When people speak of the Eastern Sierra they commonly mean the plateau around Mono Lake and the Owens Valley. In this high desert region can be found some of the state's most sought-after trout angling. Hot Creek, Walker River, Carson River, Owens River and Golden Trout Creek and many more waterways host rainbows and browns as well as Lahontan cutthroat, Kern River rainbows and our state fish - the California golden trout.

The Eastern Sierra and CalTrout go way back. Our precedent-setting lawsuits in 1989 and 1990 (CalTrout 1 and 2 in legal circles) not only saved Mono Lake and the valuable feeder streams that nourish it, but helped establish the reputation of California Trout in the region and throughout the state.

The region, however, remains imperiled from a variety of sources including logging, grazing and, more urgently, development.

Pressure is building from local businesses (and not so local businesses like the giant Canadian developer InterWest) to rapidly expand the region's ski resorts and enlarge its airport to accommodate 747's filled with tourists.

CalTrout recently filed a legal petition to protect the Owens Valley's streams from over-appropriation by ambitious developers.

CalTrout has also worked to secure protection for the Sierra's trout streams and lakes through the Department of Fish and Game's Wild Trout and Heritage Trout programs, the Golden Trout Program and as a local advocate.

Although we've been active in the area since our inception, we just recently opened an Eastern Sierra office in Mammoth to help us help the regions wild fish.

Eastern Sierra Manager:
Mark Drew
PO Box 3442
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
760-924-1008
mdrew@caltrout.org

Projects:

Mammoth Lakes
Golden Trout Project
Volunteer Opportunities
New Zealand Mudsnail Project