Above Low snow and cold temperatures are marking the end of the 2023, meaning wild ice skating, also known as backcountry ice skating, is in full swing up and down the Eastern Sierra, including in Long Valley.
Volume 3 - Issue 12 | December 2023
So Long 2023 and "Every Last Drop" Volume 3!
by Allison Weber
It is no secret that the Eastern Sierra is having a "Not-So-White Christmas." Indeed, no matter what end of the year holidays you choose to celebrate, or not, it is well known that the Eastern Sierra does not have too much of a white anything at the moment, unless you count the prolific snow making of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
Mono County has had a generally rough start to the water year, which the United States Gelogical Survey (USGS) refers to as starting October 1st and ending September 30th. Despite many claims that the Eastern Sierra would see serious snow this year due to the El Niño climate pattern, such predictions (or hopes) have yet to come true, with a pattern of big storms being predicted and ultimately resulting in just a few inches.
However, 2024 has not even started, and we at Keep Long Valley Green are still holding out for a hero. We love big years that keep the meadows and wetlands of Long Valley green without the threat of dewatering by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP). But if this year turns out to be less than stellar, you can count on us to make sure drought isn't an excuse used by LADWP to rob this ecostystem and its community of water.
Hopefully, when Every Last Drop returns in 2024 to start off Volume 4, we will have better, water filled, tidings to report! Thank you for joining us for our third year of this newsletter, we look forward to spreading more Long Valley love in the new year.
Our 2024 New Years Resolutions:
- In 2024 we will, as always, keep an eye on the threat of dewatering, and keep our community updated on any opportunites for action, as needed. Stay tuned to this newsletter and our social media platforms for updates.
- Back by popular demand! We have heard you: in 2024 we will once again restock our stickers and lawn signs back in our community hotspots. We want to see those stickers on as many cars in the Eastern Sierra, and Los Angeles, as possible! Don't forget to send us photos of where you stickered our message. We love to see them.
- In 2024 we will host more opportunites to get out on the land and appreciate Long Valley as a community, as we did for our Long Valley Bike Tour with Haley Fitzpatrick. We know that getting outside is a priority for many of those who support our work, and we would love to get out with you in 2024. Stay tuned.
- We will continue to host our trash clean ups in Long Valley alongisde US 395, bianually in the spring and the fall. Be sure to join us for these events for snacks and lunch afterwards! Our volunteers help us keep Long Valley beautiful.
What would you like to see us do in 2024? Write to us at info@keeplongvalleygreen.org to share your visions for Long Valley in 2024. Help us make those visions possible by signing up to volunteer with us in the coming year:
Help Us Start 2024 Right:
Due to technical difficulties with our donation portal on November 28th, our Giving Tuesday prize campaign was not able to go as planned. While distressing, we are pleased to extend the campaign to the month of January! Now, anyone who donates between January 1st and January 31st, 2024 will be entered into our prize giveway.
In our first ever Giving Tuesday campaign last year, we managed to raise over $1,000 from folks like you who care about this special place and want to help us continue our work to monitor and advocate for Long Valley. Now, we ask you to help us beat that number for 2024, so we can fund our New Year's Resolutions and give back to our community. Regardless of how big your donation, know that every last dollar (or every last drop!) helps us continue this work as LADWP continues to deny our request for a binding agreement to continue irrigation in Long Valley.
The Prizes for Our Top 3 Donors:
The three largest donors on Giving Tuesday will receive the following works of art featured in the Every Last Drop newsletter: the largest donor will receive the BEAUTIFUL Keep Long Valley Green quilt by Ruby Hoyng, featured in the October edition of Every Last Drop, the second largest donor will receive a framed copy of the above photo of Long Valley, and the third largest donor will receive a framed copy of the below photo Long Valley, both by Coalition Member Friends of the Inyo’s Desert Lands Organizer and skilled photographer Jaime Lopez-Wolters.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting Every Last Drop. Help us grow and continue to publish by encouraging your family and friends to sign up or by donating on our website.
Help us keep long valley green by showing the community who cares for this land! Send us your pictures to be featured on the Keep Long Valley Green Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X.
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Watch Our Film: "Without Water"
Still haven't seen Without Water?! Good news: You can now watch our film for FREE, online, anytime.
Help us in a big way by doing something small: Spread the message of Keep Long Valley Green by simply sending people in your contacts (and especially Los Angeles residents) the link to Without Water: https://youtu.be/ThJ9HW9yf-w