Remotely located in the Mono Lake Basin, the HU-GWA-TEE Cemetery.
While sussing out fly fishing opportunities, I came across this remote Native American (and veteran's) local cemetery. I have seen this on a map before (and actually have it marked with a waypoint on my GPS), but had forgotten about it. The lighting and approaching storm added to a nice experience.
From an internet search...
1) Cultural Significance - It serves as a final resting place for members of the local Native American community, including the Kutzadika'a (Mono Lake Paiute) people. Traditional regional practices, such as tribal viewing and cry dances, are held there to honor the deceased.
2) Indigenous Heritage & Ancestral Roots: The name Hu-Gwa-Tee is tied directly to the Native American heritage of the Mono Basin. The Kutzadika'a people have inhabited this region for thousands of years, relying on the unique ecology of Mono Lake and its feeding streams, like Rush Creek. The cemetery is a tangible monument to their enduring presence and ancestral continuity on the land, serving as a private, respected space for their descendants.
3) The Resting Place of Adeline Carson Stilts: The cemetery is nationally notable as the final resting place of Adeline Carson Stilts (c. 1837–1860).
- Who she was: She was the daughter of the legendary American frontiersman and scout, Kit Carson, and his first wife, Waa-nibe (Singing Grass), a Northern Arapaho woman.
- Her Legacy: After her mother passed away, Adeline traveled extensively with her father before eventually marrying and settling in the Eastern Sierra. Her burial here closely intertwines early American frontier history with the localized Indigenous history of Mono County.
