Rancheria "Plus" Trailhead

[CAchief]

Hello HST!

In mid September I'll be visiting Woodchuck Country and Blackcap Basin with a couple of buddies. After reading all the trip reports I can on this site, I'm intrigued about commencing this trip from the Rancheria "Plus" trailhead.

I'm not entirely sure if it's the red or blue trail marker sign on the attached map. Any advice is appreciated.

TIA

[windknot]

The one I've taken is the one with the red marker on your map. There's a dirt parking lot there, and then a short use trail to the east that meets up with the main trail from Rancheria TH. Note that an HST member who hiked out of here earlier this year reported a log across the dirt road to Rancheria Plus/High Rancheria, so the shortcut route is inaccessible until the log is cleared.

If the road is open, then the highest road (closest to Hoffman Mountain) could be an even better shortcut. But I'm not sure if there's a use trail from there to the trail along Rancheria Creek. I've heard of folks using this road to start a fully offtrail route over the north shoulder of Hoffman Mountain to Woodchuck Country.

[CAchief]

The one I've taken is the one with the red marker on your map. There's a dirt parking lot there, and then a short use trail to the east that meets up with the main trail from Rancheria TH. Note that an HST member who hiked out of here earlier this year reported a log across the dirt road to Rancheria Plus/High Rancheria, so the shortcut route is inaccessible until the log is cleared.

If the road is open, then the highest road (closest to Hoffman Mountain) could be an even better shortcut. But I'm not sure if there's a use trail from there to the trail along Rancheria Creek. I've heard of folks using this road to start a fully offtrail route over the north shoulder of Hoffman Mountain to Woodchuck Country.

Thank you windknot!

I'll call the Ranger station prior to our trip to see if they have information regarding the accessibility of the FS roads. I may even pack my chainsaw/tow strap to see if I can clear it myself, depending on the size of the log.

[giantbrookie]

If the road is open, then the highest road (closest to Hoffman Mountain) could be an even better shortcut. But I'm not sure if there's a use trail from there to the trail along Rancheria Creek. I've heard of folks using this road to start a fully offtrail route over the north shoulder of Hoffman Mountain to Woodchuck Country.

As a note on this the highest Hoffman Mtn road has a closed gate at the northernmost hairpin (just off north edge of the topo excerpt). There is a parking area there. You go directly off trail from there and head for Round Corral Meadow (some finesse contouring and dodging brush). I did this in 2008 as the opening moves of the 'Tunechuck' trip attempting to reach Blue Canyon on day 1 (came up a bit short) and I used the trailhead in 2013 to dayhike to Woodchuck L. and in 2015 for a backpack to Woodchuck. In June 2021 a log blocked that road short of the gate and I foolishly opted for the standard Woodchuck trailhead (ugggghhh lots of extra wasted distance and elevation gain), but a few weeks later went to Woodchuck again from the "High Rancheria" option discussed in this thread. Having done both "Hoffman Mtn" and "High Rancheria" I'd say the latter is a better entry of course whatever logs may block those roads must be removed for them to work for you. I'm headed out of (hopefully) High Rancheria in mid August.

[paul]

As a slight data point, I have been up over the saddle just north of Hoffman and through to Round corral and beyond - but only with complete snow cover, coming up from Wishon Dam in early May a few years back. So while I can say that the terrain and navigating through there over to Woodchuck Creek/Chuck Pass is fairly easy, if you parked a the end of the Hoffman Mtn. road and walked back down the road a short ways to where the slope angle eases, and then headed northeast to the saddle, I can't speak to what the vegetation at ground level is like because with 4 to 6 feet of snow on the ground it tends to be easier to work your way through those woods.

[oddtiger]

I have taken the red, yellow, and off-trail entries mentioned above from the northernmost parking area. If you are comfortable with off-trail micro-route finding, the last one is the fastest. I recall reaching 'Chuck' Lake in less than four hours without walking on the trail, and you'll find some use paths made by both humans and animals time to time (quite some bear scats). The red trail is also pretty fast if you are aiming for Chuck Pass and Crown/Scepter Lake along the trail or not.

