On Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, I set out with the intention of visiting Devils Postpile National Monument. However, the roads were coated in snow and ice, and without snow chains or four-wheel drive, I had to abandon my original plan. Instead, I made my way towards Hot Creek Geological Site, a spot only about 15 minutes from Mammoth that seemed like a promising alternative.
When I arrived, a full-blown snowstorm greeted me. Despite the biting cold, there was something mesmerizing about seeing the hot springs amidst the swirling snow. The steam rising from the geothermal waters made the entire area feel mystical—hot against cold, earth against sky. I wandered around for about half an hour, enjoying the surreal combination of warm steam and the icy snow before deciding it was time to move on.
Afterward, I continued my journey north, hoping to reach Lake Tahoe. The closure of Tioga Pass due to the storm blocked my direct route to Yosemite, so I had to reroute. Instead, I drove through Daggett Pass, a stretch of the drive that was truly breathtaking. Snow-covered trees lined the road, and the landscape seemed to stretch endlessly until I drove over the pass, and Lake Tahoe appeared in the distance.
I eventually reached Tahoe and found a hostel to stay at for the night. There, I met an Indian guest who worked for CVS—a store I wasn’t familiar with but soon learned was as ubiquitous in the U.S. as Migros is back home. That evening, we explored the town together, which was full of neon-lit casinos, mostly filled with older people, but lacking much real liveliness. It was a complete contrast from the solitude of the snowy mountains, but still an interesting way to wind down after a long day on the road.
