High Sierra Topix

I'm sitting here, trying to work, but all I can think of is Shepherd Pass. I just love the walk from the Mojave Sage Scrub up to the Alpine.

Its so amazing. Another great walk, for those of us who like to punish themselves for the love of the mtn, is from the bottom of Cottonwood Cr to Horseshoe Mdw. The last time I did it, in about 1996, we started out with the temp at 100 in Bishop.

I love that walk up Cottonwood Canyon. Its fun in the springtime to walk up to snowline. Years ago, I climbed Timosea Peak from the north side of the canyon. It was no great mountaineering feat, but there were only 6 other signatures on the summit register, so that was kind of cool.

Where does the Cottonwood Creek trail start?

Trying not to think about the High Sierra. Instead, I'm convincing myself that waterless backpacking through 4,000 foot elevations in Joshua Tree is what life is all about. (Actually, had a nice 2 day trip there over Christmas.)

Well, like Shepherds or the others like it, it starts at the very base of the mtn. Just check out your topo, and off the Horseshoe Rd., not far after the last road that goes east to the homes, there's a dirt road branching off straight south, then west-south-west. It goes to Cottonwood Cr. where it hits the "valley." There's a little trail starting right in the riparian zone that's clear and followable, though there's a few trees downed over it here and there.

My topo has too much attitude to cover those low elevations. (In fairness, it doesn't cover the beginning of Shepard Pass trail either). But looking at an atlas, I see there's a Cottonwood Road off the 395, a bit north of Cartago, so I'm assuming that leads to the trailhead. It's always good to know about some lower elevation hikes for early season.

If my memory serves me right, the road veers off of the Horseshoe Mdw Rd. But I was looking at the map just now, and I can't find it that way. Looks like it comes off of 395.

In any event, its a great, though steep, hike, following the creek. It gets pretty muggy in there though - the creek and the heat.

The Cottonwood road is south of Owens Lake, and it is marked with a highway intersection sign. If you look to the west, you will see the Cottonwood Power plant, and the turnoff sits in a little "dip". That is the direction you want to go. The GPS heading is 36 26.605 N and 118 02.095 W. After the road crosses the aqueduct, the road will veer southwest until it gets into Cottonwood canyon. Then follow the canyon until the road dead ends, not much parking. It is about 5.5 miles from 395 to the end of the road, if I recall. There is a sign at the end of the road, and there are some old campsites near the creek. It used to be a campground, but is no longer maintained by the Forest Service. There used to be a road that come in to the area called Carrol Creek Rd, before the Horseshoe road was built, but I have never taken the time to figure out how to get on it, and where it comes in, or if it is still accessible. Anyone out there know about that one? I think that Cottonwood is a great early season low elevation hike. If you don't already have Jim Jenkin's books on the Southern Sierra, there is great indispensable info in them that is still pretty much accurate on trailheads, roads, trails, etc;

Very good info richlong8. Excellent. I hate the road to Horseshoe - but I love it. I hate it because its such an ugly scar on the Sierra, and though the hike up Cottonwood Cr is long and hard, I never minded. I love it because I'm old and it sure is easier to drive to 10,000' than hike to 10,000'. But so many people go there... Sometimes the parking lot is full. Dern...

But the hiking opportunities in that area are so great, its unbelievable. The plants I've found are incredible.