The Mother Lode Highway in California - Hwy 49 - is a beautiful road trip!

[robertpaulsen]

California Highway 49 is named after the 49ers who came to this state in their search for gold in 1849. Driving past the little towns along the highway in Sierra County was a wonderful scenic journey!

[cilla4progress]

1. Very enjoyable!

Do you know when this was filmed (month, year). Where it is in relation to last year's fires?

[robertpaulsen]

3. My wife and I filmed this in May 2017.

I don't believe the fires around Santa Rosa got near this area.

[mr_lebowski]

2. Love it up through there, man ... a lot of my youth spent on car rallies w/folks ...

Last edited Wed Feb 7, 2018, 02:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Riding top-down in our Morgan with the Morgan club, and a lot of times our rallies were up that way. Some cool spelunking up that general area too, Moaning and Mercer Caverns for example.

Feather River canyon from Oroville up to Quincy is another beautiful scenic drive, a bit north of the 49 but similar route. It's Highway 70 to be precise.

[robertpaulsen]

5. Wow, I didn't know there were caverns in that area!

I guess that makes sense though, given the amount of mining that has occurred around there.

Next time we're traveling around there, we'll have to check out Feather River canyon. Sounds wonderful!

[mr_lebowski]

8. Mercer Cavern is very close to Sonora, further south on the 49 but still very much 'Gold Country'

There's some wineries in the area and the little town that the Cavern is in is (called Murphys) is quite delightful, w/an old-school, well-kept downtown, lots of little cafes with wine-tasting of the local product. Great day trip from the Bay Area up there ... pretty sure you could do both Moaning and Mercer in a single day, with lunch in Murphy's in between.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32763-d266781-Reviews-Mercer_Caverns-Murphys_California.html

There's literally like 30 distinct/different 'formations' they show you on the tour, it's really magnificent down there. You do descend I think like 16 stories or something like that (but tons of stops to look at stuff) ... so be prepared for a bit of a hike. If you like caves and esp. large and unique formations (I think a handful they've got exist only at Mercer so far as it's known), this is one o' the best, and I've been to lots.

Also makes for a great stop on the way up to Yosemite via the 108 entrance. And I tell you what ... scenery doesn't GET a whole lot more breathtaking than the descent into the Valley along the 108 route. It's flippin' amaze-balls.

[robertpaulsen]

9. Thanks so much for that link, mr_lebowski!

I also clicked on that link within of 30 things to do in Murphys. My wife and I love visiting wineries too, so this place is right up our alley! I've loved exploring caves ever since I was five years old and my parents took me to see the Oregon Caves in Cave Junction, Oregon. I do hope to make a future trip to see the Mercer Caverns!

Thanks for telling me about the 108 too. We haven't been to Yosemite since 2005, and that was approaching it via Merced. So next time we go, we'll try to take the more scenic route!

[mr_lebowski]

11. I look forward to hearing how much you loved the trip :)

Yeah, I've been both ways, and I'm here to tell ya ... the 108 entrance is a WHOLE different ballgame. Coming up from Merced you basically slowly rise up into the Valley, but on the 108 it takes you way above it, elevation-wise, so you end up slowly descending down into it.

Now, I've not been in few years and I'm sure the big fire a few years back has dampened at least some stretches of the beauty of the drive a bit OUTSIDE the Park, but I know it didn't spread inside the park. And it's really the next 30 miles or so after you enter the gate where it's uber-amazing.

If you do head to Yosemite up that way, a quick stop in the quaint little town of Groveland, which is up the road towards Yosemite about 30 miles further than Murphy's (you kinda have to deviate from the main path up to Yosemite to get to Murphy's, but it's not too far off) ... is also recommended. In particular, the historic Iron Door Bar which has been in continuous operation since I believe the early 1900's.

A number of my close relatives own homes in Groveland there, in a wonderful development called Pine Mountain Lake (in fact, my grandparents moved there in the 90's) and I've been up there MANY TIMES, in fact even lived their briefly circa 2007 ...

It's beautiful in that region. You won't be disappointed.

[cilla4progress]

4. Can you give me a little more pinpoint on

where this is in CA? I'll google it, too...

Thanks!

I love the western US. Moved here from the northeast 40 years ago (Washington) and never looked back!

[robertpaulsen]

6. This is north of I-80, near the Nevada border.

It's also north of the Tahoe National Forest.

Yes, the western US is gorgeous! So much outdoor sights to see.

[cilla4progress]

7. So,

eastern central CA?

[robertpaulsen]

10. Yep!

That sounds about right.

[hedda_foil]

12. The quality of your videos is so good, I hope you're working on a distribution deal.

[robertpaulsen]

13. Thanks hedda_foil!

Naw, just sharing with YouTube subscribers and on discussion forums like here. But I appreciate the compliment!

[robertpaulsen]

14. Another great town along Hwy 49: Downieville!

Here is our video of it. Hope you enjoy it!