Last Updated: Tues. 11/26/2002

We started at sea level and drove over Tioga pass in Yosemite at 9950 ft altitude. We stopped at Mammoth Mountain to do some hiking.  Saw another aqua Prius parked near ours.  Then down to Bishop at 4000 ft.  Then back up to the 4000 year old Bristle Cone Pine trees at 9000 ft.

Through the first half of the trip we averaged 47.5 MPG (miles per gallon) and the car handled great going up and down a number of high passes.  On long climbs like up to the Bristlecones, the battery indicator would drop to ¼ full, but based on advice from the owner on the Yahoo Group, I didn't worry about this and it didn't cause any problems.  I still could climb as quickly as I wanted, and the car does very well on small curvy mountain roads.

On the way back home, we drove up highway 395, over 6 miles of dirt roads up to the ghost town Bodie, and then over Sonora Pass at over 9000 ft again.  On the return trip we averaged 51.7 MPG.
 

Here's a frameless version of that photo:  

Our Prius on Sonora Pass Road.

Early in the morning where the Russian River flows into the Pacific Ocean at Jenner, California.
The sandbar separates the river from the ocean.

Yosemite Valley, an amazingly beautiful place.
Driving a Prius keeps emissions low, so you won't harm it.
 

Some Of My Best Friends Drive SUV’s.