Northern CA Trip June 21-24

[TxAggie]

Howdy everyone,

Well it’s almost time for my second annual backpacking trip with my daughter in Northern California. She’s a student in Davis and I’m flying out for a few days from June 20-26 before she starts her summer classes.

Last year several of you helped me find a great hike with her at Hetch Hetchy, which turned out to be an amazing experience. This year, I’m concerned we won’t be able to make it back into the Sierra due to the snow depths, even in mid June. I have snow experience, however she does not.

When asked, her first two choices are Lassen Volcanic Park and Mt Shasta. Logistics wise, both would be easy to make work for a 2-3 night trip, however I’m still concerned about the snow. I’ve also been eyeing Mendocino National Forest in the Snow Mountain area as a backup if snow levels don’t drop. And of course I’m keeping my eyes open for Point Reyes for the two week releases, but since we’re looking at multiple nights that option worries me a little.

Anyhow, enough of the rambling: any specific suggestions for trailheads or routes of these locations or alternate multi-day routes in this general area? I’m particularly curious about backpacking in Mendocino; I see plenty of trails going through the park, but most of the information I find seems to center around overland vehicle trails.

Thank you all for the input!

[Wandering Daisy]

I have done Snow Mountain simply to get it as one of the county high points. I did it in February 2003 with snow, but I cannot say I was very impressed with it.

Snow Mountain 2003

Snow Mountain 2003

You can do multi-day trips at Point Reys. For example, 1) Bear Valley TH to Wildcat Camp via Glen Camp with beach walk to Alemere Falls, 2) Coast trail to Coast Camp, 3) walk up the beach to Limator and beyond, then pack up to Sky Camp, 4) back to car at Bear Valley. I have posted several trip reports over the years of my Point Reyes trips. You may want to look at them. I do them winter or early spring. Only difference in June would be fog- likely marine layer, but if it is hot as hell inland, you would prefer the coastal fog. Permits are a problem, but each campsite has a "group" site and I have been able to use those if they had not been reserved. You have to ask for these as first-come and pay individual fees- I think they can only be reserved if you pay the group fee.

As for mountains, the road may be open to Kennedy Meadows (north), and a trip into Kennedy Lake would be very scenic, and OK even with snow, since there are no steep parts of the trail. You may have to walk on snow, which will make it slower and maybe only morning snow would avoid post-holes. You could also go into Relief Reservoir on your way in and out to make it multi-day. Permits required, but no quotas.

[LMBSGV]

In terms of Point Reyes, WD offers a great itinerary. If you want to avoid having to reserve a different campsite for four different nights on the two weeks out booking on Recreation.gov, you could reserve one campsite for two or three nights in a row and day hike. I would sugges either Coast #7 or Wildcat #6 and if you want Sky Camp, sky #7. Just be on Recreation.gov at exactly 7:00 am. Since I live near Point Reyes, I've been doing this regularly ever since they instituted the two week out booking.

[c9h13no3]

When asked, her first two choices are Lassen Volcanic Park and Mt Shasta. Logistics wise, both would be easy to make work for a 2-3 night trip, however I’m still concerned about the snow.

You rightly should be. There are some lower elevation places in Lassen out of Butte Lake (Cinder Cone, Painted Dunes, Snag Lake, ect) that might be snow free late June, but that area burned and most folks don't find burn scars very scenic.

I enjoyed the Castle Crags Wilderness during my day hike there. It probably isn't worth a long trip, but it will be on your way, and it provides that Sierra-esque rugged granite scenery. If you combined day hikes to Burney Falls, Castle Crags, and some waterfalls on lower Mt Shasta, with a short backpack that'd be a fun trip.

[LMBSGV]

This is just an addendum to my Point Reyes post if you decide to there. Due to the fog, condensation is a major issue when camping there. If your tent doesn't handle condensation well, there will be problems. The inside of the tent remains totally dry, but I always come home with a wet rainfly.

[TxAggie]

This is just an addendum to my Point Reyes post if you decide to there. Due to the fog, condensation is a major issue when camping there. If your tent doesn't handle condensation well, there will be problems. The inside of the tent remains totally dry, but I always come home with a wet rainfly.

Thank you, that’s good info to know. We normally use hammocks, do the Reyes sites have enough trees for hammock camping? If not I have a double wall tent for her and ground tarp for me.

[wsp_scott]

Only been to Point Reyes once (and only dayhiking), but it is a beautiful place. I was there last June and there was not a cloud in the sky.

I don't remember Coast Camp being hammock friendly

This is Limantour Spit with Coast Camp in the distance


Sunset


full trip report (no ads) https://backpackandbeer.blogspot.com/20 ... reyes.html

[LMBSGV]

You can't use hammocks at Point Reyes except possibly at Sky Camp #5 or #12. With both of those, you'll get major dripping off the trees. It can be like it's raining if the fog is right (or wrong, depending on point of view). All of the other campsites are in bushes with no trees. I haven't camped at Glen Camp in years so I don't know about hammocks there.

[TxAggie]

You can't use hammocks at Point Reyes except possibly at Sky Camp #5 or #12. With both of those, you'll get major dripping off the trees. It can be like it's raining if the fog is right (or wrong, depending on point of view). All of the other campsites are in bushes with no trees. I haven't camped at Glen Camp in years so I don't know about hammocks there.

Thank you, that’s what I was expecting given the campsite pictures I’ve seen.

[Wandering Daisy]

Sky camp and Glen Camp have trees; Sky and Coast do not. Sky and Coast are the most scenic and you can hike up and down the beaches. There is not much to do at Glen or Sky but they are pretty and woodsy. Sky does not make a good base camp; I would only use it for one night on the way to something else. Lots of elevation gain/loss to get to the coast. Glen is not too bad and is relatively easy to get a permit, and much less elevation loss/gain to get to Wildcat Beach and the beach walks.

I have never seen anyone hammock at Point Reyes. Call and see if it is even legal.

I have found that even if all sites are "full" there usually are unused sites since nobody seems to cancel. I have not necessarily camped where the permit says I am supposed to. The website explains the campsites fairly well. I think there are a few "first come" open sites that you can get first thing the morning when they open. A few times I have used an open group site instead of my assigned site. I have never been checked.

Another option is to camp at nearby Samuel Taylor state park campground and see if you can score a "first come" site-- if not then just day hike. However, state park camps are relatively expensive and no senior discounts.

I still think Kennedy Lake in Emigrant may be do-able if you do not mind walking on some snow. The road to Kennedy Meadow is often open well before Sonora Pass opens. You definitely could hammock there and there may even be dry patches to put a tent on. It all depends on the speed of the melt.

If you can get a permit, North Rim in Yosemite should be OK as well as LYV or a LYV pass-through. You could day-hike up the Merced or day-hike Pohono to Glacier Point and back from LYV. I doubt the cables will be installed- once they are, LYV fills up quicky.