Whites in the Whites

When the good friends at White’s Boots partnered up with the good friends over at Huckberry and were looking for someone to put some new kicks through the ringer in a special zone, I knew I could help. I was stoked to be able to throw such a trip together and was pleased to take some family along for the ride. 

I have worked quite a bit with both Huckberry and White’s, and to have them both together on a project - is a dream. The kind folks over at White’s have been good friends over the years after beginning our relationship through the fire service. White’s have been a go to boot for me in and outside of the career scenario. White’s partnered up with Huckberry to release a couple special boots and we put some miles on them right there in paradise.

With a boot brand called White’s I felt it was pretty darn appropriate to go spend a week in the White Mountains of California. No relationship in names, but it felt right. Really, I just take any opportunity or excuse to get back to the zone, and this one was no different.

So we loaded up a couple trucks, packed the coolers, strapped down the motorcycles, and headed North.

I had a specific loop in mind… for the most part. It was a classic moment of so much to see and so little time. Really, there was just one very specific and special place I wanted to spend one of the nights. We started there. Before heading into the hills and into the silent, no cell service, no people, paradise – we wanted to fill our bellies and have a trip opening beer. A pitstop in Bishop at Mountain Rambler would be perfect. After an always pleasant time we were well into the day and it was time to get into the dirt and start the path into our destination for the night.

It was time to head a bit East into the desert-like atmosphere followed by gaining some elevation into the pinyon-juniper desert scape and eventually getting eye level with then mighty Eastern Sierra ridge line. 

There was a specific moment in the trek to the first nights campsite that was pretty damn breath taking. As you initially crest over the ridge after climbing a narrow and steep two track road for the last hour or so, you are given a unbelievable view of both the plateau you are about to spend time on, but also the great view of the Eastern Sierra across the way. As all of us gained this view, the trucks went silent for a moment, followed by hootin’ and hollerin’ on the radios as we all were filled with excitement and realized the effort thus far was absolutely worth it. 

After poking around a bit up top, looking at various spots to camp, spending some time at view points, the history we knew was there, and just taking in the area, we settled on a spot to set up for the night. There really was no bad spot to pick, and there was absolutely zero people in the area. What a treat. We parked the trucks, set up camp over a beer, and took in the campsite with much appreciation, great conversation, a tasty meal, and a very special evening to celebrate my birthday.

We took the bikes for a few hot laps, got a campfire started, hit the dinner tasks, and enjoyed the evening. The trip started out special and we had such great plans ahead still.

After a cold night that not even a shared bottle of whiskey and old stories around a campfire could cure, we decided to pack up camp and head further North. With no specific destination in mind, the first step was to get off the mountain and back down into the valley. Then we could brain storm a next stop and figure out what we wanted to get into. After all, the area has swimming, skiing, mountain bikes, fishing… you name it. 

We made a couple staple stops in the area while continuing to head north. We were sure to not pass up an opportunity for a delicious pizza in Big Pine and followed that up with the search for our campsite that night. I knew I wanted to put us up in the elevation but in the shadow of White Mountain itself. That Ridgeline is such an impressive area, and I was pleased to be up there, freezing cold or not. We left the valley floor, wound our way through another beautiful section of pinyon - juniper terrain, and went out to the ridges edge, in hopes to find camp where we can overlook Bishop while White Mountain towers in the distance. I had a spot in mind, as we passed a few people with the same idea, out popped the spot that felt right. End of a road, no one else in sight or ear shot. It was perfect.  

After hunkering down with the Whites overlooking our camp, it was time to move on. We desired a camp in the pines to get out of the baron high desert feel stumbling around on shale and hiding from the wind that beats up on this landscape so often. We packed up yet again in, and were in search of solitude in the pines. 

We left the wide open terrain in the elevation of the White Mountains, dropped to the valley floor, then hammered our way up the grade into the tree line outside Mammoth.

A couple more nights of cool weather in the trees bopping around the Sierra concluded this trip. We utilized some secret - up my sleeve campsites for the remainder of the trip and shoot. After all the constant exploring in the area over the 8 or so years of living up there still pays off when we go back and visit. In the end, This trip was special for me just because I had my wife, my brother, and all the fixings for a good time up in an area that is very near and dear to me. All while I was able to work with two of my favorite companies. All good things have to come to an end and after the few extra days in the area, it was time to return to real life.