Mt. Williamson Motel and Base Camp

Hiking season is sneaking up on us already! We've been flooded with resupply and logistical questions this week and are currently working on updating our prices and booking system. It is currently not possible to add a package to your booking due to this maintenance so hang tight! We are hoping to have the resupply packages back online in the next couple of days with a new option for a resupply package for 3 and 4. Tag yourself if you're in one of these photos! . .... . #easternsierra #johnmuirtrail #johnmuirtrail2022 #trekthepct #pctresupply #hikertrash #hikertrashvogue #exploreinyocounty #inyocountytourism #independenceca #owensvalley #sierranevada #highsierratrail See more

The views entering Independence on the 395 are Do you live in so-cal and plan on hitting the slopes in Mammoth? Save money and beat that LA traffic when you stay at our boutique hotel on your way up! We are just 1 hour and 22 minutes south, so you can still hit the slopes early after a refreshing sleep and catch these incredible sunrise views along the way with accommodation at half the price of Mammoth Lakes. . .... . #easternsierra #highway395 #395north #395south #payahuunadü #mammothmountain #visitmammoth #exploreinyocounty #inyocountytourism #visitbishop #dogfriendlyhotel See more

Mt. Williamson looks extra fine after a fresh snow Who's New Years Resolution is to spend more time in the Sierra Nevada ? We had a stellar year and have all of you to thank! Thank you to everyone that's chosen to stay at our cozy family run buisness this year. We can't wait to see familiar faces and meet more of you in 2022! : @lucidempires .... . . #easternsierra #independenceca #botiquehotel #dogfriendlyhotel #highway395 #395north #exploreinyocounty #inyonationalforest #hikertrash #pctresupply #johnmuirtrail2022 #trekthepct #thruhiking #inyocountytourism See more

Happy Solstice and holidays from our family to yours Who has a Sierra Nevada thru-hike on their 2022 new years resolution list ?

Calm before the storm The atmospheric river finally penatrated our rain shadow this morning bringing some much needed rain to the desert Please drive safely and be up to date with road closures and chain control : @lucidempires . .... . #easternsierra #payahuunadü #rainshadow #exploreinyocounty #independenceca #owensvalley #visitbishop #inyonationalforest #inyocounty #sierranevada #easternsierranevada See more

Be sure to add this book to your winter reading list! The Trail is now out for pre-order on Amazon This novel covers one man's journey on the JMT and was written one of our regular guests. We are honored to be featured in it! But the Mount Williamson Motel in Independence runs a guest shuttle up and back, and accepts resupply packages, explained Lois. The hostess is a former JMT hiker. We have two rooms reserved for tomorrow and their breakfast is legendary. Plus, they ...have laundry, real beds, and showers. There’s probably even a store in Independence where you could replace those Backwoods meals of yours.(281, The Trail, Ethan Gallogly) . . . #easternsierra #johnmuirtrail2021 #johnmuirtrail #winterreading #jmt2021 #jmtsobo #jmtnorthbound #thruhiker #thruhiking #hikertrashforlife #hikertrash #adventurestories #independenceca See more

It is so nice to see a little bit of snow dusting the Sierra Nevada after such a dry year! We got a lot less of the storm than they did up north but we will take it. The Lone pine film festival is going on this weekend! Who is coming out for it?

"Sofa Queen" throwing her pack on the scale to find out it weighs 10lbs less than her prediction is a real mood 35 lbs for this pct thru hiker with a full pack of food, 3 pillows and 2 sleeping pads . . . #trekthepct #pacificcresttrail #hikertrashforlife #hikertrash #hikertrashvogue #pctresupply #thruhiker #thruhiking #exploreinyocounty #easternsierra #highway395 #395north #inyonationalforest #inyocounty #trailangels

Smokes been blowing in and out of manageable levels in the valley the past couple of days, but mostly lingering in the "unhealthy" and "very unhealthy" levels Current wind patterns seem to be dumping most of the smoke around Independence and Lone Pine, leaving Mammoth and Bishop with cleaner air. We heard from a couple of hikers that the backcountry is still not as bad,bbut be sure to check the air quality levels if you're planning on taking a trip along the 395 in the coming days especially if you are sensitive to smoke. Second photo is this morning and the first one was from a couple days ago.

