Route advice: Copper Creek Trail - Grouse Lake or Granite Lake?

[r888888888]

This will be in late June. Two hikers. We'll be spending the night before in Fresno and driving in early morning to hopefully start at 7 AM.

Experience: level 2, did some backpacking in Tuolumne and lots of hiking/camping in the bay area.
Main interests: Alpine scenery, solitude, lakes.
Duration: 2 nights, 3 days. Tentatively expecting to camp at tent meadow, but if we have enough gas in the tank we may attempt to go further.

I'm curious if people would recommend staying at Grouse Lake, or is it worth the extra two miles (of relatively flat trail it looks like) to make it to Granite Lake. I really enjoyed camping at Young Lake in Yosemite and am looking for a similar experience.

[mort]

Hello r8...
Well, there are 3 Young Lakes . The lowest is pretty forested, and the highest is on a large alpine bench. Grouse lake, near the outlet, is more lower Young Lake. Granite Lake is more like upper Young Lake. I think Grouse gets fewer visitors. Both are glacially scoured granite benches, lots of slabs and boulders. Beautiful country!
-mort

[thegib]

I recommend Granite lake. I want to like Grouse cuz it's closer and more 'on' route for me, as I usually head north, but it's marshy leading to reeds at the water edge. Granite (and the little lake above it) are beautiful.

[cgundersen]

Hi R8,
I'm with the Granite camp. It's simply the prettier of the two lakes and worth the extra effort. Plus, if you're feeling your mojo, a walk up the northern ridge above Granitew affords great views of the Volcanic lakes, as well as incredible distant views toward Goddard and across Kings canyon. Cameron

[commonloon]

Both are nice, maybe Granite is a little nicer. The area between them can be super bad for mosquitoes, so be prepared. Enjoy!

[maverick]

Another vote for Granite Lake and a peek into Volcanic Lakes.

[thegib]

Super true about the mosquitos en route.

[Wandering Daisy]

If you can get to Granite Lake the first day, a day-hike to Volcano Lakes is worthwhile. In fact, on a past trip, mosquitoes were so bad at States Lakes, that I bailed out and camped on the ridge, near Volcano Lakes, west of Granite Pass. It was windy up there and few mosquitoes. Volcanic Lakes are a great place to explore! I have never camped at Granite Lake, but if the big meadow below it is still wet, you may get a lot of mosquitoes. But this year is not normal. Hopefully the mosquitoes may have come and gone.

[TehipiteTom]

I haven't been to Granite Lake since 1980, so I don't have the clearest memory of it. I do remember there were a lot of other people there, and my guess would be that you'll still run into more people there than at Grouse.

Granite may well be the prettier lake in itself. The side of Grouse Lake nearest the best camping is reedy, with a bunch of little pools, though the north shore is pleasantly beachy. What Grouse Lake does have over Granite is the view from the ridgelet just southeast of the lake.


As always, the choice is a question of what matters most to you.

[sekihiker]

You didn't mention which Tent Mdw. Since Lower Tent Mdw is so close to the trailhead, I'll assume you meant you might stay at Upper Tent. Decent camp spots are scarce at Upper Tent.
The hike to the lip of Granite Basin is very difficult for most hikers. There is maintained trail to Granite Lake but not to Grouse Lake. The use trail to Grouse is not hard to find, though.
Either way, unless you are in great shape, be prepared for a very strenuous hike.
Grouse Lake would be the easier trip and I would choose it for a first trip up the Copper Creek trail.

For a report on a trip in the general area, see: http://www.sierrahiker.com/MonarchDivide/index.html

Do Granite Lake next time. Once you have peeked into the Granite Basin, you'll know you have to return.

Lower Granite Lakes - When I first saw this lake in the lower Granite Basin in 1957, I was hooked on exploring the Sierra Nevada.


Grouse Lake - Munger Peak, Mungoat Pass, and Goat Peak form the backdrop for beautiful Grouse Lake.


Granite Lakes from the Monarch Divide.