Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

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calipidder
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Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by calipidder »

Hi everyone!

I've been backpacking the sierra for years and doing lots of fun adventures, and I have plenty of them planned for myself this summer. That said, I'm also a new pup parent and am looking forward to taking my lab out on his first backpacking trips this summer. He's 1 year old and is perfectly happy carrying a pack with his own stuff. He's hiked with us both on and off leash, and he's done tons of car camping including sleeping in a tent. We've spent his first year working really hard on his trail manners and I can't wait to take him backpacking with us.

So, I'm looking for advice on some short, dog-friendly overnighters that we can do this summer to fine tune our backpacking-with-dog skills before we set off on longer adventures. We're coming from San Jose so anything with an easy west side approach or access from northern Sierra passes (108, 88, etc) would be great. We always prefer the less crowded areas and a peak to bag or lakes to fish is always a bonus. I know that's a difficult request when asking for easy trips, but figured I'd throw it in anyways. He is also really well behaved off leash (one of the reasons we got a lab) so anywhere he can have some freedom is fantastic too.

Bonus pic of Thor on a dayhike today! He loves hiking!

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rlown
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by rlown »

Hate to start out the replies like this, but Emigrant and areas in the Stanislaus appear to be off the list: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stani ... rdb5361242

Moke seems to be open to it, but:
Pets - Domestic pets are allowed in the Mokelumne Wilderness at
this time. You are responsible for their actions as well as their
welfare. In the Carson Pass Management Area pets should be
leashed or physically restrained at all times. Elsewhere within the
Wilderness, dogs should be either leashed or under direct voice
control. Dogs can disturb other campers, get in fights with other dogs
along the trail, and scare wildlife away. The Amador and Alpine
County leash laws will be enforced inside the Wilderness boundary
where dogs off leash are an impediment or hazard to the safety of
any person, or where dogs are harassing or molesting wildlife.
The East side entries could be good until you run into a park boundary. I know up to Piute pass, the day runners all take dogs with them. One guy had 3 jack russells with him. That was very fun to watch, esp. when the mule train came through.

I would check areas you want to go and then google the area's controlling district pages and ask a ranger.

Russ

Thor looks like fun! I miss my Choc lab, Samantha still.
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AlmostThere
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by AlmostThere »

They are allowed in the Emigrant. The paragraph forbidding dogs is about Yosemite. No national or state park has backpack- able dog friendly trails.
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rlown
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by rlown »

WD was breaking in a pup on the trail a while back: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11141&hilit=dog+friendly#p84232

Only look at WD's post. everything else there seems a bit confusing.
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by DriveFly44 »

As already indicated, Green lake trailhead up to Green, West, & East is perfect for a starter for the pooch. 20 lakes basin is also good (and the dog will love the boat ride). Closer to you, Emigrant (crabtree TH to bear, etc.) and also one of my favs......up the Clark Fork in the Carson Iceberg. This is a gentle and scenic trail and you can camp most anywhere along the river when your four legged friend has had enough. Fishing is good for rainbows and brookies. That's where we took our little guy on his first trek

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slowhiker
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by slowhiker »

I follow your blog and it has been very helpful (trips and gear). check out this link, the person who keeps up this blog has many trails that he has done that are dog friendly. Most are in southern california, yet there may be something that will fit your interests.

http://calitrails.com/

I hope this helps.
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by Jimr »

slowhiker wrote:I follow your blog and it has been very helpful (trips and gear). check out this link, the person who keeps up this blog has many trails that he has done that are dog friendly. Most are in southern california, yet there may be something that will fit your interests.

http://calitrails.com/

I hope this helps.
That blog belongs to our own, Schmalz!
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by SSSdave »

calipidder >>> "...So, I'm looking for advice on some short, dog-friendly overnighters that we can do this summer to fine tune our backpacking-with-dog skills before we set off on longer adventures."

A happy puppy indeed!

You are talking about something early, low elevation with a short drive for an overnight weekender. Thus not higher elevation suggestions some made. Also will want something free from puppy paws walking on snow or much rock and not much mileage. Thus better regular trails through forest. Would recommend going out of Wrights Lake up to these areas:

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.86554,-120.18970&z=15&t=T

Well pounded trail up to Twin Lakes is just a few miles with a modest uphill workout. Elevation at destination is only 8k so good during June. Will see some snow in northern exposures with seasonal streams active. Wildflowers are out then and so will be some mosquitoes but then that is the case everywhere in June. Permit is easy via the recreation.gov system without any need for a sermon. Lots of dayhiking options and could climb up granite slopes to ridgelines or Price. There are more secluded tenting areas well off the trail, east of the lower Twin Lakes outlet or just north of the short connecting stream.
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Our "puppy" is now a "dog" at 2 1/2 yrs. Most of our problems simply went away when she was 2 yrs old. Her paws became tough and she became total voice and hand signal trained. That said, I would not say that she enjoys backpacking any more than her daily walks down by the river at home. She is always VERY happy to get home. We let her sleep in the tent with us which is a treat she does not get at home, where she sleeps in her crate. She is a very good tent partner and foot warmer. We have spent a LOT of trim training her not to chase animals, other than squirrels. She also will try to heard birds. A bear walked right by us in camp last year and she stood absolutely still, ready to defend us if needed, but did not make any sign of wanting to chase the bear. Basically any animal bigger than her, she leaves along and only bullies the smaller ones. We had to spend lots of time training her not to chase wild turkeys or rabbits.

Things that we have discovered. Take a good brush - daily grooming goes a long ways on keeping the tent clean. The worst thing is pitch. I also have a small scissors to cut out globs of pitch. Get some fly repellant from a vet supply shop. Stuff they use on horses is OK. Our dog was totally attacked by black flies last year and they sucked blood out of her for days until she actually got sick. Mosquitoes bother dogs, but flies can actually cause damage. Take dog boots just in case. We have not needed them yet but I consider this "first aid" supplies. Dog packs are not waterproof - put stuff in the dog pack that can get tolerate getting wet. We carry the dog food, and she carries our wading shoes, her dog boots, brush, leash when not being used. When we encounter other dogs, it works best to simply move off the trail and make her sit or lie down until the other dog passes. Our dog loves to swim so we have to either put her in the tent or tie her up at the end of the day so she does not start the night wet. I have a 3x3 foot square of blue foam for her but she will sleep on it at times, but mostly prefers to lie directly on the tent floor. She stays warm just fine even below freezing but she is a VERY furry dog. We let her lick the pots. She does a fantastic job and loves this "job". All I have to do then is swish with a little hot water. If you give your dog people food at home, then bring a little extra of your rations to give bits to your dog.
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Re: Easy overnighters for first outing with pup

Post by schmalz »

Kaiser Wilderness
Dinkey Lakes Wilderness
Lake Edison
Florence Lake
Clover Meadow

are all areas that you should look into as well as the ones that have already been mentioned.
http://CaliTrails.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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