Unforeseen area closure of Hemlock Crossing, Bench Canyon...

[Harlen]

Out of my usual ignorance, I had no idea that the trail to Hemlock Crossing, and whole great areas, such as Bench Canyon, are currently closed due to Creek Fire issues.
So anyone else happily viewing all of the space available hiking out of Isberg TH, should know that beginning at "The Niche," which is 2 miles north from the TH, trails to the east are closed, and a $5,000 fine could be imposed upon you!
I had called to ask about roads conditions, and just got hit with all of this. I believe the ranger at the Bass Lake Station in North Fork (559-877-2218), told me that "you can go to "The Niche," and nowhere east of that. I asked about accessing Bench Canyon from Stevenson Meadow trails, and that's when she said Bench Canyon is also closed, as was the Stevenson trail.

Now we are hoping instead to explore all around the high lakes from Sadler Lake, perhaps all the way west to the Fernandez Lakes. We will be looking for beautiful scenery, nice fishing, and mountains to climb with a small pack of dogs. Can I get some recommendations from the community please? We are heading in a couple days?

Caveat: the alternative that our friend Carleton may add is to explore the Cherry Creek high country from either Crabtree or Kennedy Meadows. Any views on that area are welcome too. Thanks a million, The Harlens.

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We are going to miss Bench Canyon

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And the beautiful Blue Lake!

*Later update: C. chose Kennedy Creek and on and on into the Cherry Creek high country. No worrying about being drawn into YNP with dogs by all of our desires to see the Lyell Fork of the Merced. So our questions are all about the wonders to be seen in the country from above Kennedy Creek, south perhaps as far as the Bond Pass area. Snow Lake looks nice? And we're hoping that the Emigrant Lakes will have some fish in them? Thanks, Harlen.

[cgundersen]

Hi Ian,

That sucks!

I know it's a lot more driving, but why not aim for one of the trails (High, River, Minaret Lake, etc) leading west from the Devil's Postpile area. Or, failing that, there's ample country to hit by going over Duck Pass. The areas to the north of Purple and Virginia Lakes are pretty low impact with plenty of lakes, peaks and meadows to roam. Or look for us over Piute......we head in in 2 days! Cameron

[Harlen]

Thanks for commiserating with us, but we are happy to explore the new country of the upper Cherry Creek watershed. I just wish we knew a bit more about the highlights. I am trolling for info here, and will also call up GB's great trip report from that very area. Hope you guys have fun in H. Basin-- see if you can find the badgers on the slopes above Desolation Lake. Cheers, Ian and Lizzie.

[wildhiker]

Snow Lake in the Emigrant W has one nice campsite on a short peninsula at the southwest end of the lake. Take the use trail all the way around the north and west sides of the lake.
-Phil

[Harlen]

Snow Lake in the Emigrant W has one nice campsite on a short peninsula at the southwest end of the lake. Take the use trail all the way around the north and west sides of the lake.
-Phil

Thanks Phil, Snow Lake looks like a great spot, and a dog playground, wonder about the fish? I see a nice bc saddle to the south that would connect us with the Bigelow Lake basin, and we could head for the intriguing Maxwell Lake from there. Do you know either Bigelow or Maxwell Phil? Wild cliffs to the west, and "Sachse Monument" to the SE. of M.Lake.

[wildhiker]

The use trail around Snow Lake continues over the saddle to Bigelow Lake. We day-hiked up there while camping at Snow Lake. Nice scenery.
-Phil

[Harlen]

The use trail around Snow Lake continues over the saddle to Bigelow Lake. We day-hiked up there while camping at Snow Lake. Nice scenery.
-Phil

Thanks again Phil. After mapping out a fine trip up there, we saw the recent TR from the Cherry Creek watershed/SNOWshed, and some of us were put off by all the snow. We mistakenly thought it had melted off more than it has.
Now we are looking downslope to Kibbe Ridge-Huckleberry Lake, and hopefully some forays above to other Emigrant Lakes???
*We are now on Plan D!

[Love the Sierra]

Thank you @Harlen I had been intending to go to Hemlock crossing myself in a couple of weeks. I spoke with a ranger about a month ago who did not mention the closure.
I too am looking at Cherry Creek now. A few years ago, at Buck Lakes, I met a hiker who had just come from Huckleberry. He told me that the mosquitos were so horrible that he had to wear his rain gear all day. Deet had not helped. I also met a group of hikers who had been at Salt Lick meadow on that trip. They said that the mosquitos were so bad, it had been the worst night of their lives.
This had been an early July trip in a “normal” snow year. Thankfully, and very luckily, I had come through Relief Valley and avoided the worst of the skeeters. Buck Lake had been an amazing safe haven with NO mosquitos. Flowers had been fantastic. I also went to Emigrant Lake where flowers were even more packed, highlighted by a huge field of fragrant lupines! (Before this, I had never known lupin have a fragrance but it was just everywhere in the air!) Anyway, I had not encountered a single snow patch and I know there is plenty of snow above8500’ from TR recently posted. Hope this is helpful.

[frozenintime]

huh, that's odd. i went through hemlock crossing and stevenson meadow last summer with no issues in the field or in permitting (we started in mammoth, though).

"closing" the bench area seems especially weird given that it didn't burn.
it also seems unlikely to stick given that it's on roper's route and there doesn't seem to be much dissemination of the closure(?).

[grampy]

As this area (Hemlock Crossing, etc) is within Sierra National Forest, it appears to be covered by this SNF Order:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sierra/a ... ?aid=73036
… Exhibit A is a list of closed trails, due to ongoing restoration efforts for the Creek Fire. That part of the NF is within the Bass Lake Ranger District … see “Iron Creek trail” listed in the table on page 2 of the exhibit:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 025192.pdf

Presumably, the actual fire damage is mostly along the more southerly portion of the trail, but the Forest Order doesn’t seem to make this distinction.
Pietro257 posted a TR in 2021 that describes some of the Creek Fire impacts:
viewtopic.php?t=21858

… and yes, I seem to have too much time on my hands