I met Andrew with whom I went to Baja last year. He’s gonna make a little way with VivaLaVida before I hit the road toward East…
 
 
1. Beautiful colors to the first camp together near hot springs.
 

 
 
2. Stop at Alabama Hills that I discovered last spring with Jean-Luc.
 

 
 
3. This place is really fun with these conglomerate concretions.
 

 
 
4. Withney Portal Arch.
 

 
 
5. These hills are located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada.
 

 
 
6. Visit of Mobius Arch I had already presented here.
 

 
 
We then went to discover the Salt Tram, a construction that I wanted to explore. We had seen some pylons with Jean-Luc in the Saline Valley, thinking it was an elevator built for mining. In fact, it was a tram designed to exploit the salt deposit of the Saline Valley. Built between 1911 and 1913, the numbers are just amazing! It starts from 3,300 feet above sea level in Swansea, in the Owens Valley, rises more than 8,000 feet and goes down the other side of the mountain in the Saline Valley. The hauling cable was 27 miles long!
 
 
7. Up the Swansea Grade, above Owens Valley.
 

 
 
8. The Sierras received some snow three days ago.
 

 
 
9. Owens Valley with VLV and Baja Shaker camping at 5,500 feet elevation.
 

 
 
10. I approach a first pylon.
 

 
 
11. Assembly.
 

 
 
12. The dry climate has preserved the wood for over a hundred years.
 

 
 
13. Second pylon.
 

 
 
14. One of the intermediate stations to cross a ridge.
 

 
 
15. The construction is very similar to modern lifts excepted it’s made of wood.
 

 
 
16. Hauling cable detail.
 

 
 
17. Framework.
 

 
 
18. Pylons alignment with the top station at the bottom.
 

 
 
19. View of a lower intermediate station in front of the saline still in use today.
 

 
 
20. Graphics of saline.
 

 
 
21. Baja Shacker going down the Swansea Grade quite steep and dissected in places.
 

 
 
To be followed in some days… 😀