High Sierra Topix

Anybody hiked down from Blue Dot Lake to Convict Creek, coming out onto the trail at about 4 miles from the trail head at Convict Lake? I cannot tell for sure from topos if the route is Class 2 or Class 3. I'm thinking of leading some novices from Wit-so-nah-pah to Blue Dot and then directly down to the trail, thus bypassing Lake Dorothy and Mildred Lake. It might be pretty easy and exotic but only if we don't get into some serious Class 3 going down. I am definitely NOT taking any ropes or climbing gear.

Also, I would hope to pitch a 3-person tent at Blue Dot Lake. Is there enough flat ground there to do so?

Don't do it - especially with novices. We thought it would be a great shortcut, but it wasn't. Loose, steep, and dangerous. It'll be safer to stick to the trail and it might even be faster doing the extra miles and sticking to the trail. It' easy to get to Blue Dot Lake coming down, but once you drop down from Blue Dot Lake it becomes pretty challenging. Going up from Convict Creek to Bright Dot might not be as bad as going down, but that's not likely a piece of cake either.

Anybody hiked down from Blue Dot Lake to Convict Creek

Sorry, but where is Blue Dot Lake, have only been to a Bright Dot Lake near Convict?

[it be Bright Dot Lake]

Up that creek channel as Kathy related, metamorphic scree is unpleasantly loose, and worse the steeper. Use the traditional route beyond Mildred Lake.

Yes, I concur with Kathy about that x-country route (if OP was referring to BDL), would not take newbies down it, very steep and loose for inexperienced hikers.

I didn't even notice the name of the lake was wrong.

A nice hike would be to go up to Mount Baldwin or just to the Calcite Mine. There's a use trail all the way to the mine (fades away in a couple places). From the mine, you just have to find the place to climb (Class 2) up to the easy slopes that go to the summit. Make sure you pay attention to the way you got up to the summit because it's easy to start back down the wrong direction from the summit of Baldwin.

I have done Convict Creek to Bright Dot via the Bright Dot outlet stream 4 times round trip with a full pack (1972, 1976, 1981, 1987) and it is not a bad off trail route if care is chosen to take the best route up the rather steep lower talus slopes and then hit the right benches to avoid cliffs. This route is strictly class 2 and the worst part of it is moderately loose talus in some sections. However, as noted by KathyW, this is not an off trail route for novices, but one for seasoned off trail hikers who enjoy this sort of stuff, including moderately intricate route finding. I like Bright Dot Lake and environs and I would have kept returning there were it not for the fact that the fish size is not that impressive (teeming with brookies that topped out at 12" in 1987). It is a good kickoff point for class 2 climbs up to Mts Morrison and Baldwin as well as (for rockhounds) checking out the fabled Iceland Spar locality (aka Bausch and Lomb Mine) on the NW flank of Baldwin. That having been said, I figure the use trail from Mildred is easier, but I've always enjoyed off trail backpacking, hence the 1981 and 1987 repeats when I was well aware of the Mildred route (didn't know about it in 1972 and 1976).

Wow. Thanks for all the replies. Great help. I am feeling Brighter since before I posted the question.