March 05, 2018
Have you ever been by Mono Lake and wondered about paddling there? Wonder no longer, this trio decided to SUP and camp for three days on this glorious lake. The birds, solitude, grand scenery, and epic paddling were just part of their experience. We all feel the need to explore new waterways and this group did just that.
HIGH PLAINS PADDLING | SELF-SUPPORTED ACROSS CALIFORNIA’S MONO LAKE
By SUP Magazine
Words and photos by Chuck Graham
While in search of a permit to paddle around Mono Lake, nestled at the foot of California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range, I inquired with a stoic gentleman sporting a mustard-colored vest, a classic comb-over and bifocal eyeglasses at the Mono Lake visitor center.
"You can die out there," he said deadpan. "Folks paddle out there and they don't come back. The winds come from out of nowhere and catch people off guard."
I think he was trying to scare me and probably wanted to see if I'd blink. He was leery of our paddling prowess despite me doing my damnedest to convince the man that Patrick O'Hea, Will Miller and I could handle whatever the lake threw at us. I’m a kayak guide at the Channel Islands National Park. Patrick and Will are former U.S. National Rowing Team members. Still, the man wasn't having it.
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