CA 158 June Lake Loop

[Max Rockatansky]

Took a quick swing off of US 395 heading south to Mammoth onto CA 158/June Lake Loop:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/VG0ZHB

There isn't really much to CA 158 aside from a couple reservoirs and lots of mountain scenery.  I'll go through the maps and sort out the route history this weekend.  What I can say is that CA 158 is very well signed and very well maintained.  CA 158 seems to have very little to no damage from the winter storms, although there was some wandering Caltrans crews that I couldn't pin down on what they were actually doing.  Cool little route and it doesn't hurt I like to stop at June Lake Junction for lunch.

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 158 was originally unsigned LRN 111 before it was given an actual signed number during the renumbering.  158 is essentially unchanged from the original alignment which was apparently was adopted in 1933, this can be seen on the 1935 Mono County Road Map:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247318~5515370:Mono-County-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:california%2Bdivision%2Bof%2Bhighways;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=50&trs=163

The change from unsigned LRN 111 to CA 158 can be seen on the 1963 and 1964 State Highway Maps:

1963 State Highway Map:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239528~5511852:State-Highway-Map,-California,-1963?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:caltrans;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=29&trs=86

1964 State Highway Map:

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~239525~5511850:State-Highway-Map,-California,-1964?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:caltrans;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=27&trs=86

From the north terminus there are four lakes on CA 158; Grant, Silver, Gull, and June along the route.  Apparently all the lakes are sub-alpine and are fed from creeks emptying out of the eastern Sierras.  Apparently the section of roadway south from the north terminus of CA 158 was constructed during 1915 to Silver Lake for a hydroelectric project on Rush Creek.  The roadway from the southern terminus was built from June Lake Junction, past June Lake, to Silver Lake by 1924.  Apparently there was enough people in 1927 at June Lake to warrant postal service.

[Max Rockatansky]

From the northern junction of CA 158 there is a BGS indicating if the road is open or closed due to snow.  Apparently the 3.5 miles from the southern terminus is only kept open during the winter. 

IMG_1935 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 158 is 15.8 miles in length, interestingly the little slab of asphalt behind the BGS was apparently once US 395:

IMG_1936 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

There are some nice head on views of the eastern Sierras before reaching Grant Lake:

IMG_1937 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1938 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

After this short ridge 158 comes to Grant Lake:

IMG_1939 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1942 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

158 follows Grant Lake before descending into a small canyon on the approach to Silver Lake:

IMG_1945 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1946 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1949 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1950 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[Max Rockatansky]

Approaching Gull Lake the roadway along 158 becomes much more populated with resorts and people:

IMG_1951 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Despite resembling an actual town, June Lake isn't incorporated:

IMG_1953 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1954 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Which of course is next to the actual lake of the same name with CA 158 running above the southern shore:

IMG_1957 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 158 drops from June Lake approaching US 395 at the southern terminus:

IMG_1959 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_1960 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

With a nice CA 158 END at June Lake Junction:

IMG_1961 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

I like to stop at June Lake Junction usually to get lunch since the deli has some pretty good sandwiches.  I noticed some oddities while I was having lunch with a vanity plate that was pretty specific:

IMG_1962 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

And the super rare Cadillac Durango H2:

IMG_1963 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Might not be very clear but looking back towards the Sierra that minor rain storm I ran into on the Tioga Pass Road finally caught up with me:

IMG_1964 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr