Off-Trail Overnight Trips

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AlmostThere
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by AlmostThere »

It sounds a little odd, but a trip I did last year starting at the Brewer Lake OHV route was one of the least populated routes I've ever been on. The trail from Brewer to Tocher and on to Beryl is eroded and unmaintained, and gets less used the farther you go. While I am sure hunters and people coming to Brewer via OHV day hiking still make it out there, going while the OHV route is still closed or in late fall after school starts almost guarantees you won't see a soul. Beryl is a beautiful little lake. The round trip was somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 miles round trip. Unless you go over the ridge to Coyote Lake, you don't even need a permit. Driving the dirt FS roads from Tamarack (off 168 after Shaver Lake) gets you to the trailhead.
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TehipiteTom
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by TehipiteTom »

Thanks, all!
oleander wrote:Where would you be driving from, Tom?
Excellent question...I'm coming from San Francisco, so eastside trailheads in general are a very long way to drive for a 2-day trip.

That said, I don't want to limit this to what I might do; I was thinking others might be interested in the same kind of trip, and eastside trips could work very well for some people.

RoguePhotonic, Nelson Lake is one that seems like a real possibility. (And apologies if I slandered you. ;) )

LMBSGV, 20 Lakes Basin is another promising possibility.

Ruby Lake looks beautiful, what I've seen of it from the Mono Pass trail, but it is on-trail in a heavily impacted area, so probably not as isolated as I'm looking for.

And I completely forgot about one other great overnight destination I once did: Little Slide Canyon. (I was shooting for Maltby Lake, but wound up camping elsewhere in the upper canyon...but the whole area is spectacular.)
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by SSSdave »

Image

Since none of you answered Oleander's question about Ruby Lake, that gives me a chance to toss out that it often seems like I'm about the only one on this board that uses topo's plus Google Earth much in threads? I'm betting some of you despite the fact we talk about it often have never installed the free Google Earth application?

And yes I not only use those alot but the online topo I use is the acme mapper site on all my links that has the advantage of also having tabs for satelite views and a road map, all in registration to whatever is at the crosshair center. On that page is a field " Link to this page" that must be actuated before copying any map for link purposes. Of course this HST site also has a map function :

http://www.highsierratopix.com/high-sierra-map/map.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But again I rarely find any of you even use that and rather will ramble on with poorly described written post descriptions that can often be far more easily understood instantly by looking at a GE pic or topo link. Another very useful bit a freeware is MWSnap for screen captures of either of those two.

So yeah I've been to Ruby Lake. I've climbed up through the talus behind the lake to Mills Lake. And have been over Mono Pass. The camping at Ruby Lake has been in the Wilderness Press guidebooks since the first edition before many of you were born, usually as a waypoint campspot before going over Mono. The place 98% of visitors camp is at the limited flat area at the outlet you can see above on the GE image and X marks the spot. Of course every dayhiker going to the lake, and there are lots of them mid summer, are going to see everything in anyones camp there. So one of the least secluded choices to backpack at in the Sierra. And for you fishermen backpackers, guess how many dayhiking fishermen are usually tossing out Super Dupers along every few feet of that outlet shoreline weekends midday?

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.41663,-118.76667&z=15&t=T" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But wait. Many have heard that I rarely camp in regular camp spots because I tend to stay away from lake edges, trails, and the like. And for this person Ruby would not be a problem for seclusion. Looking at the topo it would appear that there are no other places around shore areas that offer flat camping. 95% of backpackers always camp close to water sources no more than about 50 feet above shores and that is especially the case when the water is a lake. Trying to separate many groups further away from lake edges than about 200 feet is as likely as trying to pry a bulldog off a bone.

But these GE images below show where I would camp by choice. The first above is on the little bench about 110 feet above and south of the outlet where the red arrow shows. It has a fine view of the lake and likely no one would venture up there even on an August Saturday. One can see the use trail where I put a red T. The second below pic is downstream a couple hundred yards across the creek up about 50 feet. That has only a distant Ruby view shown in the third pic but fine views down into the lakes of Little Lakes Valley.

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Image

August 2013 on my way into Pioneer Basin from Mono Pass trail:
Image
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oleander
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

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Can't believe no one has mentioned these two x-country gems that are a short drive from the Bay Area:

1. Horsetail Falls. Drive is 3 hours flat, from my house. After ~1 mile on the official trail to the falls, leave the trail and climb up parallel to (and about 1/10 mile west of) the falls. Early on, there is a short Class 3 move, that is too scary for my friends who have an above-average fear of heights, but it's not truly exposed. Now you have already lost all the Desolation crowds. The rest of the climb is easy Class 2. Then wander into the untrailed lakes basin above the falls. Class 1 and 2. You can also climb Pyramid Peak from that basin. Pyramid is on my bucket list.

2. Blue Lakes and beyond, from the use trail that leaves Highway 108 from an unmarked pullout between Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass.

The other one I want to try is from Carson Pass. From Fourth of July Lake area, I'd like to zigzag up the ramps that climb the ginormous beautiful granite landform to the southeast of (and across the canyon from) that lake. You wind up on the shoulder of Deadwood Peak. You could descend from there to Grouse Lake to camp. I haven't talked to anyone who has tried this.

I was told by a ranger that there is some fantastic x-country "wandering around on the granite" that one can do by simply parking on the side of the road (Highway 88) just to the southwest of Silver Lake, and walking south. I'm a little puzzled by where exactly she means. But it sounds good. Short drive!

Ironically I am not the one here who asked about Ruby Lake, but my friend and I have always wondered what the juicy basin behind Ruby Lake might be like, and how is the x-country route up there. Ruby Lake itself is an unpleasant place to camp - lots of people, yes, and the sites aren't too good.

- Elizabeth
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

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oleander wrote:Can't believe no one has mentioned these two x-country gems that are a short drive from the Bay Area:

1. Horsetail Falls. Drive is 3 hours flat, from my house. After ~1 mile on the official trail to the falls, leave the trail and climb up parallel to (and about 1/10 mile west of) the falls. Early on, there is a short Class 3 move, that is too scary for my friends who have an above-average fear of heights, but it's not truly exposed. Now you have already lost all the Desolation crowds. The rest of the climb is easy Class 2. Then wander into the untrailed lakes basin above the falls. Class 1 and 2. You can also climb Pyramid Peak from that basin. Pyramid is on my bucket list.

2. Blue Lakes and beyond, from the use trail that leaves Highway 108 from an unmarked pullout between Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass.
Blue Canyon is a place I remember looking at on the map many years ago...thanks for reminding me!
The other one I want to try is from Carson Pass. From Fourth of July Lake area, I'd like to zigzag up the ramps that climb the ginormous beautiful granite landform to the southeast of (and across the canyon from) that lake. You wind up on the shoulder of Deadwood Peak. You could descend from there to Grouse Lake to camp. I haven't talked to anyone who has tried this.
Interesting...I've looked at a route down from Grouse to Summit City Creek, but your way looks like it might go as well. You could approach from Blue Lakes via Devil's Corral and Summit City Canyon, and make a loop of it.

There's lots of interesting cross-country within a fairly compact area in that part of Mokelumne. Snow Canyon is quite pretty, for example.
I was told by a ranger that there is some fantastic x-country "wandering around on the granite" that one can do by simply parking on the side of the road (Highway 88) just to the southwest of Silver Lake, and walking south. I'm a little puzzled by where exactly she means. But it sounds good. Short drive!
Looking at the map, I'd guess she means the Tragedy Creek drainage--that area you look out over from Shot Rock Vista. Couple little lakes in there...might well be worth some exploration...
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by fourputt »

Long a** drive, rather popular, and 1st 99% doesn’t meet your requirements, but the trail ends before Mott Lake and just camping on the far side or a little higher is real-deal high x-ctry scenery with an option to do a long exit over Rosy Finch and down Laurel Creek.
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by schmalz »

I've done a handful of these so far. I had the best luck with Finger Lake out of Big Pine. It had a nice combination of being of of the way enough while being incredibly scenic.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos ... e=55384214" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also think that NyDiver lake out of Agnew Meadows could be a good one.

Neither of these destinations will likely give you absolute solitude on a summer weekend, but probably close enough.

Edit: I also think that if you are ambitious than Pioneer Basin could be included into this discussion.
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by TehipiteTom »

fourputt wrote:Long a** drive, rather popular, and 1st 99% doesn’t meet your requirements, but the trail ends before Mott Lake and just camping on the far side or a little higher is real-deal high x-ctry scenery with an option to do a long exit over Rosy Finch and down Laurel Creek.
Or Blue Jay Lakes is a nice getaway from Mott--we camped there on my first SC trip, a mere 21 years ago. Depends on the ferry to make it a single-day hike in, though.

In the same general area, I wonder about Vermillion, Arrowhead, and Feather lakes. How hard to get to, and are they worth it?
schmalz wrote:I've done a handful of these so far. I had the best luck with Finger Lake out of Big Pine. It had a nice combination of being of of the way enough while being incredibly scenic.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... e=55384214

I also think that NyDiver lake out of Agnew Meadows could be a good one. - See more at: posting.php?mode=quote&f=1&p=91672#sthash.hRKoTf3g.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Interesting possibilities. Beautiful pic!
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by balzaccom »

This is a great question.

Yes to Nelson or Echo Lakes. Both of those are great--although it's a bit of a drive from SF to Tuolumne Meadows for the weekend...

We like Clark Fork in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. There is no lake but if you head up Clark Fork, avoiding the more popular trails to either Disaster Creek or Boulder Lake, you should have sweet solitude and some decent fishing for brookies.

Out of Kennedy Meadows you might be able to get up Summit Creek and into the lakes above it: Ridge, Iceland,etc.

And we made it to Leopold Lake in a day out of Gianelli trailhead in Emigrant Wilderness. Chain Lakes, below Grouse Lake, would also be an option in that general area.

And out of Carson Pass and Blue Lakes, we hiked past Granite Lake to Grouse Lake there (yep, another Grouse Lake.) Saw nobody, and no fish.
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Re: Off-Trail Overnight Trips

Post by schmalz »

Forgot to mention Wonder Lakes. This might be the best option on the east side.

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