High Sierra Topix

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 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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.