SEKI Rae Lakes alternative

[CHRIS FOWLER]

My father and I are traveling to SEKI at the end of August. It’s our first trip to this park and our initial plan is to complete the Rae Loop. However with recent news of bridge outages and flooding I’m looking for a plan B.

We will be there for 6 days and prefer multiple nights out. Any recommendations on what to do with what may be our only visit to this park?

[Cameron M]

Have a plan B and a plan C. Wildfires increasingly show up at the last minute. I sometimes carry several maps with me in case I have to change plans while en route. The Rae Lakes Loop is the most dramatic. You can look at stringing comparable time loops out of the different trailheads, like Lodgepole or Cedar Grove.

[Matthew / BPL]

What trailhead are you entering at?

[Jane Baack]

The PCTA organization recently posted that info. they were given about the Woods Creek bridge being damaged and down/out was erroneous. That rumor or incorrect info. has spread and appears to still be out there. I’d check with the PCTA to get official, current info. for the Rae Lakes loop trip. I’d also check with the pack station at Road’s End as the pack stations know the trails, the problems, what’s open or not, etc. They have clients who are going on the trails all the time so they must keep current.
It’s a wonderful hike, hope you and your father can do it-a lot can change between now and August and maybe problems will be resolved.

[Matthew / BPL]

Jane, the bridge at Upper Paradise is reported to be out. People have been getting emails from SEKI about it.

[Jane Baack]

The e-mails about the Upper Paradise Bridge are old, so that’s why I suggest getting current info. The info. from SEKI to PCTA about the Woods Creek Bridge was not correct so I think it’s best to find out what the situation is now. Again, I’ve found that local pack stations know all about what trails have problems, etc. because they take mules, horses on the trails every day in the summer. In fact I believe they don’t use the Upper Paradise Bridge with the animals, they do something else. Could hikers use the same trail as the animals???? I assume they could under these circumstances. Where is that crossing??? One phone call to the pack station would give correct, current info. AND probably give hikers info. on possible work-around for the bridge.

[Matthew / BPL]

That makes sense :)

[Pedestrian]

I’d call the SEKI the Wilderness permit office – they have back country rangers that report on trail conditions through the summer. I’ve found them to be very helpful once you get through – it can take a few tries to get through on the phone.

Inyo National Forest ranger stations also are very helpful and up to date sources of back country information.

The horse packers are also pretty reliable sources but they usually stick a few of the more popular trails.

[Jane Baack]

Here’s a report from 5 minutes ago, from Cedar Grove Pack Station, a real, live person, not a recorded message!! (Phone: 559-565-3464) (Cedar Grove is very close to Road’s End trailhead.)
The Upper Paradise Bridge is out-packers couldn’t even see it yesterday. That bridge has never been open to pack animals. They cross the river somewhere before the bridge area. Right now they are not taking pack animals across but they definitely will when river is a little lower and safer. He said that by the end of August he felt certain animals would be able to cross safely and “probably” hikers, too.
He said that the packers would even be willing to take hikers with packs across the river where the animals always cross, when it’s safe. That would have to be arranged with the pack station, of course and $$ worked out. I didn’t get his name but he seemed very willing to talk, try to help with a work-around and even thought maybe the Park Service would be working on getting logs across when the river recedes in August. ????
Anyway, if you need to use this trailhead then it could be an option.
I’d like to know the exact location of the animal crossing myself just in case that bridge isn’t repaired for a long, long time!!

[Miles Brandman]

If you’d still like to get up to Rae, you can approach from the Eastern side instead of Road’s End.  It’s not the loop, but still a wonderful trip and can be extended into 6 nights if you’d like.  Hike Kearsarge Pass to Kearsarge Lakes.  You can stay a night there or continue over Glen Pass into Rae.  From Rae you’ll have time to explore Sixty Lakes Basin.  It’s not a loop, so you’ll have to return to your car by going over Glen and Kearsarge again, but it’s totally worth it.  Walk-ins at Kearsarge are easy to get if you make it to the ranger station early in the day.  Good luck and have a great trip!

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