An Otherworldly Landscape Called Alabama Hills

If you are familiar with the richness of California’s natural features, you’re probably familiar with the lofty Sierra Nevada Mountains and the rugged but drier environs of the Eastern Sierra. But have you heard of Alabama Hills, quietly sandwiched between the two geographical areas?

Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills are a chain of mountains and a National Scenic Area in California’s Eastern Sierra region. What makes it a sight-to-see is that it looks like a ground scattered with brown and grey rocks, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. This not-so-popular destination, however, has served as the setting for several Hollywood films, many of which told stories of the Wild West.

This area is an unusual yet alluring one. It not only lies between that towering granite mountain range called the Sierra Nevada and the desert land in its rain shadow region in the Eastern Sierra, but it also plays a bridge between the two landscapes. The land here is both rocky and dry, but what gives it a character of its own are the rounded rocks that make up its profile. It almost looks like it’s a planned city of rocks, as if nature took the time to collect all the shapely boulders she could find, and went on to arrange them in a safe hiding place between the snowy mountains and the vast Great Basin.

The Geography of the area

These bare hills tucked away at the foot of the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada are no foothills. The Alabama Hills is a mountain range on its own — smaller than the Sierras but of the same material and created in the same way.  Both ranges are made of monzogranite and formed through the same geologic process — faulting.

What makes these neighboring ranges look like they belong to different worlds is the appearance of the rocks that they are made of.

The rocks of Alabama Hills are lighter and said to have weathered differently. Snowmelt, rain, and wind seem to have stripped off the upper layers of the land, exposing the underlying rocks, which they then continued to erode and shape over the millions of years. What you have now is a picture of rusty-looking boulders with curved edges, placed in a great many clusters.

This stony terrain that looks like another planet altogether is a mecca for hikers, rock climbers, and campers. With its massive rocks, rock formations, sparse vegetation, seasonal streams and the rugged Sierras as its backdrop, it is also a photographer’s paradise.

Paradisiacal in the Winter-time

We were in Alabama Hills in the middle of winter. The fog and rain had arrived in this arid region, completely wrapping this craggy desertland, softening it and giving it a celestial aura. And I was more than happy to indulge in a scenic drive through the intermittent showers and a curtain of fog, saving the hikes for another time, another season, maybe.

Every now and then, the fog would thin to a delicate mist and reveal the tall snow-capped peaks, slopes and ridges of the more famous Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

Why ‘Alabama’

Do you think it odd to hear of an Alabama in the middle of California?

Here’s how that came about: in the mid 1800’s, a warship had had some naval victories, and Confederate sympathizers who were prospecting in this part of California decided to celebrate by naming their claims Alabama in honour of the vessel. Soon, the low mountain range they were on came to be called Alabama Hills.

How to get here:

This scenic area is near the town of Lone Pine and at the start of the route to Mt. Whitney from the eastern side of the mountains. It is also called the Gateway to Mt. Whitney. Take Whitney Portal Road and turn onto Movie Flat Road to get into this National Scenic Area.

Know before you go:

• This area is devoid of all services — no restaurants, stores or gas stations here. Your cell phone will also probably be out of service here.
• There are restrooms/ porta-potties in a few places 
• Make sure to carry enough water and sunscreen if you’re visiting in the hotter months
• If you’re visiting in winter, go prepared for colder weather and rain
• The roads here are unpaved. As such, if you’re going in winter, remember that the roads can be muddy and could be difficult for some cars to navigate
• If you’re doing the Auto Tour, follow Movie Road.
• If you’d like to camp here, you’re going to need a permit.

More:
From the Eastern Sierra
Lithic Landscapes