Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

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mtn.horhe
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Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by mtn.horhe »

Hey i have a 16 year old friend that wants to go backpacking, but has zero experience and i would consider him an indoor type guy (loves his video games ha). I was thinking about taking him to Rae lake because last time I went there (which was probably about 5 years ago) it was amazing and not real difficult. Anyways i wanted to know if anyone has any information on this trail like any problems or bad conditions? Also if i remember right there is a stream crossing and i didn't know if the water levels were to high for an easy cross.
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mtn.horhe
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by mtn.horhe »

Oh i forgot to say that i plan on going over labor day weekend.
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maverick
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by maverick »

I seriously doubt Fleming or any other creek should be problem, nice pick
to take the youngster to by the way.
Wildflowers also should still be quite nice.
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by balzaccom »

We did this trip last year, from the other direction. A couple of thoughts;

it's about 12 miles from Courtwright to Rae Lake...and the last four miles are pretty much straight up. So while I agree it's a wonderful trip, I don't agree that it's pretty easy. That's a long day for most people, so I would spend a night at Post Corral Meadows...at least on the way in.

That said, you shouldn't have any problems with any of the creeks by now...and if you want to explore further, we loved visiting (and fishing) Lower Indian Lake as well...
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mtn.horhe
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by mtn.horhe »

Ya i really liked this area when i went there so i am sure he will enjoy it as well.
balzaccom wrote:I don't agree that it's pretty easy.

Well i didn't mean that is was easy, just that it wasn't a really hard hike for a first timer.

I have a couple questions about regulations because when i went here i didn't have to worry about them because someone else did.
First off are bear canisters mandatory in wilderness areas or will the hanging of food in the tree suffice?
My other question is do you think that i will have a hard time getting a permit since it is over labor day weekend?
Thanks
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by rlown »

mtn.horhe wrote:
I have a couple questions about regulations because when i went here i didn't have to worry about them because someone else did.
First off are bear canisters mandatory in wilderness areas or will the hanging of food in the tree suffice?
My other question is do you think that i will have a hard time getting a permit since it is over labor day weekend?
Thanks
Seems like the second question could be answered by a quick call tomorrow morning to the Sierra natn'l forest permit station, and they can promptly answer your bear can question, and any other restrictions.
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by Jimr »

Please re-read batzaccom's assessment. It IS a difficult hike for a first time couch potato if you intend on doing it in one day. Post Corral meadow is the way to go unless you want to turn the youth off to backpacking forever. In fact, you will want to be flexible in case Post Corral meadow is as much as he can handle.

I did this as the first leg of a trans-sierra trip in 1985. Our intent was to Post Corral meadow first day and Rae Lake second day. I was in my early twenties and dug holes in the street every day for a living, so I was in excellent shape. There were so many flies from Courtwright to Post Corral that we could only stop for very brief periods without being driven bonkers from the flies. We decided to skip Post Corral and go straight to Rae Lake on the first day. This was a grueling hike from Post Corral to Rae Lake after 6 miles under our feet and another 6 miles and 3K elevation gain to go.
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by balzaccom »

Hi Jim

I have to admit I was puzzled by his response. We're in pretty good shape, and we would not attempt that itinerary. Not only that, but twelve miles is a long way to hike for a stop at Rae Lake. IF that's all I found at the end of 12 miles (and had to turn around a day later) I would be unhappy. Given that Dinkey Lakes is nearby and has at least five lakes that are comparable to Rae Lake....why the long slog?

Rae is nice...and it's a great stop on the way to the Red Mountain Basin or the Indian Lakes. But as a destination all its own, I don't think I'd hike 12 miles to just to see it...and then go home.
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by mtn.horhe »

I understand what you guys are saying and I would not want to turn him away from backpacking either. I am very flexible in my schedule i will just ask him what he want to do when we to get to Post Corral meadow. It doesn't bother me to have to stop where ever he wants either. I am sorry if i made it sound like it was no big deal i just meant that it is not a extremely hard hike. Plus my friend said he wanted something somewhat challenging, but i am not by any means trying to make him go out of his comfort zone. Like i said i am more than willing to stop at any time if either of us feel we need to.
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Re: Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake info

Post by AlmostThere »

Dinkey is the ideal first timer's destination for the sole fact that you can stop at 3 miles at a beautiful lake, or keep going and take all the side trails and see more lakes. We did a three day this weekend. Went to First Dinkey, Coyote, Second Dinkey (where we base camped), Island, Fingerbowl, Rock, Little lakes, then the third day walking out we stopped at South, Swede, and Mystery Lakes. If we had not been so involved in fishing at each we could have also gone to Rainbow Lake and Brook Lake. We caught rainbows, brook, and rainbow/golden hybrids most everywhere we went.

You can make it a short hike, a nine mile weekend, a twenty mile weekend - and this late there are hardly any bugs. It's a gorgeous trip no matter how far you go out there. I've taken people out there for their first backpack a lot - the elevation gain is nice and gradual, the trails well marked, and there's always something new to explore. We saw a pine marten loping through the trees at First Dinkey this trip!
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