Mulling over more Emigrant Approaches

[kpeter]

Over the last 10 years I have made half a dozen trips to Emigrant and several more to the Boundary Lake area across Cherry Creek. I have grown to enjoy those trips due to the ease of permits, the lower elevations, the earlier season access.

Almost all of my Emigrant trips have gone in via Crabtree, until last summer I did a big trip starting at Kennedy Meadows.

Next year I would like to see parts of Emigrant I have not yet been to before. That includes quite a lot, mostly in the East. Lakes (and their environs) include Cow Meadow, Letora, Huckleberry, Twin Lakes, Black Bear, Bigelow, and Snow. I also have not been on or East of the PCT in that area, so never been to Dorothy, Ruth, Helen, etc.

I have never used the Leavitt Meadows trailhead, which seems to have some disadvantages. I don't have a high clearance 4WD so Leavitt Lake seems to be ruled out. I will want to do this trip early in the season--depending on drought conditions that might vary--but my guess is that an early season trip rules out Big Sam anyway.

So my question is, which of these unexplored areas offers, in your view, the most scenic beauty, and then what is the best approach? Keep in mind that I am about 80-90% a trail hiker--I do some Cross-x to get from trails to somewhat nearby destinations.

I can do a trip like this all the way from Crabtree if I need to, but would Leavitt Meadows be better? Are there early season passes or streams that I need to be especially aware of when doing my planning? This year, for example, I was able to cross Summit Creek June 28 just south of Relief Reservoir, but it was just within my comfort level. This season June 25 I was able to do Black Bear pass with no snow on the trail.

Or is there some other approach I have not considered? Do people ever come this way via Hoover, from Buckeye Creek or similar eastside trailheads?

[balzaccom]

Leavitt Meadows is a long approach--and once you've done it once, it will have even less appeal. If you like fishing, you can fish your way along. Otherwise, it's miles to hike without much in the way of big views. Early in the season, you might have some difficulty crossing the Walker River--although there are places where you can wade through slow current, sometimes the water depth can be waist high or higher. Once across the river, you can explore Fremont, Cinko, and others...

Leavitt Lake isn't as intimidating as you might think. If you can make it past the first 100 feet of the road, you can get about a mile farther before you have to cross a creek with some big drops. But even if you park right at the highway, it's only two miles to the lake--and not a hard hike.

We've hiked Buckeye Canyon three times, and struggled each time with bad weather, so we think it's jinxed.

Meanwhile, you might look at the Cherry Lake Road, over Moraine Ridge past Mercur Peak, over Styx Pass, and then up Cherry Canyon that way. You won't see many people. Until you get down into Cherry Creek, you don't have to worry about water crossings. And depending on conditions, you can either continue up Cherry Creek to Huckleberry Lake, Letora, etc, or take the easily followed use trail up out of the canyon to Boundary Lake...lovely country.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have looked at the difference in driving for Crabtree vs Kennedy Meadows. It is only 10 miles more to Kennedy Meadows and probably faster since the Crabtree Road is slow. That puts Crabtree, Gianelli, Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass all fairly equal with respect to getting to the trailheads from the west. I have never gone in Bell Meadow, I guess that is another trailhead.

When I go in the east side, I usually go over 50-Luther Pass-395 to Sonora Junction and to Leavitt Meadow. I go back via Sonora Pass - that makes a nice driving loop. Leavitt is a pain in some ways- soft sandy trail beat up by horses and long before you get to the good stuff. I have done Buckeye with good luck; it is very scenic. Just do not go early season when the creek is hard to ford. Cows also graze in the lower meadows, but once up by the Roughs no worry. The area under Hawksbeak is really great (there are use-trails that are good enough for horse use but they are not on the map), as is Stubblefield Canyon (off-trail but stunning), but that really isn't Emigrant.

Although Kennedy Meadows is crowded, it is my favorite trailhead because you can do several loops- Kennedy Lake or Brown Bear Pass or Mosquito Pass or Relief Valley and off trail to Lewis and Ice Lakes. Sonora Pass is very scenic but a bit tough because there is limited camping until you have gone almost a whole day. Easy to get a ride from Kennedy Meadows back up to your car at Sonora Pass. I would never count out a trailhead just because it is crowded the first half day. Just put up with it. In spite of people, you quickly get into some pretty scenic stuff from Kennedy Meadows.

Kennedy Lake is good before they let the cows in. Otherwise, it is still scenic but you better like cows. The trail up the canyon to the road to Big Sam is fairly easy to follow.

