High Sierra Topix

Has anyone been in or out of Desolation at Echo Lakes in the last few days? I was thinking of taking a friend on a day hike to Lake Aloha and back. He hasn't been there before. Usually the self registration is open for day hikers near the marina. Normally, just after Labor Day the gate is opened on the dam at the lower lake, turning the strait between the lakes back into a stream bed with an elevation differential, which means the water taxi isn't running and we'd have to do the 2 extra miles each way. Just curious if anyone has encountered any rangers or knows if they even shut down the no-fee self issued day hiking permit box. If on the off chance the water levels are still equal and the taxi running, that surely would be nice to know as well.

Gary C, did you go down to the forks? Thinking of heading there next weekend, and was wondering about the road in.

Has anyone been up Beasore Road or Sky Ranch Road FS10 in the Sierra National Forest to hike into Yosemite / Chain Lakes, or to access the Jackass lakes Trailhead? I'll be in Bass Lake this weekend and would like to do one of those two hikes. Any info appreciated.

overheadx2 wrote:Gary C, did you go down to the forks? Thinking of heading there next weekend, and was wondering about the road in.

Yes, the road and parking lot were open with no sign of closing when we were there. Stop at the FS office and you should be able to get your permit like we did.

gary c. wrote:

overheadx2 wrote:Gary C, did you go down to the forks? Thinking of heading there next weekend, and was wondering about the road in.

Yes, the road and parking lot were open with no sign of closing when we were there. Stop at the FS office and you should be able to get your permit like we did.

That is excellent news!

A reminder to everyone headed out this time of year but especially the FOTK area. Deer season is open. This past weekend there were several deer camps set up near the TH and I heard there was a group on horses hunting up near painter camp. When we got back up to the TH there were 2 guys just comming up at the same time that were hunting also.

gglass wrote:Has anyone been up Beasore Road or Sky Ranch Road FS10 in the Sierra National Forest to hike into Yosemite / Chain Lakes, or to access the Jackass lakes Trailhead? I'll be in Bass Lake this weekend and would like to do one of those two hikes. Any info appreciated.

Also would appreciate any info on the area. I'm heading to Quartz Mountain tomorrow, I hope there aren't any locked gates.

Tom_H wrote:Has anyone been in or out of Desolation at Echo Lakes in the last few days? I was thinking of taking a friend on a day hike to Lake Aloha and back. He hasn't been there before. Usually the self registration is open for day hikers near the marina. Normally, just after Labor Day the gate is opened on the dam at the lower lake, turning the strait between the lakes back into a stream bed with an elevation differential, which means the water taxi isn't running and we'd have to do the 2 extra miles each way. Just curious if anyone has encountered any rangers or knows if they even shut down the no-fee self issued day hiking permit box. If on the off chance the water levels are still equal and the taxi running, that surely would be nice to know as well.

I have not done this in the last few days, but did take the water taxi and hiked to Lake Aloha in the last week of July. At that time the taxi pilot said that the water levels were already so low that they probably could not continue more than a couple more weeks.

When we got to the self registry at the end of the lake all the permits were gone, so we just went on without one.

I'd like to know if anyone can provide information on Horseshoe Meadows road. Is it open all the way to the trailheads? Thank you very much.

It was open on 10/4 - 10/6.

orbitor wrote:I'd like to know if anyone can provide information on Horseshoe Meadows road. Is it open all the way to the trailheads? Thank you very much.