Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Sierra Nevada Handicap Style.

I always feel guilty about leaving my wife at home when I go wandering around the wilderness (she is physically disabled).

I want to bring her out and do a loop around the Sierra's (i.e. fly to Vegas-DV-Portal-Bishop-Devils pp-Mammoth-Yosi-Seki-Vegas)

When we go anywhere, I always call ahead to make sure that she'll be able get in -out (some people's idea of "Access" is somewhat questionable).

I know alot of people on this board live in the areas that I would like to show her.

What i'm asking is "what's the best of the best" of the Sierra's in your opinion that would be accessable to a person with disablity.

Thanks in advance
Todd.

Disclaimer:I am not requesting nor asking for improvements to made anywhere. She completely understands that there are places that she just can't go to.

Not sure of disabled access facilities, but just wanted to add that you should include the drive up into the White Mountains. Absolutely 'killer' views across the Owens Valley to the Sierra Nevada mountains. There are some great viewpoints up there, and for someone who's disabled it really gives them a sense of the scale of the southern & eastern parts of the range, and the drop-off into the valley. It even better if you can do it at dawn (take some snacks up for a picnic-style breakfast).

Thank you Phy,
That is exactly the type of stuff I'm looking for.

I agree on the White Mountains. You also try portions of the trail in the Bristlcone Pine Forest.

You can also go to Bodie Ghost Town, hit Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Lake in Yosemite National Park, June Lake, Convict Lake, Lone Pine Film Festival (October 9-11, 2009), Bishop (say hi to Kurt Wedberg if he isn't traipsing around some Sierra peak), Bridgeport, Sonora Pass.

Have fun.

Todd, I know this isn't the info you're looking for but you might be interested in the story. In my late 30's I married a woman with Rheumatoid Arthritis. My love for the mountains and need to get away a couple times each year, and her inability to accompany me and to envision what it was that I needed from that experience, was a gulf between us. One year I arranged with the pack station at Pine Creek to rent us two mules, one for her to ride and one for our gear, without a wrangler. We carried a box for her to use to mount her mule. We did make it up to the high country and spent a few days leisurely moving from lake to lake. We never tried to do it again but that trip, with all its difficulty and drama, did let her see my mountains. Afterwards, when I would go, she would share my experience vicariously through descriptions and photos, it wasn't a mystery to her, and she didn't begrudge me my pleasure.

The best thing we did as far as sharing wilderness was to focus on birding. I outfitted her electric scooter with a mount for a spotting scope and we enjoyed many hours together outdoors doing that. We found the LA Audubon to be very open to making their trips accessible to her without changing the experience for others.

More to the point of your question: She was pretty fearless when it came to taking her electric scooter places that were never meant to be accessible. We were able to enjoy DV together. We camped by the charcoal kilns where the weather can be pleasant even this time of year. I think the suggestion of White Mtn. is very good. She loved desert parks like the Anza Borrego and Joshua Tree. There is an extended accessible trail in the Big Morongo Park that is very interesting and has lots of bird life. We spent two weeks in and around the Cave Creek and the Chirachua NM, Arizona, and you might consider that for some future trip.

Good luck to you both. Nil carborundum illegitimi.

Burt

Burtw, I would love to take her on something like that, but, she has neurological issues that effect her balance (kinda like a drunken sailor thing, i'm retired Nav, so I know).

The White Mtn and the Bristle Comb thing is looking promising. Also, +@ti2d, this will hopefully happen next year early sept. We will probably hit Yosi and Seki during the weekdays to avoid the hords.

Hearing from others makes google more useful during planning.

Someone else please correct me if my recollection is incorrect, but I recall that the "trail" to the base of Devil's Postpile is smoothly paved and gentle enough to accomodate a wheelchair. Not so the path up to the top but even to be able to look up at the columns and the jackstraw tangle of fallen columns at the bottom would be worth the effort.

Also, the viewpoint from Minaret Summit out over the Ritter Range is worth a visit.

A few more things in/around the Owens Valley:

Death Valley - Scotty's Castle, Badwater, Dante's View (sunrise is best), Main vistor center, Ubehebe Craters are all accessable. Sand dunes at Stovepipe Wells are right by the road, but not good for handicapped (its sand). Panamant Valley resort at the west entrance is a great funky lunch stop, cabins might be handicap-accessable (call and ask).

