Mid march backpacking opportunities

[Love the Sierra]

Sadly, San Rafael burned this year, the entire wilderness. Suspended is still beautiful. If they want a short backpack, Boy Scouts 3 Falls to sheep camp and then day hike to Mount Pinos or Mount Able is magnificent.

Death Valley is the best this time of year as is Mojave

[sbennett3705]

I'm in SoCal for the winter and highly recommend Joshua Tree, the Coachella Valley and Anza Borrego. In fact, it's the only time to visit these areas since by May it's getting pretty warm. Right now, the weather is spectacular with highs in the 70s to 80s, lows in the 40's, and no snakes!

[Lenier]

I'm surprised that more people don't hit up the Sierra Nevada foothills in March/April. Better for me, I never see anyone!

[BillyBobBurro]

Panamint city ruins in DV. 7 miles with 4k elevation climb. There is water along the entire way and at the old city site. You will actually be hiking in the water for a bit. Two cabins are habitable and are maintained fairly well. And there is all sorts of galena (silver/lead) mines to explore. Some dating from the original 1890's era up to the last big mining effort that ended with the El Nino of winter 82/83. From the log books in one of the cabins there is a route to Telescope Peak from the city.

FYI, almost all of old Panamint city was deconstructed and transported over to Darwin as the miners followed the next regional mineral extraction opportunity. 2 wd could make it up to the city until 82/83, afterwards it was serious 4wd only and then the park finally closed it to vehicle travel and now the old road is really overgrown and hardly much of a road for most of the way. In the early 2000's the miner who had all the claims and was leading the efforts to revive the mining around 79-82 had a trailer right at the trailhead and he was rather protective of his spot. It was considered polite to ask permission to visit his mine. And he was more than happy to tell you how close he was to big riches before the storm completely destroyed the section of road that was on park land (everything else was BLM). The park would not allow any machinery to restore the road and that was the end of the economic feasibility of the mine.

[Love the Sierra]

Lenier, SHHHH!