Potato Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

East from Potato

Potato Peak is not much to look at and what it has to do with potatoes is an utter mystery.
It's the highest point in the Bodie Hills. This is a small volcanic sage brush desert range a few miles north of Mono Lake and east of Bridgeport Valley and the northern Sierra.

The Bodie Hills are best known for the famous ghost town of Bodie the centerpiece of Bodie State Historical Park. This is considered one of the best preserved ghost towns in the country. It was a gold mining boom town in the late 1800s largely destroyed by a fire in 1932 by which time it was already abandon.

Potato Peak is a short half day hike with sweeping views over Bridgeport Valley to the crest of the Eastern Sierra, south to the Mono Basin and east to the Wassuk Range in Nevada.
If you're into collecting peaks you mize well tag Bodie Mountain (10,168') which is only a mile southeast across a saddle.

If anyone does or has done Bodie Mountain and has some pics we could make this a dual peak page and share it.

Getting There

Over Bridgeport Valley to the Twin Lakes Sierra from Potato Peak

From the junction of Hwy. 120 take Hwy 395 north 19 miles to Hwy. 270 and turn right. Go 12.5 miles to a paved side road before the town. Go left .4 miles to an unpaved road (passable to 2 wheel drive). Turn left along the northeast side of the small canyon up over a plateau then curving left to the Rough Creek gully at 4 miles. Park and hike up the wash 1 mile to the obvious peak to the east.

From Bridgeport go south 6.5 miles and turn left on Hwy. 270 and follow the directions above.

Red Tape

Eastern Sierra northwest of Mono Lake from Potato Peak

This is a day hike and no permits are required.
Bodie is open year round but only accessible by skis snowshoes and snowmobiles in winter.
For a full list of details go to Bodie SHP.