US-395 in California: Inyokern to Lone Pine | Introducing the Eastern Sierra

[@tmlashomb]

I have some fond memories of 190 going to Death Valley!

[@briane173]

The entire Owens Valley is a _graben,_ which is a crustal block that has sunk between two normal faults on either side of it. Basin & Range extension is causing Owens Valley to sink in elevation, while the Sierra Nevada and White/Inyo Mountains are both _rising_ along those massive normal faults. As a result the crust has thinned considerably between the valley floor and the upper mantle, which leaves some conduits for a lot of volcanism to occur along the route. The Coso Volcanic Field and the large cinder cones between Independence and Big Pine are relics of the crustal thinning in Owens Valley taking place as a result of that Basin & Range extension.

[@briane173]

The Owens Valley Fault runs almost the length of the Owens Valley, and was the location of the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake -- a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that broke the surface and created an escarpment along multiple segments of the fault. When that earthquake hit the west side of the fault rose 20 ft vertically and lurched northward 40 ft horizontally in an instant. It pretty much flattened the small town of Lone Pine, where 26 people lost their lives (most of whom worked in a brothel in town; their bodies were buried in a separate graveyard just outside of town and you can see it along the freeway). John Muir felt the earthquake in Yosemite Valley about 120 miles north of there -- strong enough at his location to create massive chunks of rock fall in Yosemite Valley where El Capitan and Half Dome reside.

[@DWNY358]

I agree that US 395 is just about the best drive in America. Very impressive.

[@dennythomas8887]

Awesome video Kyle. I live of the Gulf Coast now, but I was born and raised in SoCal and Hwy 14 - 395 was a favorite 3-day weekend motorcycle ride from LA to Reno and back. I haven't been on 395 in about 25 years. Thanks!!

[@davidgrisez]

I live in Van Nuys California and I have driven US-395 many times through the Owens Valley. I have vacationed a number of times at Mammoth Lakes and Bishop. There is a tremendous amount scenery along this highway.

[@2A3A66]

Thanks, Kyle! I absolutely love this section of American highway! We were just there going southbound this past Tuesday, 11-19-2024. I believe this is my first drive since around 1994. We drove in from Death Valley via 190 and 136. I wanted to go all the way up to Lone Pine rather than go through Olancha. As a kid in the '70's and '80's, we drove the CA14/US395 many times going up to June Lake and Mammoth. So, there is a lot of nostalgia attached to this trip. I was surprised to a gas station and convenience store across form the rest stop at Coso Jct. We always stopped at that rest area on both our north and southbound trips. I am happy to report that the 4-lane divided highway project south of LP and just north of Cartago to just south of Olancha is near complete. Grading and subgrade all appear to be done. There were active paving and striping crews working that day. I'd say by early next year the section will be fully open. Now, the section of CA14 just south of the Inyokern turnoff to just north of Red Rock Canyon needs to get done.

[@joejoe-on9fg]

Just saw on instagram that 395 was one of the recommended things to do in California. Thank you for this

[@dwood78part23]

Finally doing over your epic series of US 395 in the Eastern Sierra.

[@InterstateKyle]

Yes sir!

[@grizzfan08]

The Owens Valley is such a pretty area with very fertile land. The further north you go on the 395 the better it gets in terms of the scenery.

[@InterstateKyle]

Indeed!

[@kevinfestner6126]

This area has one of the most potent, dangerous fault systems in the world.

[@grizzfan08]

They felt it back in 2021 with the Ridgecrest earthquake on July 5. There was quite a bit of damage, and was felt all over the state (the shaking in the Central Valley lasted a good minute). SoCal was practically scared straight for the rest of the month after that.

[@kevinfestner6126]

@grizzfan08 I spoke with a gentleman who lives near Ridgecrest. Some businesses never reopened due to damage.

[@loragunning5394]

Don't know if you have already made this road trip or not, it's called "The Cascade Loop" and actually has many variations to it, depending on the time you have available and how many miles you want to drive in one day, also the time of year (sunlight available and road conditions). You can start the loop on either side of The Cascade Mountains in western Washington and choose any number of routes to cross back and forth across the mountains from east to west (or vice versa), while traveling north/south parallel to the mountains while not crossing the mountains. Given the many passes over the Cascades and the many routes parallel, you can stretch it out to many days of travel, going all the way out to the Pacific Ocean, if you choose, and all the way east to the Idaho border. Check it out, if your are interested, it would be a video I would definitely watch, despite that fact that I have driven "The Loop" many times and in many variations.

[@2A3A66]

The building to the right at 9:48 was used in the Twilight Zone episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim", 07APR1961. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnnPlHacpbGdosUsi=sSGB6cTSC45GcMPp

[@mtnboy95338]

I've lost track of how many times I have driven 395. Mostly L.A. to Reno and back.

[@InterstateKyle]

Same!

[@biglos9d]

I wonder why there aren't any videos of 395 between Hesperia and CA 14

[@dustino.2297]

Why wasn’t Highway 395 built as a four lane freeway with grade separated interchanges instead of using cross traffic intersections. This road would be less dangerous with over crossings instead of at grade intersections.