Manzanar Japanese Interment Camp between Lone Pine & Independence - Good display in the easily-accessable museum of this somewhat infamous part of the USA's WWII history. The old buildings are gone, but the foundations have been marked with stones to show where stuff was, and you can drive around some of it.

Climbing museum in Independence - Supposed to be good, never been there myself.

Movie Museum in Lone Pine - Covers the movie-making days in the nearby Alabama Hills (mostly westerns and commercials). If you can't make the Oct Movie festival, stop in and see this.

"Teddy's Tree" - That oddly placed pine tree in the parking lot the the north end of Big Pine where you turn off 395 to go up to the White Mountains/Bristlecone Pine area - that was planted by Teddy Roosevelt 100 years ago when he came through the area. Get yourself a picture next to the tree!

Rock Creek Lodge - between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. Probably not handicap friendly for an overnight stay (it caters to fishermen and has 'rustic' cabins), but the restaurant makes great pies! 3-night minimum in the cabins make it a little pricey.

Devils Postpile Natl Monument - Behind Mammoth Lakes, just beyond the tram stop. Interesting basalt columns rising out of the ground. Rainbow Falls is about 1 mile father down a dirt path, probably inaccessable if handicapped. Parking lot where you pick up the tram has great views of the Minarets, Mt. Ritter, and Banner Peak.

Mono Lake - On the way to Bodie, near the Yosemite turnoff at Lee Vining (ya can't miss it!). Vistor center is easy access off 395 and has nice views of the lake. Might have a tough time getting down to the lake's edge, but interesting if you can (the odd sand flies, saltiness of the water, tufa formations, etc.).

Bodie Ghost Town - Might be tough depending on handicap level. Good dirt road in and out, but might be hard to stroll around. Interesting if you like the history of the old west and read up a little on it before going there.

Devils' Postpile trail from the ranger station is not paved, but is a very well packed trail. There are a couple of steep steps just before the monument, but I think you can see it ok without trying the steps. There are some picnic tables at the ranger station along the riverm- excellent place for a picnic. Another beautiful place to spend a day is the Mosquito Flats/Little Lakes Valley trailhead (past Rock Creek Lake). Just hanging out in the parking lot is gorgeous. Minaret Vista is an excellent suggestion. You can also navigate completely around Lake Mary in the Mammoth area on a paved road.

If you're able to travel a bit further afield, think about the Swiss Alps. There are lots and lots of towns that have lifts and trams of various types from the valley -- some that can easily accommodate wheelchairs -- that take you to spectacular views up high. In some cases, there are good enough trails at the top to use a wheelchair on, but even without that you've got beautiful scenery.

I used to vacation during the summer in Davos (prices are more reasonable there in the summer), one of the better towns to do this kind of thing.

Mike, we had thrown around the idea about going to Australia or doing a train tour of Europe, but sitting on a plane for that long would be torcher.

If you two love to fish (never met a Kentuckian who never did), then try

Bishop, CA .

Have fun.

Oh, maybe MooseTracks can hook you two up with something. Like Kurt, she is somewhere traipsing around some Sierra peak, too.

She must be...she hasn't posted yet.

Have fun.

I suggest Yosemite, There are miles of paved walkways and access to many popular spots. Yes, it is crowded, and it is not wilderness, but if you are up at sunrise you avoid the crowds in the popular areas. Go late April or May and the Waterfalls will be flowing. There is a "closed to traffic" road you can see from the patio of the Ahwhanee hotel, that goes a mile or more over old stone bridges and through the meadows and woods, it is beautiful. It is not crowded at all; you may see a few bikers.


Notice the path as it leads to Yosemite falls, flat and easy.


It is also paved to this spot at Mirror Lake about a mile or more into the woods, up a hill but paved.

A couple of those closed roads, those leading to Happy Isles and Mirror Lake, can be driven by the handicapped. Ask for a permit at the entrance station.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm

I've got alot of new ideas for our trip from your input.

Thank you very much.

Todd.