Motorists who come from the south usually cross this summit in order to go to the high-altitude towns like Mammoth Lakes to the northwest to escape the smothering summer heat in the deserts. The pass receives snowfall during the winter, although the region receives relatively little precipitation annually.
Southerners who drive usually cross a summit to visit high-altitude towns like Mammoth Lakes, which is northwest of them, to escape the stifling summer heat in desert areas. Snow falls on the pass during winter, though the area generally receives little rainfall annually.