ADVENTURES LURK IN EASTERN SIERRAS.

Byline: Michael Ambrose Special to the Daily News

The Eastern Sierra fishing season is upon us and along with it comes throngs of tourists, noisy RVs and trout that are as shell-shocked by it all as you.

If this doesn't sound like the tranquil experience you were dreaming of, consider an alternative day to fishing, especially on Sunday - the day after the trout opener - when the fish are overwhelmed by all the distractions and the angling is traditionally so-so. Here are some choices that offer wilderness beauty, solitude and adventure:

Glide into the backcountry.

Spring is an excellent time to encounter the sublime magnificence of the High Sierra. The mosquitoes are few, the crowds are nonexistent and the snowy landscape is breathtaking.

``If people want to see the wilderness any time of the year but summer, skis or snowshoes are the only way to go,'' said James Wilson, owner of a Bishop mountain shop, one of many regional outfits that rent equipment for the journey.

Snowshoeing is re-emerging as a popular activity due largely to great advances in equipment design. Modern, lightweight snowshoes are highly maneuverable, comfortable and stable, as well as just plain fun.

Cross-country skiing can take on many forms, from sliding along easy terrain using long, skinny skis to hair-raising descents on metal-edge backcountry boards. One major advantage to tracking into the woods at the commence of the fishing season is that many roads are freshly plowed up to the trailheads. Rock Creek, Mammoth Lakes Basin and Minaret Vista are popular places to begin your day.

The wilderness can be a potentially dangerous place; check avalanche and

weather conditions before starting out.

Inquire about rentals at Wilson's Eastside Sports, 224 N. Main St. in Bishop, [phone]; or Kittredge Sports, 3218 Main St. in Mammoth Lakes, [phone].

Hire a mountain guide.

For those whose tastes run more wild than mild, hiring a skilled mountain guide can take you just about as far to the edge of extreme as most folks want to get.

Guide services run the gamut from highly educational single-day seminars in rock and ice climbing, avalanche awareness and backcountry skiing to full-blown multi-day adventures that put your new skills to the ultimate test.

Imagine yourself climbing a gully of ice on a 14,000-foot peak or carving telemark turns in untouched snow. Guide services make advance reservations, so don't procrastinate.

Get a recommendation from a mountain shop or call these guides: Allen Bard, [phone]; John Fischer, [phone]; or Todd Vogel, [phone].

Soak your cares away.

After a long day in the backcountry, nothing feels better than a relaxing drench in Hot Creek or one of the many other area hot springs.

Hot Creek is particularly stunning, with the stream and lush vegetation winding lazily through a canyon while boiling pools known as fumaroles bubble to the surface in streaks of liquid turquoise. The water is heated by magma, or molten rock, that lies about five miles below the surface. Soak only in the main pool here, as others posted with ``danger'' signs will boil you alive.

Anglers know the area farther up Hot Creek as a world-class, catch-and-release fly-fishing stream with a dynamic population of brown and rainbow trout.

To get to Hot Creek Geologic Site from Bishop, take Highway 395 north about 37 miles to the Mammoth Lakes Airport exit. Turn right and follow the road for about a mile until the blacktop gives way to gravel. Drive on another 2-1/2 miles to the parking area. The hot springs are open from sunrise to sunset only.

Additional outdoor activities (all numbers listed are in 760 area code):

Downhill skiing. Mammoth Mountain is the only game in town; it's open until July 6, weather permitting.

Don't ski? Try sledding or inner tubing. Or catch the sights from a gondola. Information: 934-2571.

Golf. Mount Whitney Golf Club in Lone Pine, 873-5828; Bishop Country Club, 873-5828; Snowcreek Golf Course in Mammoth Lakes (driving range only), 934-6633.

Four-wheeling. There are more than 5,000 miles of roads, many within Inyo and Toiyabe National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management (see phones below), over which to tool your 4WD rig or other off-highway vehicles. Many lead to geologic sites and ghost towns.

Horseback riding. Bishop Pack Outfitters, 873-6037.

Fish hatcheries. If you can't catch them, you can still see what they look like. Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery (two miles north of Independence), Black Rock Hatchery (seven miles north of Independence), Fish Springs Hatchery (five miles south of Big Pine) and Hot Creek Fish Hatchery (east of Mammoth Lakes). Information: Department of Fish and Game in Bishop, 872-1171.

Scenic flights. No better way to get a handle on the lay of the land. Woodward Aviation Service at Lone Pine Airport, 876-5300; Dave Sonke Aviation at Bishop Airport, 872-1220; or Mammoth Air Charter at Mammoth Airport, 934-4279.