You have already done Cherry Creek, but you can just go past Lord Meadow and into the upper regions. I have not been that impressed with Snow Lake, Twin Lakes area.

You really ought to get into Lewis Lakes/Ice Lakes. Can do that in a loop including Buck Lake.

[paul]

I'm with Daisy in that Kennedy Meadows is okay. Get an early start, on a weekday especially, and you won't be in a crowd. And most of the day-hikers do not go beyond the Relief Dam. I was in there early June of 2021, and it was not crowded at all except the last couple miles coming out on a Sunday.
Also, if early season steep snow on Big Sam is not to your liking, one can also just go over the first ridge from Leavitt Lake and then drop down Kennedy Canyon to the east and swing around to Dorothy Lake Pass or Emigrant Pass that way. Nicer, I think, than coming up from Leavitt Meadows. Probably some snow going up from Leavitt Lake, but not nearly as steep as what you would get on Big Sam, and once you hit the ridge, the south side should be melted off.

[c9h13no3]

I too am a Kennedy Meadows fan. Bridges early season, opens reliably early, a legit store when you're done, and a good ratio of scenery quality to mileage. Best early season. But it does have negatives (horse poop, bad backpacker parking), and I know folks who hate it.

Leavitt Meadows is also good in the shoulder season. Doesn't get that much snow (so accessible early), and has some nice aspens that brighten up the fall. But yeah, it's a long walk to get to the goods.

[gary c.]

I did a last minute trip out of Leavitt Meadows and we really enjoyed it. It is a long start and typical packers TH annoyances but its not too steep l until you get go up the the lakes. Once up the mountain it's beautiful. I thought way more like the Sierra high country than the areas around Emigrant Lakes.

[kpeter]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I'm glad I did one Kennedy Meadows loop last summer, since it did familiarize me with the jumping off points for some more hikes. I think there may be 3 trips I should consider in this region:

1) A trip out of Kennedy Meadows up through the Lewis and Iceland Lake zone. Probably approaching from Lewis Creek between Saucer Meadow and Sheep Camp--right about where I camped the first night on my loop last summer.

2) A trip out of Shingle Springs past my old haunts in the Boundary Lake area to basecamp in the Huckleberry Lake vicinity and explore the southeastern Emigrant area I have missed before. That is a couple of days in and out via Kibbie Ridge which I have done before, so at least that is familiar.

3) The next I am a little unsure of, but perhaps a shuttle trip from Buckeye Canyon (or Twin Lakes) to Leavitt Meadow, exploring Hoover (I have never been), Kirkland Pass, Dorothy Lake and her sisters, Fremont etc. along the way. At least I would be doing the Leavitt Meadows hiking downhill with a light pack and thus making time. Is there a shuttle service operating out of Bridgeport the way there are services further to the south?

[justm]

I went to Black bear and Upper twin this year out of Kennedy Meadows and had a fantastic trip. Went in via Mosquito pass and out over Brown Bear pass. I did have some difficulty finding the trail to Black Bear lake , coming down from my camp at Maxwell Lake, but nothing I couldn't handle. Blackbear lake was a wonderful spot to camp and dayhike to Upper Twin lakes in Yosemite. Definitely a recommended trip !!!

[texan]

I went to Black bear and Upper twin this year out of Kennedy Meadows and had a fantastic trip. Went in via Mosquito pass and out over Brown Bear pass. I did have some difficulty finding the trail to Black Bear lake , coming down from my camp at Maxwell Lake, but nothing I couldn't handle. Blackbear lake was a wonderful spot to camp and dayhike to Upper Twin lakes in Yosemite. Definitely a recommended trip !!!

I agree with your assessment. Black Bear Lake is a great place to camp. Fishing for rainbows in the lake to 16 inches is good, plus Bigelow is right up the hill with good brookie action and a few large rainbows. The trail from Black Bear to Upper Twin is of dense forest with lots of wildlife and Upper Twin reminds me of a high lake in the Colorado Rockies. The fishing is good for rainbows to 12 inches too. I camped at Upper Twin for 2 weeks in 1999 in August and explored that whole area. As for fishing in that area go down to Huckleberry for some lunkers at the inlet and if you can go to the islands. The bugs are are bad at Huckleberry but catching a 18 inch backcountry trout is worth it.

Texan

[Wandering Daisy]

I did this loop from Leavitt Meadow but you could also reach the lake under Hawksbeak going in from Twin Lakes or Buckeye and then continue to Dorothy Lake as I did. In my opinion Hoover is more scenic, but fishing is better in Emigrant. Your idea of a one-way would let you do both!

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8377&p=61000&hilit= ... ake#p61000