[CAchief]

Thank you everyone for your contributions.

We'll aim to depart from the red marker. My original goal was to do a loop as outlined on this site (I'm sure author is a member here?) http://pikazone.com/Blackcap_2022/index.htm

However, I believe this loop will be too ambitious for my group over 6 days. I'm thinking TH>Chimney or Woodchuck Lake>Halfmoon Lake>Portal Lake> Layover to explore Blackcap>Crown Lake and then perhaps return via Chuck Pass with an extra day built in to camp on the way back. Any criticisms if this itinerary are welcome!

[giantbrookie]

Thank you everyone for your contributions.

We'll aim to depart from the red marker. My original goal was to do a loop as outlined on this site (I'm sure author is a member here?) http://pikazone.com/Blackcap_2022/index.htm

However, I believe this loop will be too ambitious for my group over 6 days. I'm thinking TH>Chimney or Woodchuck Lake>Halfmoon Lake>Portal Lake> Layover to explore Blackcap>Crown Lake and then perhaps return via Chuck Pass with an extra day built in to camp on the way back. Any criticisms if this itinerary are welcome!

Note that the link describes a 9 day trip. I don't happen to think the two nights of camping coming back the southern route from Blue Canyon is worthwhile---mostly a bunch of hiking through the trees, generally thin in alpine scenery, and no lakes. I think trying to stuff Woodchuck Country-Blackcap Basin and Blue Canyon into 6 days is pushing it. I would recommend aiming for Blackcap Basin and allowing yourself more time to explore it. Note that as many have noted you can get to Woodchuck or Crown much faster if you take direct off trail routes rather than sticking to trails. If you end up at Crown or Scepter early instead of Woodchuck you can head through the pass SE of Scepter Pass which gives you a very efficient route from Scepter lake to the N Fork Kings--this cuts a lot of distance out of getting to Blackcap Basin.

[wildhiker]

I did a similar hike in 2018 taking 6 nights with camps at Duck Lake (left TH at 4 pm after driving up from Bay Area so only made it a few miles first day), Halfmoon Lake, 2 nights at Pearl Lake to explore Blackcap Basin, along the N. Fork Kings River, and finally at a little tarn on the ridge west of Crown Lake. I found very easy cross-country hiking from Chuck Pass along the ridge to the north to the trail over Crown Pass, with good views. The trail from Halfmoon Lake to the N. Fork Kings River was very faint, with numerous downed trees and tread that was barely discernible.
-Phil

[CAchief]

Thank you everyone for your contributions.

We'll aim to depart from the red marker. My original goal was to do a loop as outlined on this site (I'm sure author is a member here?) http://pikazone.com/Blackcap_2022/index.htm

However, I believe this loop will be too ambitious for my group over 6 days. I'm thinking TH>Chimney or Woodchuck Lake>Halfmoon Lake>Portal Lake> Layover to explore Blackcap>Crown Lake and then perhaps return via Chuck Pass with an extra day built in to camp on the way back. Any criticisms if this itinerary are welcome!

Note that the link describes a 9 day trip. I don't happen to think the two nights of camping coming back the southern route from Blue Canyon is worthwhile---mostly a bunch of hiking through the trees, generally thin in alpine scenery, and no lakes. I think trying to stuff Woodchuck Country-Blackcap Basin and Blue Canyon into 6 days is pushing it. I would recommend aiming for Blackcap Basin and allowing yourself more time to explore it. Note that as many have noted you can get to Woodchuck or Crown much faster if you take direct off trail routes rather than sticking to trails. If you end up at Crown or Scepter early instead of Woodchuck you can head through the pass SE of Scepter Pass which gives you a very efficient route from Scepter lake to the N Fork Kings--this cuts a lot of distance out of getting to Blackcap Basin.

Thank you for the input. It's good to know we won't be missing much through Blue Canyon.

I'll look more at the maps for heading over the alternate pass proposed.