Share Your Early Season Trip Plans (April thru June)

[c9h13no3]

This is going to be a topic from now until June: Where to go when the snow is stacked up 200 inches high?

I've always got a lot of trips rolling around in my brain, and I'm planning to do a lot of pure skiing day trips. But here are the backpacking/hiking trips I have in mind:

1) Parents in Yosemite, early April: My parents are kinda getting old, and my mom has put me on a strict 4 hiking mile limit. Hite Cove should be in top condition around this time, and I'm planning to take them up to the rockslides on old big oak flat road from the valley. Anything on the north rim should be in pretty good condition.

2) Skis/snowshoes in Kings Canyon on Fishmas: The last Friday in April is when CA180 opens all the way to Cedar Grove (the first day of fishing season, Fishmas). Other roads like Tioga pass & Sonora pass usually get plowed significantly further up on this day as well. I'm targeting hiking up the Copper Creek trail (south facing trails!), camping at snow line. Then I'll strap on a day pack & skis, tour around Granite Basin, and climb Goat Mountain. The view from Goat Mountain is supposed to be top notch.
Photocredit: MrChad9 on Summitpost



3) Four Lakes Loop: This isn't the Sierra, but it's an area I need to explore more. Maia has a pretty solid trip report for the area, and all the lakes are below 7500 feet so it should melt out enough by mid June.

Diamond Lake and the White Trinities. This spot was spectacular. by maiathebee

[maiathebee]

Cool! Have you been to the Trinities before? You should def bag Siligo peak when you're up there. It's a great view and an easy walk-up.

-mid-May I'll be in Yosemite. Tunnel to Valley via Taft / Glacier / LYV, maybe up to my favorite campsite up Merced canyon)

-mid-June I have some tentative plans for Desolation Wilderness, but really I don't know what will happen. Probably more going to play it by ear based on the melt and trip reports.

-July I'M GOING TO ICELAND AAAAAAAAAAA

I did have a car-camping day-hiking trip planned for memorial day at Mono Hot Springs but I doubt Kaiser Pass will be open yet so I'll probably swap that out for something else. I've been thinking about doing Channel Islands in May. Or maybe somewhere on the north coast. Don't want to do the Lost Coast since the streams will be bonkers... idk.

[c9h13no3]

Cool! Have you been to the Trinities before? You should def bag Siligo peak when you're up there. It's a great view and an easy walk-up.

I haven't ever been. It has always managed to evade me even though the pics of the 4 lakes loop & the Grizzly lake waterfall always blow me away. I hear it can be hot though.

mid-June I have some tentative plans for Desolation Wilderness, but really I don't know what will happen. Probably more going to play it by ear based on the melt and trip reports.

-July I'M GOING TO ICELAND AAAAAAAAAAA

I did have a car-camping day-hiking trip planned for memorial day at Mono Hot Springs but I doubt Kaiser Pass will be open yet so I'll probably swap that out for something else. I've been thinking about doing Channel Islands in May. Or maybe somewhere on the north coast. Don't want to do the Lost Coast since the streams will be bonkers... idk.

Yeah, that's how I'm going to plan the June trip for the Trinities, watch the snow map, go when the melt is just right. The Desolation can be pretty darn snowy though. The Crystal Range gets dumped on despite not being nearly as high. On June 24thish of 2017, snow level was 7500 feet when we hiked Lake Aloha.

I'd want to go to the Channel Island when the ocean temps are swimmable, probably later in the year. Would you take a kayak?

[maiathebee]

I'd want to go to the Channel Island when the ocean temps are swimmable, probably later in the year. Would you take a kayak?

i have only kayaked a few times, so probably not! but i've never been out there despite doing my undergrad at UCSB, so it would be good to get that scratched off the list! you do make a good point about the water temp though.... hrmm

[c9h13no3]

I'd want to go to the Channel Island when the ocean temps are swimmable, probably later in the year. Would you take a kayak?

i have only kayaked a few times, so probably not! but i've never been out there despite doing my undergrad at UCSB, so it would be good to get that scratched off the list! you do make a good point about the water temp though.... hrmm

Could always take a short, thin wet suit.

[paul]

Early May - on skis to Blackcap Basin & surrounding area.

[balzaccom]

We're heading to Arizona and Southern Utah. Because hiking long distances in the snow is not fun for us.

[TahoeJeff]

I'm going to be keeping track of the local Deso lakes icing out, which of course will be later than normal. Hopefully by June....

[Wandering Daisy]

Family trips in April, early 8-day trip to Spokane WA; only hiking would be Smith Rocks in Oregon where I will camp on my way. Late April we are doing a 2-week trailer trip to Durango CO, with day hikes in places like Arches NP and Grand Canyon. A bit too early to do much in Durango with our grandkids but maybe we can find a day-hike. Perhaps a late March overnight in Point Reyes with the other set of grandkids.

Early May we may do a trailer trip up the coast to Oregon. Definitely will at least go to Fort Bragg and do a lot of beach walking. I am slowly trying to do the trail or beach sections of the California Coast route (no road walking for me). I hope to do some of the northernmost sections.

I have several "early" trips, but not sure when I will do each. Like everyone said, depends on the snow melt.

7-day trip in Yosemite North Rim and Pohono-Panorama, with a full day between to enjoy the Valley, immediately followed by a 6 or 7-day Vernon Lake loop plus Jack Main Canyon and hopefully Edith Lake (been there before so yes, I know how tough that is!). May split that into two separate trips.

4-5 day fishing trip to Kennedy Lake and Relief Reservoir. Hopefully my husband and our dog will do this one with me.

7 day trip in Marble Mountains. I have never been there so am excited about that. I have done several trips in the Trinities. Thought I would try the Marbles.

I did Channel Islands years ago and it was really fun, particularly the boat ride out there.
I did Desolation in 2011 July 12-16 and there was still a lot of snow. I think this year will be similar.

[wildhiker]

End of March or beginning of April - family car camping and day hiking at Carrizo Plain or somewhere else in So. Calif with good wildflowers.
Mid April - tentatively planning something (car camp and day hike? backpack?) in the Canyonlands area of Utah with my son who lives in Salt Lake City.
May - two week trip with my wife to Portugal and Madeira. Why? Because we've never been there but have heard many good things about it from our children and others. Yes, we are going to do a lot of day hikes, but no camping.

Waiting to see how the snow melt and mosquitoes go before planning Sierra hikes. I can be flexible because I'm now retired.

-Phil