Inyo national forest is open once again we were so excited to take our first post-closure group of thru-hikers up to Onion Valley. Anyone else cramming in a thru-hike before we start getting some snow?

Who is already dreaming about being in the backcountry this summer We are always available to answer questions about resupply options, itinerary, and any other logistical information you may need help with for your Sierra Nevada thru-hike! We miss our resupply guests and can't wait to meet you all this summer! . . . #easternsierra #highway395 #395#sierranevada #exploreinyocounty#visitinyocounty #hikertrash #jmtresupply #trekthepct #sierranevada #mtwilliamson

Good afternoon from the Mt Williamson motel and Basecamp our first big snow dump sure is beautiful! Stay safe and healthy out there.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the Mt. Williamson Motel and Basecamp We are so thankful for all of your support this strange year.

Our cute little town from the Inyo Mountains around sunset Kearsarge pass is pretty wild looking from across the valley

#CreekFire smoke outlook for the San Joaquin-Yosemite area for Thursday, Nov. 5. For a downloadable PDF version of the smoke outlook, go to https://inciweb.nwcg....gov//relate/pict20201005-112319-0.pdf Elevated fire danger today through Friday morning with strengthening SSW winds ahead of approaching cold front tonight. Today low RH and historically dry forest fuel combine with SSW winds in advance of a cold front moving over the fire area tonight through tomorrow. High winds will align with the San Joaquin drainage increasing the potential for fire growth on the eastern perimeter and interior islands of unburned fuel. Stable air conditions this morning with a transition this afternoon to brisk prefrontal SSW winds. This will push smoke towards Mammoth Lakes and Lee Vining tonight through tomorrow. Friday looks to be a combination of wind and rain in the afternoon resulting in significant clearing of smoke from the community’s west of the Sierra crest. For today, Mammoth Lakes can expect overall Moderate with periods of USG. Yosemite NP can expect mostly Good to Moderate conditions. #FireYear2020

Snow is on the forecast in the Sierra this weekend Who loves camping and hiking In the snow? This was taken in August 2017 on the southern descent from Muir Pass. We are hoping for high levels of snow this year to combat this drought year and to help prevent 2021 from being another record setting fire year

Since the Sierra is still closed and temperatures are dropping, we spent some free time exploring the Inyo Mountains. Abandoned Mines and ghost towns are scattered throughout southern Inyo County. DId you know the Inyo Mountins are considered to be among the most important Proterozoic sections of the United States? This means they are 541-2500 million years old!

Current conditions Just because the smoke is gone doesn't mean that fire danger is! Fires are still banned throughout California. This Includes stoves and smoking on blm land and outside of developed campgrounds. Please recreate responsibly and educate yourself before you camp.

We are offering a spooky discount in October! Come visit us!

Autumn has officially arrived in the Eastern Sierra and it is breathtaking Use code spooky when you book a room with us in October and save 20%.

