Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

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InsaneBoost
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by InsaneBoost »

Yeah I'm smart enough to turn around if I don't feel I can do something. I guess I'm trying to pinpoint the area on the map, but can't figure out where Willow Meadow would be. That white box area where the road forks?
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AlmostThere
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by AlmostThere »

https://caltopo.com/l/MLFK

Trailhead is in the center - old maps show the trail being a road for a little farther.
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InsaneBoost
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by InsaneBoost »

Thanks. Pretty close to where I thought.
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by Ska-T »

Although the interface is a bit archaic, you can find detailed travel descriptions including GPS waypoints for many trailheads at climber.org.
http://climber.org/driving/index.html
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by wildhiker »

I second the idea of the Twin Lakes area in the Kaiser Wilderness, but starting from the trailhead by Badger Flat on the Kaiser Pass Road, just a few miles up from Huntington Lake, not from Sample Meadow on the north side. The Kaiser Pass Road is paved and in good condition on this stretch. The trail gains about 700 feet elevation in about 2 miles to Potter Pass - then you drop about 400 feet to the Twin Lakes area. The lakes are very pretty and you get some expansive views from the Potter Pass area or high points around the Twin Lakes. I was just thinking of this trail, because our 38 year daughter and our 5 month old granddaughter were visiting today and I remembered how we took this daughter at age 6 months for a week backpack trip into these Twin Lakes in the Kaiser Wilderness. We camped for 6 nights and I think it was the happiest time of her infancy. Of course, we carried her in and lots of gear - so much, that after hiking in, I had to turn right around and go back to the car to get another 50 pounds of gear. That's when I appreciated that the hike was only 3 miles each way.

-Phil
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Dave_Ayers
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Re: Low Mile Overnighter? (close to Fresno)

Post by Dave_Ayers »

InsaneBoost wrote: Is there anyway to find the exact locations of these trailheads? Normally I can find some info on some of the hikes via alltrails and what not, but not coming up with anything.
My Sierra Trailheads listing is at https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/group ... railheads/ along with a KMZ file that will allow you to add them to Google Earth. I have 231 TH's in the list. Please report any errors or omissions to me via PM or email as I'd like to keep it as accurate a possible. (Yahoo registration is required for access since it's posted in the Yahoo JMT Group.)
Last edited by Dave_Ayers on Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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sparky
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by sparky »

It is not close to fresno but the matlock/Bench lake area from the kearsarge pass trail is my usual suggestion for a low milage and low elevation gain overnighter that offers solitude. The view of University peak is great, and the hike is easy.
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InsaneBoost
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by InsaneBoost »

wildhiker wrote:I second the idea of the Twin Lakes area in the Kaiser Wilderness, but starting from the trailhead by Badger Flat on the Kaiser Pass Road, just a few miles up from Huntington Lake, not from Sample Meadow on the north side. The Kaiser Pass Road is paved and in good condition on this stretch. The trail gains about 700 feet elevation in about 2 miles to Potter Pass - then you drop about 400 feet to the Twin Lakes area. The lakes are very pretty and you get some expansive views from the Potter Pass area or high points around the Twin Lakes. I was just thinking of this trail, because our 38 year daughter and our 5 month old granddaughter were visiting today and I remembered how we took this daughter at age 6 months for a week backpack trip into these Twin Lakes in the Kaiser Wilderness. We camped for 6 nights and I think it was the happiest time of her infancy. Of course, we carried her in and lots of gear - so much, that after hiking in, I had to turn right around and go back to the car to get another 50 pounds of gear. That's when I appreciated that the hike was only 3 miles each way.

-Phil
The wife would love this....being she HATES Kaiser Pass lol. However Twin Lakes is one I've been wanting to do. Maybe I'll add that for just her and I to do. The elevation looks more like 900ft or so, and that's probably too much for her mother. Would make for a nice over nighter though. Maybe if we have an extra night we do this this year, or with her mother next year when she's built up more stamina for greater elevation gain.
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InsaneBoost
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Re: Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

Post by InsaneBoost »

sparky wrote:It is not close to fresno but the matlock/Bench lake area from the kearsarge pass trail is my usual suggestion for a low milage and low elevation gain overnighter that offers solitude. The view of University peak is great, and the hike is easy.
Looks like too much for her mother, but those views are amazing. MIght need to do that one soon for us.
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InsaneBoost
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Re: Low Mile Overnighter? (close to Fresno)

Post by InsaneBoost »

Dave_Ayers wrote:
InsaneBoost wrote: Is there anyway to find the exact locations of these trailheads? Normally I can find some info on some of the hikes via alltrails and what not, but not coming up with anything.
My Sierra Trailheads listing is at https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/group ... railheads/ along with a KMZ file that will allow you to add them to Google Earth. I have 231 TH's in the list. Please report and errors or omissions to me via PM or email as I'd like to keep it as accurate a possible. (Yahoo registration is required for access since it's posted in the Yahoo JMT Group.)
Just sent a request in. Thanks.
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