High Sierra Topix

Hey everyone

Just joined the forum, and this is my first post. I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge of the Preston falls area of Stanislaus national forest? My girlfriend and I are looking to do a 3 day backpacking trip over Labor Day weekend. We both have a fair amount of trail experience, and are in good physical shape. For this weekend we are just looking to get away and spend some time together, maybe do a little fishing.

We like the idea of hiking along the tuolumne River to Preston falls, but we are struggling to find a way to build upon that hike to make it more of a two night venture. Does anyone have a suggestion for a way to make a kind of trail loop in that general area? Or maybe another area that could offer a fun 3 day loop? We realize this is a last minute trip on one of the most crowded weekends of the year, so getting permits for other areas might be hard. We really wanted to hit tuolumne meadows, but it looked like most permits were accounted for a long time ago.

Thanks for the help !

Dan

Hi Dan,

Welcome to HST! Please read: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4205

PS Read the following: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7651&p=55207&hilit ... lls#p55164

Thanks for the reply maverick. I'll do some searching to see if a similar thread has been submitted

Unfortunately I couldn't view the second link as I don't have permission to that board?

Be aware of this caution posted by Stanislaus NF of the Preston Falls trail: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stanisla ... 7&actid=50

Yeah--that area was damaged by the Rim Fire, and is nowhere near recovered.

You might look at a few other options in nearby Emigrant Wilderness or even Yosemite that would be better

20 Lakes Basin would be great, but with the Walker Fire, I do not know how much impact you would still have from the smoke, good fishing and outstanding scenery

Thanks for the quick replies! I was hoping the area would have recovered a little, but it sounds like I should turn my attention elsewhere. Thanks for the heads up.
I think I'm going to look for a 3 day loop in the emigrant. I've heard great things about the 20 lakes basin, but with fire concerns and distance this is probably not the weekend to venture out there.

I should have planned this trip sooner and applied for a tuolumne meadows area permit

Hiked that trail fully years ago. It is very low elevation at the bottom of the huge Tuolumne River canyon thus anytime after spring tends to be hot, dry, brown, thus unpleasant. It is within National Forest, outside of any wilderness thus no permits required. The time to visit that area is mid April through May when temperatures are cool, small seasonal streams are flowing off the canyon walls, and it is green with wildflowers. Unfortunately much of that area was horribly burned during the Rim Fire and could be closed due to unstable burned trees and rocks on its steep slopes.

At this time of year you should visit trails starting at higher elevations of Sierra highways like Sonora Pass or Tioga Pass and numbers of spur roads off US395 along the Eastern Sierra that climb up to those higher areas.

Some morning drive up through Yosemite National Park on SR120 and over Tioga Pass. Then drive a mile down the road and turn left north onto the Saddlebag Lake Road. Drive to the end park and take the ferry across the lake then start hiking.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/2015_Trip_C ... les-0.html
David