Trail Recommendation: Mammoth Lakes Area, around 50 miles or under.

[Phong D]

My Mammoth Lakes family trip got ended when the forest service closed all the forests.  I know they are going to reopen them now, but no one risked taking the time off.  I now have a campsite at Twin Lakes.  I am not much of a camp by yourself kind of guy, but I do backpack by myself.

Looking for a recommend on a trip around 50 miles or so.  Hopefully, one where permits are not needed or easy to get first come fist serve…I’m leaving in one week and didn’t really expect backpack instead of camp.

[obx hiker]

Some variation of this?  Mammoth Loop

There should be a bus out to Mary’s Lake or uber and also a bus from Agnew or again uber I guess.

[DWR D]

Right now the Mammoth Lakes area has air with an AQI of about 200. Not healthy for hiking and pretty ugly.

[obx hiker]

Hey DWR D, Where are you getting your AQI info? Airnow.gov? Not challenging just curious.

BTW the windy app has a particulate forecast for pm2.5 that runs out like 90 hours. Gets better by Sunday if the forecast is accurate.

[DWR D]

purpleair.com

I have not found smoke forecasts are not reliable. I live in the Sierra and have been dying to get out hiking and the forecasts have at time put me in some pretty bad stuff. Personally, I would not want to start a multi day backpack and be caught out in some really bad air due to a wrong forecast…

[Bruce Tolley]

@ Phong So you are expecting the current National Forest closures for Inyo NF and Humboldt-Toiyabe NF to be lifted?

[jscott]

I agree that smoke/particulate forecasts are very, very unreliable. I’ve become pretty obsessive about this in my daily life and check the forecast and the actual PM levels often. there are too many variables to get an accurate prediction, even one day out.

[Phong D]

@Bruce Tolley,

Its my understanding that they are going to lift them yes.  I thought they were going to left it early.  Let me check one more time.

But if the AQI is bad…I might have to go somewhere else sadly.

[Bruce Tolley]

Looks like Inyo NF lifted the closure today:

From the home page:

“With the termination of the Regional Forest Closure order, we are pleased to announce that the Inyo will re-open with no closures in place. This means the forest will be open on Thursday, September 16.

As a reminder, Stage II fire restrictions are still in place on the Inyo  That means no campfires, even in developed recreation sites. Visitors with a valid California Campfire permit may use a portable stove or lantern using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel.

As always, wilderness permits will not be issued for areas where closures are in effect. Visitors should know before they go and safely plan their trips around areas that closures, uncontained fires, active fire, and smoke in the area.”

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/home

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