "Call of the Cattle Drive" Entries since 20 January 2023 - Added story, "At 8,000 Feet, California "Mine in the Sky" is About to Enter Valhalla Entries since 20 January 2023 - Added story - "Photographer of the Desert" (Burton Frasher) Entries since 20 January 2023 - Added two photos of J. G. Oliver and W. H. Frick's 1917 trip to Owens Valley
Site navigation: You may navigate through this web site by returning to home and clicking on one of the buttons below or by using the arrows at the bottom of each page. The arrows will point you to the next three or prevous three pages of site information. New additions to the site are always featured above.

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Owens Valley History Website Index

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains (MWPT) History	Owens Valley History
	Places	People	Things
1950s MWPT Brochure Bill Smart / Paul Lamos Archives Bob Swandt Bruce Morgan Memories Bruce Morgan's 20-Mule Team Chrysler and Cook Brochure Chrysler & Cook Days Duane Rossi: Cowboy Poet Ed Brown - Packer & Cowboy Poet Irene Kritz - Cook, Packer, Author Jayne and Bob Douglas Archives Kathy Jefferson-Bancroft Archives Reif Kipp Archives Mary Jefferson Archives Monache Meadows Cowboys Morgans, The MWPT - 1930s & 1940s MWPT Packers - 1940s - 1972 MWPT Reunions MWPT Roster of Packers MWPT Skiing School Brochure Nancy Droubay Archives One Packer's Sierra Experience Packer's Books / Publications Packing, 50 Years Ago Rena Beth Moore-Smith Archives Rena Beth Moore - Sierra Crossing Robert House - GTC Packer Sierra Club "High Trips" - 1946 - 1972 Stephanie Morgan Archives 01 Stephanie Morgan Archives 02 Stephanie Morgan Archives 03 To Top of Mt. Whitney" by Rena Moore Tommy Jefferson	Aberdeen Bartlett Benton, Benton Crossing Big Pine Bishop Bishop Mines & Tokens Cartago Casa Diablo & Hot Creek Casa Vieja & Surrounding Areas Cerro Gordo Champion Sparkplug Mine Coso Hot Springs Darwin Dirty Socks Dunmovin El Camino Sierra Glacier Lodge & Palisades Golden Trout Camp Grant Independence Jordan Hot Springs June Lake Area Keeler Keough's Hot Springs Laws & Laws RR Museum Lee Vining Little Lake Lone Pine Lone Pine to Porterville Road Mammoth Lakes Area Manzanar - Events Leading Up To Manzanar - WWII Propaganda Manzanar - Beginnings Manzanar - Life At: 1 Manzanar - Life At: 2 Manzanar - Art At: 3 Manzanar - Portraits Manzanar - Life After: 1 Manzanar - High School Manzanar - American Memory Project Manzanar -Berry Tamura Manzanar - Hiroshi Hondo Manzanar - Aubrey Hemming Manzanar - Ben Baker Manzanar Free Press (UNDCR) Manzanar - Owens River Valley Mono Lake Area Mt. Whitney Trail & Portal Road Near Owens Valley North of Bishop: McGee Creek, Round Valley, Sherwin Grade North of Bishop: Tom's Place North of Bishop: Bishop Creek, Hilton Lakes, Parchers Camp, Andrews Camp North of Bishop: Mammoth Lakes North of Bishop: June Lake, Grant Lake, Rush Creek, Culver's Camp North of Bishop: Mono Lake, Benton, Benton Crossing, Lee Vining Oasis / Deep Springs Valley Olancha Owens River Valley - Manzanar Owens Valley & Owens Lake Pearsonville & Freeman Pine Creek Tungsten Mines Rex Montis Mine Saline Valley Salt Tram Photo Album Sherman Stevens' Sawmill Sunland Swansea Tunnel Airfield, Tunnel Guard Camp U.S. Vanadium (Tungsten) Mine	Alfred R. Giraud Allie Robinson (Pack Trains) Andrew Alexander Forbes Bill DeCarteret - Mountains, Mules and Memories Bob Powers - Cowboy Country Bob Swandt Bob White & Tunnel Airfield Burton Frasher Colonel Sherman Stevens' Sawmill Crosby & Dobbins: Two Gals in Search of a Great Catch Dave & Gayle Woodruff Desert Padre Duane Rossi - Squawbuck Joe Ed Brown - Rhyme Doesn't Pay Ed Thistlethwaite Father John J. Crowley Franklin Merrill-Wolff George Brown, Native American George Bucknam Dorr Hiroshi Honda Irene Cuffe Irene Kritz - Campfire and Smoke Jane Wehrey: Voices from this Long Brown Land Jim Thorpe, Native American Joe Ward John & J.D. Black of Bishop & Big Pine J. D. Black L.A. Aqueduct Files John H. Lubken Kathleen Haun - Dear Carrie Lily La Braque: Man from Mono Lona Burkhart Man From Mono Mary Austin Marye Roeser: Switchback Trails Across the Sierra Matlicks Norman Clyde Old Timers of Inyo Olds Family of Keeler Owens Valley Shoshone / Paiutes Piper Family of Oasis Ray DeLea: High Sierra Adventures Rena More-Smith: Life in Owens Valley Robert A. Trennert: Riding the High Wire Robert Likes: Looking Back at Cerro Gordo Robert Pearce: The Owens Valley Controversy & A.A. Brierly Roni McFadden Sam Lewis Sierra Lady Pack Station Sierra Nevada Packers (Not MWPT) Slim Randles - Sun Dog Days Squawbuck Joe Steve Sorensen: A Branch of the Sky Willie Chalfant Wonacotts	1903 Sierra Club High Trip 1916 Sierra Club High Trip Photo Album 20-Mule-Team History Aparejo Packing in the Sierras A Thoiusand Acres of Nothing A Trip Through the California Sierras - 1904 Bessie Brady Steamer Big Pine Citizen newspaper Bishop MULE DAYS Bishop Mines and Tokens Bishop Paiute Native Americans Black Jed - B24 Bomber Carson & Colorado Railroad CG Portal Death Valley Sketches DESERT NEWS Eastern High Sierra Pack Stations Sierra Nevada Pack Station History - WEST Sierra Nevada Pack Station History - EAST Ghosts of Past - Sherman Stevens Sawmill Heritage and Humble Pie High sierra Panoramas Historical Owens Valley Advertisements Hydroelectric Power - Jordan, Poole, Lundy Hydroelectric Power - Rush Creek, Owens Gorge Hydroelectric Power - Facilities & Equipment Hydroelectric Power - Bishop Creek, Big Pine, Cottonwood, Haiwee, San Bernardino Lone Pine Earthquake - 1872 Lone Pine Progress-Citizen Newspaper Lone Pine Stampede Los Angeles Aqueduct: The Plan Los Angeles Aqueduct: Owens Valley Los Angeles Aqueduct: Olancha Los Angeles Aqueduct: Rose Valley Los Angeles Aqueduct: Desert & City Los Angeles Aqueduct: Valley Rebellion Los Angeles Aqueduct: Abandoned Farms Monache Rodeo of 1920 Movie Production in Owens Valley Night Ride Owens Valley Brochures: A - B Owens Valley Brochures: C Owens Valley Brochures: D - H Owens Valley Brochures: I - Mon Owens Valley Brochures: Mou - Q Owens Valley Brochures: R - S Owens Valley Brochures: T - W Owens Valley Radio Observatory Packing Equipment Saga of Inyo County Saline-to-Owens Valley Tram Sawdust Magazine Sierra Club High Trips Sierra Club Bulletin Archives Sierra Nevada Crossing Sierra Nevada Place Names: A - F Sierra Nevada Place Names: G - M Sierra Nevada Place Names: N - P Sierra Nevada Place Names: Q - Z Sierra Nevada Place Names: Spanish Names Sierra Nevada Wildflowers Stories: High Sierra, Owens Valley, Packing: A- G Stories: High Sierra, Owens Valley, Packing: H - M Stories: High Sierra, Owens Valley, Packing: N - Z SP - Beginnings SPNG - Laws/Zurich SPNG - Kearsarge/Manzanar SPNG - Owenyo SPNG - Rolling Stock/Paintings/Motion Pictures SP - Jawbone Branch SPNG - Tramway/Mock/Dolomite SPNG - Keeler/Cerro Grodo SPNG - Decom Tales Along El Camino Sierra The Album: Times & Tales of Inyo - Mono Trans-Sierra Road - Lone Pine to Porterville Tuttle Creek Ashram Whitney Portal Road Construction
My Owens Valley - Photos of Owens Valley

Owens Valley - looking southwest from the Inyo Mountains near Harkless Flat. Tinemaha Reservor in the foreground.

ATTENTION!
Mt. Whitney Pack Trains, Vintage Photo Request

CLICK HERE

Attention ... you must see this!

