Our first day in Bishop we decided to drive into the mountains and see two well known lakes that were finally open to the public after winter snows. Our drive took us past this side road that looked interesting if we had had more time.
Buttermilk Road—how did it get such a name?
This road brought miners and spplies to the Wilshire Mine (remember Wilshire Blvd.?), known now as Cardinal Mine. We’ll see it later in this post. Anyway, the miners would stop at the Wells Dairy Ranch on the way for a cool glass of buttermilk. Now we know the story of the name!
But here’s where we’re going, and looks like we’ll be in some snow.
view ahead of us
more wildflowers along the way
first stop – Sabrina Lake launch facility
Lake Sabrina
Sabrina Lake
better view of launch site and the restaurant; water is way down
view of water rushing down the mountain after going through the dam
Then we met Ryan, an employee with Edison Power, who told us how the lakes worked for providing power for electricity for Bishop and surrounding areas.
Ryan in a heavy shirt and tee-shirt while we had on heavy coats
He told us that the energy companies had built 5 power plants down the mountain. The water would flow to a water plant, stay in a holding pond until needed, go though another dam and flow down hill to the next plant, and then keep on going. At each location, the power of the water would create the energy to make electricity.
The discovery of silver and gold in the area created the need for power. In September 1905 (!), construction of a hydro-electric plant on the Bishop Creek supplied 1300 kilowatts of energy over a 113 mile long transmission line. Later on 4 additional plants were built to provide energy from Sabrina and South Lake (we’ll see that area soon) to central Nevada and south to Rhyolite (remember, we’ve been there—the ghost down outside of Death Valley).
This is the holding pond and the power station just below Lake Sabrina
4 more of these provide the electricity the area needs
In 1908 the 3rd in the chain of 5 plants were build. The pipes were 54-inch diameter redwood-stave “flow line” pipes. They were used until 1991 when they were replaced by steel-pipes.
redwood “pipes”
these steel pipes can be seen from time to time on the mountain
Just north of Lake Sabrina is South Lake, a winter wonderland.
snow at South Lake in May
motor homes in the parking lot with, ready to go
pretty high up
Snowplows have been at work. No idea of when all of this snow will melt.
lake water in front of the dam is frozen
snow is sticking
On the way back down the mountain, we saw an historical sign so stopped to read.
Cardinal Gold Mine was owned by Gaylord Wilshire, of Wilshire Blvd. fame in Los Angeles in 1906. It closed down in 1915 and reopened in 1933. Until it closed again in 1938 because no new ore had been found, it had produced gold work some 1.6 million dollars
the opening to the mine is at the middle bottom of the picture, a black circle
Thought we were going to see some beautiful mountain lakes but also got to learn about making electricity as the water flowed downhill and how Wilshire Blvd. got its name. I think that’s a good day.
