Ad blocker detected: Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.
If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
-
gosia2000
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 2:10 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Post
by gosia2000 » Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:07 pm
SweetSierra wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:28 am
Inyo National Forest told me about a week and a half ago that the closed gate is at the junction with Horseshoe Meadows Road and the road to the Cottonwood Lakes Trail. They didn't say it was at the "old" trail (which I take it you mean the old trail much farther east on the road) but at the junction closer to the Horseshoe Meadows campground.
Thanks for the reply! It’s super useful but I would appreciate clarifying one detail for me- thank you in advance! I’m not familiar with the area and I don’t see any road to the Cottonwood Lakes Trail on Forest Service Map. Could you tell me where is it approximately or just let me know how far from Trail Pass TH is it?
And yes- I meant old trail further east, right after switchbacks.
-
notis
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 8:49 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: CA
Post
by notis » Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:49 pm
The gate is closed at the campground entrance, before any of the equestrian or regular campsites and trailheads. By parking before the gate and walking in (you'll see a ton of cars), it probably adds a half- to one mile to the Cottonwood/Trail Pass trailhead. There is also an approach to Trail Pass through Round Valley, I believe. If you need specifics on where the trailhead is, check out CalTopo.com and turn MapBuilder Overlay on for help with clearer trails and names.
-
SweetSierra
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 273
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:23 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Tucson, Arizona
Post
by SweetSierra » Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:09 pm
gosia2000 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:07 pm
SweetSierra wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:28 am
Inyo National Forest told me about a week and a half ago that the closed gate is at the junction with Horseshoe Meadows Road and the road to the Cottonwood Lakes Trail. They didn't say it was at the "old" trail (which I take it you mean the old trail much farther east on the road) but at the junction closer to the Horseshoe Meadows campground.
Thanks for the reply! It’s super useful but I would appreciate clarifying one detail for me- thank you in advance! I’m not familiar with the area and I don’t see any road to the Cottonwood Lakes Trail on Forest Service Map. Could you tell me where is it approximately or just let me know how far from Trail Pass TH is it?
And yes- I meant old trail further east, right after switchbacks.
The road to Cottonwood Lakes trailhead makes a right turn off the main Horseshoe Meadows Road as you get close to the Horseshoe Meadow Road's end. There's a sign there. Walking from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead to Cottonwood Pass/Trail/Mulkey Pass trailhead is about a mile or maybe a little more. There's a small hikers' camp there as well.
Continuing west on Horseshoe Meadows Road past that turn off to the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead (in about three quarters of a mile) is the Cottonwood Pass/Trail and Mulkey Pass trailhead (they are one and the same trail for a short distance). There's a huge parking lot there and trailhead sign with a map display, bear boxes, and a hikers' camp.
-
gosia2000
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 2:10 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Post
by gosia2000 » Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:43 pm
Thanks so much for the info. This is a fantastic news for me- I was factoring in extra 12 miles to get to and from the TH so a mile or so is nothing in comparison!
Thank you all again!!
-
Obsidianpumice
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2017 5:13 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Post
by Obsidianpumice » Sun Jun 21, 2020 4:58 pm
I tried to reach the permit office 10-15 times last week which I thought was a bit much, but sounds like well over 100 attempts isn't unusual. Too bad the process ended up like this.
-
BaneSierras
- Topix Acquainted
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:57 am
- Experience: Level 2 Backpacker
Post
by BaneSierras » Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:34 pm
gosia2000 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:43 pm
Thanks so much for the info. This is a fantastic news for me- I was factoring in extra 12 miles to get to and from the TH so a mile or so is nothing in comparison!
Thank you all again!!
Yeah, it's a mile at most to the trailhead. Literally a couple hundred feet to the nearest campground.
The 12 miles up the Horseshoe meadow road is a hike you wouldn't want to do.
-
richlong8
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 766
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:02 pm
- Experience: N/A
Post
by richlong8 » Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:25 am
exactly.I am running into the same situation. Already have the reservation, but no will answer the phone to mail the permit out. I have no sympathy for the government. They could address the situation with their unlimited resources if they chose, but they are not choosing. When it comes time to go, I will go, irregardless.
-
John Harper
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 376
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:54 am
- Experience: N/A
Post
by John Harper » Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:43 am
richlong8 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:25 am
exactly.I am running into the same situation. Already have the reservation, but no will answer the phone to mail the permit out. I have no sympathy for the government. They could address the situation with their unlimited resources if they chose, but they are not choosing. When it comes time to go, I will go, irregardless.
I got through on my 87th attempt. Persevere, Mr. richlong, persevere. You can do it.
John
-
c0ryh
- Topix Acquainted
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:51 pm
- Experience: Level 2 Backpacker
Post
by c0ryh » Wed Jun 24, 2020 12:21 pm
Day 1 of calling.
I'm at 24 calls. 65% of the time it's busy. 35% of the time it rings until I get disconnected.
I wouldn't consider myself a patient person so we'll see how this continues.
-
2020hiker
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2020 12:25 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Post
by 2020hiker » Wed Jun 24, 2020 12:24 pm
c0ryh wrote: ↑Wed Jun 24, 2020 12:21 pm
Day 1 of calling.
I'm at 24 calls. 65% of the time it's busy. 35% of the time it rings until I get disconnected.
I wouldn't consider myself a patient person so we'll see how this continues.
I got through after about 30 mins of calling straight. The ranger was super nice once I got through. I don't blame the individual ranger/offices about all this, it's more high level bureaucratic and funding issues right now than anything, and all the new rules.
I also started calling right at 1pm when their lunch hour was over.