Flight over Owens Valley and the High Sierra
Flight over Mammoth Lakes Area
Flight over the California Basin and Range Province
Other flights
by Dr. William A. Bowen

LANDMARK HUNTER

Click to see locomotive in action

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains History
by Charles Morgan

05/23

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains tack shed just outside of Lone Pine on the Whitney Portal Road - circa 1940s
(Screen capture from the 1949 movie "The Doolins of Oklahoma")

05/23

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains tack shed just outside of Lone Pine on the Whitney Portal Road - circa 1960s
(Photo courtesy of Ray DeLea)

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains tack shed just outside of Lone Pine on the Whitney Portal Road - circa 1970s
(Photo courtesy of Ray DeLea)

05/23

Mt. Whitney Pack Trains tack shed just outside of Lone Pine on the Whitney Portal Road - circa 2020s

When Mules Wear Diamonds by Charles Russell


	Owens Valley History readers, it's time to put on your thinking cap, we all need your help. Many vistors have left me with unsolved questions, mysteries, etc. regarding people, places, and events that have occurred in Owens Valley. Please take the time to look at this new page on the website and see if you might have the answer to some of the readers questions. If you have any information at all please e-mail the individual with your comments.

The Internet Wayback Machine

East and Drive U.S. 395

Index to USGS Topo Maps
Early 1900s USGS Topo Maps from University of Texas Library

Eastern California Museum - Independence, CA

In search of Owens Valley Ancestory? The following Inyo County website might be your answer.
Courtesy of Pam in Bishop, CA

Inyo County Gen Web

Hey all of you desert lovers!
All of the issues of Desert Magazine, starting with 1937, are now online for you viewing pleasure.
Many thanks to Rocko for making this wonderful magazine available to all of us desert rats once again.

Click here for Desert Magazine on Facebook

Many thanks to the Backcountry Horsemen of California for their continuing efforts over the decades to help preserve the Sierra Nevada and keep it open to livestock. They strive to promote conservation and the awareness of the benefit of livestock in the backcountry. In addition I, in particular, am thankful that they strive to keep everyone appraised of those, who through misguided legislation or self interests, would try to ban livestock from the mountain range packers not only opened to the public, but who also made us aware of the importance of preserving that same country. It is indeed ironic that it has been those on two feet with easy road-end access to the Sierra, and not four, who have contaminated nearly every stream and lake in the Sierra with giardia.

Many heartfelt thanks to all of the packers, Owens Valley pioneers, and friends who have so generously contributed to this site in pictures and words so that others might share in the experiences that God has so graciously granted to them!

Share the experiences you have had:

If you have pictures of people/places which you would like posted on this site please e-mail me for posting instructions. Please try to include the following information with each picture or story (if you can recall):

The date the picture was taken (month/year)
The place the picture was taken
The names of any people in the picture
The type of trip you were on (Sierra Club, Trail Riders, private party, hunting, trail crew etc.)
The trip leader and cook's name

In addition to pictures, if you have a particular trail story, humorous or serious, which you would like to share with everyone please e-mail it directly to me. If you e-mail the file, please send the file in either Microsoft Word, if possible, or as a pure text file.

Remember - there are a host of folks out there waiting to blessed by your High Sierra or Owens Valley story. Don't disapoint them, or yourself, by failing to share your experience.

Thank you, from everyone, for obeying that still small voice within you and sharing your heart and experiences with everyone.

Owens Lake in 1911 before it was drained dry by Los Angeles

Owens Lake and Vacinity
1939 USGS Topographical Map

Sign Guestbook View Old Guest Book Entries Oct 1999 - Feb 2015 (MS Word)	The Pigmy Packer (1970), with his horse - Quarter Boy, and two guest from New York on New Army Pass. Mules were Nigger, Bart, and Dan.	View Guestbook View Old Guest Book Entries Oct 1999 - Feb 2015 (PDF)
The Pigmy Packer (1997)	CONTACT the Pigmy Packer	The Pigmy Packer (2001)

My Favorite Sierra Nevada Fish - Volcano Creek Golden Trout

Website Navigation
Use the navigation bars at the bottom of each page or return to the HomePage Index.

	Golden Trout Camp in the High Sierra
	Mt. Whitney Pack Train's Chrysler & Cook Brochure
	1930s & 1940s Mt. Whitney Pack Trains
	Sierra Crossing
	Panoramas of the High Sierra

This page was last updated on 24 May 2023