– MEDIA RELEASE – 

For Immediate Release

June 24, 2024

Contact:

Lindsay Butcher, Stewardship Director, Friends of the Inyo, [email protected]

Friends of the Inyo Announces FREE Summer Hikes, Yoga and Single/Multi-Day Volunteering Events Aplenty at: FriendsoftheInyo.org/Events.

Bishop-based conservation nonprofit Friends of the Inyo, whose mission is to protect and care for the land and water of the Eastern Sierra, announces a wide variety of no-cost outdoor summer events to engage with nature and fellow nature lovers beginning this Friday, June 28. Opportunities range from interpretive hikes to nature-based yoga classes, to family-friendly half-day front country volunteering events, to down-and-dirty multi-day backcountry workweek events for heartier souls.

All of FOI’s events are FREE and offered throughout Inyo and Mono Counties, from Bridgeport to Lone Pine. Unless otherwise indicated, most events have a cap and require registration, so interested participants are encouraged to RSVP as soon as they know they will be attending a hike or volunteering opportunity to reserve their spot. Every attendee must register individually (children under 18 must be registered by an adult) at FriendsoftheInyo.org/Events to obtain specific date/time, where-to-meet, what-to-bring, and other safety and physical exertion details unique to each event, as well as to help us control group sizes to prevent environmental degradation.

“These events are a great opportunity to get out, enjoy nature, and give back to the areas we love so much!” said Lindsay Butcher, Stewardship Director for Friends of the Inyo. From strolling and sketching, to learning about snakes, to creating cyanotypes using elements from nature, to learning about the geological forces that created the Sierra Nevada, to helping clean up and restore the Eastern Sierra’s beautiful lands and waters—Friends of the Inyo offers a variety of engagement opportunities for everyone. And on some days, there is more than one activity to choose from.

Following is the listing of events through the end of July, plus FOI’s first multi-day Backcountry Work Week in early August; however, scheduled events will continue through the end of summer. Events may be added, cancelled or rescheduled based on staff availability, weather, wildfire danger, or other factors. Be sure to check FriendsoftheInyo.org/Events often for the latest information, or if you plan to attend an event beyond July.

Nature-Based Yoga led by FOI Lead Trail Ambassador Jean

• Every Friday 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, and continuing through the end of summer, 8:30 – 10 am, at Pokonobe Marina, Lake Mary, Mammoth Lakes (No registration required)

Interpretive Hikes led by Friends of the Inyo’s Trail Ambassadors

• , 6/29, 9 am – Noon, at McGee Creek: Fire and Ice: A Land of Contrasts – Led by Jean
• , 7/13, 9 am – Noon, at Bennettville: Stories Set in Stone: Geology of the Sierra Nevada – Led by Ellie
• , 7/20, 9 am – Noon, in Bridgeport: The Misunderstood Danger Noodle: “Sssierra” Snake Walk – Led by Jordan
• , 7/20, 9 am – Noon, at Mammoth Lakes Basin: The Sierra in the Sun: Natural History and Creating a Cyanotype – Led by Brian
• , 7/27, 9 am – Noon, in the Mt. Whitney Area: Mt. Whitney Stroll and Sketch: An Artsy Interpretive Morning Hike – Led by Bella

Half-Day Volunteering Events

• , 6/28, 9 am – 12:30 pm, Pop-Up Stewardship at Mammoth Lakes, meet at Horseshoe Lake Parking Lot
• , 6/30, 9 am – 12:30 pm, Mt. Whitney Ranger District Trail Day at Tuttle Creek
• , 7/6, 8:30 am – Noon, June Lake Trails Day, meet at June Lake Community Center
• , 7/20, 9 am – Noon, Annual Rock Creek Lakes Cleanup, meet at Rock Creek Lakes Resort

Multi-Day Backcountry Workweek

Thurs. – Mon., 8/1 – 8/5, Golden Trout Wilderness Fence Removal

Questions about any FOI events may be directed to Stewardship Director Lindsay Butcher at [email protected].

Thank you for helping us spread the word on your community calendars and announcements.

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