Moose Lk. to Panther Gap Trail Remnants?

[hurricaniac]

I've got an old 1958 USGS map that shows a trail contouring below the south slope of Alta Pk. through Alta Mdw. and going over Panther Gap to Wolverton. Later maps do not show this section, only the trail up to Alta Pk. from Panther Gap. Has anyone taken this route recently?

[cslaght]

Two years ago my Dad and I took this trail back from Moose. The trail itself is maintained to Alta Meadow (and is quite easy walking) from Alta to Moose we lost it a few times and were traveling cross country for awhile. Nothing too difficult, but we were much higher than the original trail. As you pass the ridge that juts south from the lake, there are clear places the trail is visible up to the lake.

[zacjust32]

Are you talking about the trail to Alta Meadow or some other trail? The one to Alta Meadow is still there, but past it to Moose Lake isn't maintained. You can still find remnants of it, but navigation and route finding skills are necessary.

[Shawn]

CalTopo has a historic map (1915-1945) which shows that trail. I can't speak to part from Moose Lake to Alta Meadow, but the "new" existing trail from Alta to Wolverton is close to, and of course a lot better than what may remain of the old trail.

I have been on the "old trail" from Panther Gap, north of Panther Peak, then down to Wolverton about 6 or 8 years ago It also forks off to Lodgepole. My guess is that stretch still exist, yet again it's faster and easier to take the new trail to Wolverton.

[AlmostThere]

Going to guess you are looking at the trail to Moose Lake -- we just keep going until we are across a small stream gully and then head up on a diagonal until we hit the saddle where the trail goes over the ridge. The trail down from the saddle doesn't exist, vanishes into manzanita. Following our noses works better than trying to follow the route on the map. First timers would do well to get a compass bearing on the point where the trail goes over the ridge, trying to go over sooner will cliff you out in no time.

[hurricaniac]

Thanks everyone for the beta, the other route from Moose to Panther Gap I've considered is hiking along the top of the ridge above Pear Lake to the Summit of Alta Pk, then descend on the trail. Has anyone found the ridge top to be above class 3?

[zacjust32]

I did that a while back: panther gap --> Alta Peak --> Moose --> Tablelands --> Pear Lake. ("Tour of Tokopah" I think it was called) You can take the ridge from Alta but it is class 3 on top. I hiked 100 feet below the ridge and it was easy sandy/gravel slope on the south side. If you have any experience off trail you should be good, this was one of my first x-country experiences and i did fine.

EDIT: Found it! Tour of Tokopah and Tablelands

[AlmostThere]

It's easier to go from Alta Peak to Pear Lake than the other way. You can see a bit of use trail here and there. Once down the scree into the rocks you want to go to the right along the upper part of the bowl, around to the meadows on the far right over the lake, before descending. Otherwise you cliff out really easily. Going the other way takes a bit more exploration. There is a class 1 route but it's easy to end up in 2 or 3 if you're not willing to traverse much.

[Shawn]

Zac - Great TR, not sure how I missed it the first time. Enjoyed the photos.

Speaking of photos - here's the worst you'll see on HST, an old snapshot as taken on the ridge looking east just below Alta Peak. Shows the ridge the OP asked about and some of that stuff AT mentions. I took that dirt chute down on my way to Pear Lake.

Alta 1.jpg

[maiathebee]

Yeah, the trail between Alta Meadow and the ridge is tough to find, if it still exists, but the going is pretty easy through open forest. The trail between the ridge and Moose lake still exists and has cairns marking it. On our way to Moose lake, we found it easily. On our way back, we ended up too high on the ridge and had some annoying talus to manage. YMMV.

I was there in 2014 and blogged about it. Not sure if I wrote up a trip report here? Edit: found it!