From USDA: " The Inyo National Forest announces a partial re-opening of the forest on October 3. Open: Wildernesses in the Inyo Mountains and the White Mountains, front country dispersed areas throughout the forest, developed sites, resorts, and recreation resident cabins.... Developed recreation campgrounds will re-open. However, many campgrounds will remain closed due to end of season operations or because they are within closed areas Open campgrounds Aspen, Lower Lee Vining, Hartley Springs, Glass Creek, Big Springs, Oh Ridge, Twin Lakes, Silver Lake, New Shady Rest, Convict, French Camp, Four Jeffery, Sabrina, Bitterbrush, Upper Sage, Lone Pine, and Whitney Portal. Closures: Inyo National Forest within Madera County remains closed. The most common destinations are Reds Meadow Valley and the Devils Postpile National Monument. This area remains closed due to the Creek Fire to the west. Forest Closure 05-04-51-20-17 remains in effect and closes areas, including Monache Meadows, due to the SQF Complex (Castle Fire). Forest order 05-04-54-20-15 remains in effect and includes Navy Beach and the South Tufa Area. The Inyo portions of the South Sierra, Golden Trout, John Muir, Ansel Adams, Owens River Headwaters, and Hoover Wilderness Areas remain closed through December 1, 2020.This closure may be rescinded or extended as needed. Many of the Inyo’s trail networks lead into active fire areas that are closed and that are managing complex and difficult fires. Fire restrictions are in effect. Propane and gas stove use are now permitted in developed recreation sites in National Forests in California. Developed recreation sites are defined as areas that have been improved or developed for recreation such as campgrounds and day use sites. Woodcutting With a valid woodcutting permit, firewood may be cut as long as it is in a permitted collection area that is open. Visitors to the Eastern Sierra should expect smoky conditions from various fires throughout the region."

Inyo National Forest is partially reopening today! Yay Our email server is down, so if you're trying to get ahold of us please give us a call or send us a dm on ig or fb. We can feel the weather shifting and are looking forward to fall/winter : Kearsarge Peak, Spring 2019 by @lucidempires

Inyo National Forrest may be closed, but there is still plenty to do in our backyard! If you had a hiking trip planned in the Sierra that no longer can happen, feel free to reach out if you want any alternative ideas. Death Valley NP, The Alabama Hills and other Blm land remains open. Please respect the fire bans that are set in place. ALL open flames and ignition sources are prohibited. This includes portable stoves, shooting, and smoking outside of a contained vehicle. #leavenotrace

FOREST SERVICE TEMPORARILY CLOSES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL FORESTS, INCLUDING INYO NATIONAL FOREST Today the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region an...nounced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts. Prohibition of the use of any ignition source on all National Forest System lands (campfires, gas stoves, etc.) throughout California. Also the closure of all developed campgrounds and day-use sites on National Forests in California. Closures and restrictions will go into effect at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Monday, September 7, 2020, and will be re-evaluated daily as conditions change. Closure of the following National Forests: Stanislaus National Forest, Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Inyo National Forest, Los Padres National Forest, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, and Cleveland National Forest. The wildfire situation throughout California is dangerous and must be taken seriously. Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior, new fire starts are likely, weather conditions are worsening, and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire, said Randy Moore, Regional Forester for the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region. We are bringing every resource to bear nationally and internationally to fight these fires, but until conditions improve, and we are confident that National Forest visitors can recreate safely, the priority is always to protect the public and our firefighters. With these extreme conditions, these temporary actions will help us do both. The temporary forest closure includes the highly visited areas in the Lakes Basin and developed campgrounds and Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile and the associated developed campgrounds. The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will re-evaluate conditions daily. The National Weather Service in Reno (www.weather.gov/rev) has issued a Red Flag Warning from noon today, Monday, September 7 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 8 for gusty winds and low humidity for the Eastern Sierra. A Red Flag Warning is the highest alert issued in advance of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. We urge all residents and visitors to use extreme caution as a simple spark could cause a major wildfire. Avoid outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work or campfires. For more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/news-events/ Photo by John Paul DeRousseau

An aerial perspective of one of our favorite sections of the JMT/PCT. What a great reward it is getting to these stunning lakes after a long slog up the Golden Staircase or over Mather pass. Can anyone spot their campsite ?

A few updates on the Castle Fire, currently burning in Sierra National Forrest. Stay safe out there!

Everyone's favorite nuisance Who has had a wild marmot encounter? Our favorite story we heard so far this season was that someone had to carry out their gear in their arms because one chewed a whole right through the bottom of their backpack beware that these little critters (and pikas too) like to chew on anything you have sweat on (mmm salt) unlike bears, they are not only after your snacks.

Map talks Owner Lauralyn giving a couple of happy hikers some advice before they start their south bound JMT journey.