any weekender ideas from the Bay Area, CA

[Andre D.]

Hi everybody,
I am new to the forum, this is an awesome resource and great community, I am glad to have found it.

I'd like to solicit some ideas from the group about good trip for this coming weekend, starting out from the SF Bay Area.

My plan now is to drive up Hwy 108 Friday eve, stay in campground or hotel near Pinecrest Lake, and head out to Emigrant Wilderness daybreak Saturday, and back in the cubicle Monday AM.

I've read some good trip reports starting from Crabtree and Gianelli Cabin, but does anybody have any *recent* trail reports from the areas surrounding Y Meadow, Chewing Gum Lake, or up along S. Fork Stanislaus River? I'd especially be interested in any good fire road parking spots accessible by 4WD. This is a solo trip, trying out some new shelter equipment, so not looking for big miles – just solitude and stargazing.

Thanks for your thoughts all,

Andre

[Paul Wagner]

All of those are good options.

You find people at Bear Lake and at Sword Lake. Toe Jam might be a bit less crowded…and nobody ever goes to Clark Fork.

They are all good spots…and you should plan on checking them all out over the next few months!

Our website. backpackthesierra.com, has a whole section on trails off 108…

[Ken Helwig]

Andre, a few things. First, at Crabtree Meadows there is a campsite with plenty of spots available. Gianelli is a little rough and higher clearance vehicles are better for you. If you want to you can access Y Meadows Dam via trail from the Crabtree Meadows trail head, but from what I have been told, it is easy to lose it. The other option is to hike to Bear Lake (which starts at the other trail head at Crabtree) and then cross country following the stream to Granite Lake. After that it is a short hump to Y Meadows. I have done this trip a few times and it is safe and quite easy. Don't spend money on a hotel when you can camp at the trail head. Oh and Gianelli, you can stealth camp and have no issues there

[Jay Wilkerson]

I will be starting from Crabtree TH and finishing at Kennedy Meadows. There are plenty of great, hardly explored lakes in that area. 7 days & 125 miles starting tomorrow afternoon. Fishing will be great!

[David W.]

If you have a high clearance 4wd you may want to consider the jeep trail to Leavitt Lake. The old mining road is just east of Sonora Pass.

If you want to go off the beaten path, there is a forest service road (3N69) out of Long Barn on 108 that can take you deep into the wilderness area and very close to Hyatt Lake. I have read about this road but never used it so consider it an adventure. You can scout it on Google Maps.

Have great trips Andre and Jay.

[Paul Wagner]

Just a quick note—we drove to Gianelli Cabin last month. The road is dead easy with any sedan. Only the parking area is a little rough in spots, but you wouldn't have any trouble.

Crabtree Cabin is also a good dirt/gravel road.

[Andre D.]

Hi All,

Thanks for all these great suggestions.

Jay – I hope you're having a great time, I am looking forward to your trail report.
Paul – Somehow I have missed your website in my research, what a huge amount of information you've put together – I wish that I could print it all out and use as bedtime reading… will be taking my future wife here next weekend if all goes well.
Ken – I talked to the ranger in Sonora and they confirmed the trailhead camp at Crabtree always has space, so that's were I will begin this weekend. He also said most creeks are dry.
David – Do you mean Forest Route 3N20Y – I am looking at my map now and indeed this looks like a sweet dirt track, about an hour drive from Long Barn to the furthest point East. I think I will scout this 4WD track on my way home this weekend, and report back what I find.

So for now, my plan is to hit the pack mule trail due South from Crabtree trailhead, cut off-trail at Louse Canyon, and head over the ridge towards Pingree Lake. If feeling good by then, cross the other ridge towards Hyatt as everyone has great things to say about it.

Looking forward to some good map-and-compass work. Thanks again for all your help.

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