Any alternatives within ~4 hours of SF Bay?

[Aaron]

My wife and I were set to do 4 days near Mammoth Lakes to Iva Bell and maybe loop around by Duck Lake. They emailed saying it’s all closed due to a fire down there :'(

We are looking for alternatives.

My first thought was, I haven’t yet been to Lassen. But turns out most of Lassen is closed due to a bear accustomed to backpacker food.

Anyone have a favorite? Looking for moderate hiking (we were planning 34 miles with maybe 6000 ft in 4 days, but that would be a bit in the hard end for my wife). Somewhere to swim would be ideal. Line enough to do at least a bit of exploring. Even if only 20 miles.

[Aaron]

Also, since we only have a day or two to plan, something like, “omg go here and do this I loved it!” is ideal lol. Packing should be quick but we still gotta buy some food and plan enough to have a downloaded map and entry to a park.

[Aaron]

Maybe Yuba? Should be low enough water this time of year.

[David Thomas]

Skyline Trail in the East Bay mountains goes for 31 miles north-south, from Lake Chabot Regional Park through Redwood, RoundTop, Huckleberry, Sibley, Tilden and Wildcat Canyon.  I’ve bounced it as a 100k day hike when I was 1/3 my age, but it’d be a very reasonable several-nighter.  There are car-camping campgrounds in a few of the parks, but nothing stops you from hiking into them.  Almost everyone else on the trial will be day hikers / day-bikers, but proper UL gear looks like just a day out, right?

Base camping somewhere in Chabot or Redwood would give you many 5-10-20 mile loops you could do and end up back in camp.

[David Thomas]

Or, more remote, the Sunol-Del Valle trail.  Last time I did it, you needed a permit, but I think that’s all online.  Set up a car shuttle for a 2-day trip or bounce it in 3 or 4 days.

[d k]

Most if not all of those regional parks are currently closed due to extremely high fire danger though, David, not to mention the fact that local air quality has been really bad due to all the bay area fires, and temperatures have been over 100.  Those are nice trails in cooler seasons but right now they aren’t an option for either day hiking or backpacking.

[Paul Wagner]

Only place I can suggest might be the Trinity Alps…if they are open? Everything else is closed or so smoky as to be unbearable.

Interested in Lassen—When we were there earlier this year the only part that was closed was in the center of the Park. Juniper/Snag lakes were open….and that’s right next door to Caribou Wilderness…also full of nice lakes.

[Matt Dirksen]

Back when my wife & I lived in the bay area 20 years ago, I remember Desolation Wilderness (near Lake Tahoe) being a beautiful area to hike in over a handful of days.

 

Hopefully it’s not burned up.

[d k]

I don’t think so, but it’s supposedly smoky up there too.

[jscott]

Desolation is too smoky. Trinity Alps are doubtless smoky and closed but I don’t know for sure. Nice hiking there.

How about the Lost Coast? a bit further than four hours, not much. You’ll doubtless have to drive through smoke to get there.

[Manfred]

Aaron,

we just had a 10 day trip in the Sierra cut short due to the Creek Fire. Our list of experiences now includes waiting for a helicopter while fire is slowly coming closer from several sides and eventually making a run (drive with fire engine escort) through several miles of burning forest because the dense smoke prevented helicopters from flying. Not the most fun experience ever.

As of yesterday most National Forests within our region are closed. Have a look at this list for details – all National Forests now forbid the use of camping stoves, all car camping sites are closed, many have all their trails closed, etc.

Right now the smoke from the Creek Fire is so bad, that you most likely don’t want to be out backpacking anywhere.

Best Regards,

Manfred

 

[Adrian Griffin]

No forest fires in Desolation, but it’s smoky from the many other fires in the area. As of now, trailheads are still open, but that may change. Yesterday, the Pacific Southwest region closed all National Forests to any sort of stove or ignition. So it’s cold soak only there.

BTW, no campfires have been allowed in Desolation since 1990. Sorely needed–I remember what it was like before then.

[David Thomas]

d k; Ah, shouldn’t surprise me that many regional parks are closed between 110F+ temps and gender-reveal parties.  I was brainstorming a few close ones having crossed off areas I’ve seen are on fire (Point Reyes, Big Basin, etc).

If you’re willing to a get on a plane, it’s been, for a change, a cool, mild, and fire-free summer in Alaska.  The Resurrection Trail is a nice 80-mile thru hike an hour from my house.  Highs have been around 58F, lows of 40F.

Manfred: Glad to hear you’re safe.  Was that a trip with the boys and/or Hannah?  Last summer, Drake and 2 friends drove back from an Exit Glacier hike out of Seward through 60-foot flames on both sides of the Sterling Highway.

[Oneil]

Also needing to re-route a late September hike as just found out Lost Coast is ‘closed til further notice’. Not encouraging, but understand the move to conserve fire fighting resources.

So where to? Many wilderness zones eliminate quotas in September but that Creek fire is gonna cause problems for awhile. Trinity is compelling but need to watch conditions. May revert to paddlin’ into Ahjumawi, that trip got shit-canned back in March due to a budding pandemic.

[Jeff Y]

I live in Reno, and desolation has been hit or miss depending on the day. My father in law just did it last weekend and it was completely clear and empty, but the first night was very windy. Right now, it is clear as can be, but the smoke may return over the weekend.
The Lost Coast would be amazing, but a bit farther drive than 4 hours. Although a great coastal hike ON the sand for most of it.

I’d go for Desolation if it was me.

[Manfred]

Desolation is closed as of 5 pm today, when all 18 National Forests in Region 5 got closed. So all trails, campgrounds, etc. in the following National Forests are closed for now.

• Stanislaus National Forest
• Sierra National Forest
• Sequoia National Forest
• Inyo National Forest
• Los Padres National Forest
• Angeles National Forest
• San Bernardino National Forest
• Cleveland National Forest
• Eldorado National Forest
• Klamath National Forest
• Lassen National Forest
• Mendocino National Forest
• Modoc National Forest
• Six Rivers National Forest
• Plumas National Forest
• Shasta-Trinity National Forest
• Tahoe National Forest
• Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

[Oneil]

Just crazy how dynamic the situation is right now. I’ll add that the Deso closure and the ‘no use’ order for many of the National forests expires on Monday the 14th, although they of course may be extended.

[Aaron]

I ended up just driving to Long Beach to see some family. The sky was shrouded in smoke the entire 6.5 hour drive.

Several years back a group of us did some car camping and day hiking at Lost Coast. Would be nice to go back.

[Author]

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