Back to Mono Basin. Do you see a pattern? This trip is an exploration of the Mono Craters. I have spent time in the area before, but this was Joyce’s first visit.

 

We limited our hiking because a lot of the area’s volcanic rock is difficult for Corky to walk on, and neither of use was especially enthused with a lot of desert hiking. We did see a lot of large pieces of obsidian glass during our hiking.

The cones are part of the Mono-Inyo Cones, a 25 mile long range that runs from Mono Lake to the Mammoth area. The Mono section is separate in type and age, and is about 10 miles long. All of this was created by volcanic activity.

 

Remember Paoha Island in Mono Lake? This is part of the Mono Crater system and was formed less than 300 years ago.

Panum Crater

The easiest crater to hike to is Panum Crater. Which we visited. Corky hated the hiking.

 

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