High Sierra Topix

Hello, I tried looking for the latest reports to no avail.. The wife and I are wanting to hike into Dinkey Lakes on the 7th, does anyone know if the roads are open to the trailhead from the west side..? Also is there any significant creek crossings with this route this time of year?

Check out: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/p ... rdb5212436
and: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sierra/alerts-notices

Call the ranger station at the numbers given on the pages for the latest updates. It might take several calls to get through. There is all kinds of information in the alerts section (second URL) but it's always best to call and get confirmation. You will have to supply a good deal of information based on your trip Itinerary, and you need a permit anyway.

I volunteer with the F.S., we went to see how far we could get on the 23rd. Coming in from Tamarack ridge we got about a 1/2 mile past Brewer Lake trailhead. The snow's melting fast though, it's worth another look every week.

Not gonna happen for a while. Have you ever driven up there before? Even after the road opens, it is a gnarly ride, hope you have a high clearance vehicle.

Check to see if the Cliff Lake trailhead is open. The flooding over there may have subsided.

Bucksnort wrote:

Hello, I tried looking for the latest reports to no avail..

There is a reason for that, conditions are just not conducive for backpackers to go there yet, otherwise there would have been numerous TR's already, especially if it was accessible in this heavy snow year.

I have the option of driving this, most backpackers don't have anything like it. Of course if I need it to get to the trailhead the trails will have even more snow, they're higher. But I can scout with it, in a little car you would have to turn around at the first clump of snow.

That is one heckofa recon vehicle you have there!!

Thanks, it's been much effort in the making.

One year we went to check on Willow Meadow from Rock Creek road and encountered hikers in a car trying to get to Dinkey Lakes Trailhead stuck on a stretch of snow. Another similar rig was with me, he pulled them out. I hooked up the tow strap.

Off topic, but when I was 17, there was this guy who had a 4x4 Dodge power wagon I wanted but he wouldn't sell.

On topic, did you hit closed gates or is the snow just too deep for anyone to go there right now without a really bad hike on the road?

No closed gates, just snow. In years past we could get there in our trucks, but in the last 3/4 mile or so hikers would be walking the road. In some cases they would cut the corners in their cars to avoid snow in the shaded corners, we could make the corners and they couldn't. I'm supposed to be in the area again this weekend, and will report when I get back. It's a trip to see if Brewer is ready to open. We may go look at Swamp as well, If not I can do it on my own. The Swamp north trailhead is also at Willow Meadow.