High Sierra Topix

Looking at taking the Tundra up the fun road this weekend to get in some fishing and climbing Bloody/Laurel peaks.

Does anyone know if the road is snow free yet? I've gotten some mixed reports of "oh yeah I was up there last week" to "there is still a giant snow field blocking the road". Would love a reliable report.

(calling leads to the answer "we don't know. Why don't you tell us when you get back?")

Heading out tomorrow night so I guess we'll find out. Worst case we camp lower and hike up to the lakes for fishing (and the loop over Laurel/Bloody Mtns). Probably better campsites among the aspens anyways.

I am curious if the road was open all the way to the lakes? if not how far were you able to go? where you able to make it to the TH that heads down towards Dorothy, etc.


Thanks

Nice timing - I was about to come back and give a status update. Yes we were able to get all the way into the lakes. There were two small snow fields that had *just* melted out enough to get around. We were fine in a giant Toyota Tundra.

We hiked Laurel Mtn on Saturday morning but didn't get up Bloody due to the incoming storms. We had planned on camping at the upper Laurel lake that night but the deluge made us afraid that the road would suffer further damage and since it is already in a rather deteriorated state we got out of there.

This was the third time I've been up the road and it seemed to be in worse condition than I remember. We did fine in the Tundra (Rock Warrior TRD package) but it was slow going and there were a few spots where we had to get out and study the line/spot.

All pictures here: Laurel Mountain and Gardisky Lake

A sampling:

Had to stop and study the line here (mid way up switchbacks):

Snow patch on drive out

View from Laurel summit towards Bloody, etc:

Yeah that's one of the most ugly rocky bumpy roads about Mammoth. I'm like you when it comes to not getting caught up rough 4wd roads that could erode into washouts when big t-storms are about. I've always wanted to ski down from Laural Mtn in spring corn. Thanks for the pic looking south c. Rather snowy up there at Corrider Pass and Red Slate. Just got my Inyo permit reservation back in the mail yesterday for two of us going into McGee Creek for 5 days. Just a week away now so time to get the big gear checklist out. Doubt we'll get any higher than Big McGee, staying down the creek some in the prime cheery green zone.

Pic #22, one of the sandworts:

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_q ... g=Sandwort" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Calipidder,

Great photos, and I like the narrative.

Thanks for the comments.

Yeah it was nice to finally get up there above 10k. Like many here I'm heading out on my longer trip of the summer next weekend. Wanted to get out and do *something* to work on acclimation, though the storms cut our plans back significantly.

Laurel Lakes is really a fun drive if you're into both 4x4 and the Sierra. 4x4 trails are rarely a destination by themselves for us, they are usually a means to an end (end being trailhead), but sometimes it's fun to just let the truck do the work.