Side Picture: Blood Red Sunset from Round Top Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Your Backpacking Guide to the High Sierras Side Picture: Lost Cabin Mine
Pickett and Hawkins Peaks  from Forestdale Divide, Toiyabe National Forest
Round Top Sunset
Hope Valley, sitting before Freel, Jobs Sister, and Jobs Peaks come into view as we cross the Northeast Flank of  Elephant Back
 lost Cabin Mine

 

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Backpacking
Carson Pass
to
Forestdale Divide

Hiking the
Pacific Crest Trail from Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass across the Mokelumne Wilderness

 

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Trail Guide Index

Carson
Pass
to
Ebbetts Pass
North
PCT

The
Carson Pass
South
PCT

Forestdale Divide
to
Blue Lakes Road
Topo
Map

Carson Pass
to
Lost
Lakes
7.5
Map
West

Carson Pass Region
30 min
Map

Carson
Pass
to
Ebbetts Pass

Carson Pass
to
Ebbetts
Pass

MILES
AND
ELEVATIONS

Map
Index


Carson
Pass
to
Ebbetts Pass

Local Weather

Sierra Weather

National Forests
Tahoe
to
Whitney on You
Tube

El Dorado National Forest

Humboldt
Toiyabe NF

South
from
Carson Pass
on the

PCT

End
of the
Shared route
of the
Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails

South on the TYT

The page below continues our hike South on the Pacific Crest Trail across the 5.1 miles separating Carson Pass from Forestdale Divide, the first waypoint along our 27.88 miles of trail between Carson and Ebbetts Passes.

Hiking South from the Carson Gap on the PCT route through Carson Pass is also part of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail if we turn Southwest on the TYT through the Winnemucca Lake trail junction a mile South of Carson Pass.

Arriving at Winnemucca Lake hiking the TYT route we see the trail coming up from Woods Lake joins us for the hike up to Round Top Lake where the Lost Cabin Mine Trail next ties in, covering all the possible routes hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route up to Round Top from the Carson Gap.

This page covers the last possible bit of trail the PCT and TYT share before their routes divide across the Mokelumne, Carson Iceberg, and Emigrant Wilderness to our South. The PCT and TYT next reunify in the Northeast corner of Yosemite National Park.

PCT South

From the Winnemucca Lake junction we finish the last bit of the moderate climb from Carson Pass to the high point of this segment of trail hiking across the low rounded flat below the steep North face of Elephant Back. Here we enjoy expansive views of the Northeast to Southeast horizon while exiting the Carson Pass Management Area.

Looking East from the high point of the trail across Elephant Back we see Forestdale Creek reaching South towards its headwaters within the valley topped by Forestdale Divide. We begin a descending traverse down the Western flank of this valley South to the ponds that spawn Forestdale Creek. These ponds lay below a set of wide switchbacks making up the end of this moderate difficulty hike from Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide.

Backpacker's Index

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations
Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map
PCT Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
30 minute Backpacking Map

Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide: 5.1 miles

Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass: 27.88 miles

Backpacker Resources
and

Hiker Information

Backpacking
Trails and Topics
Forums

INDEX

On this page

 

Southbound PCT Trailhead at Carson Pass

 

Miles figures
posted at Trailhead

 

Directions, Miles & Elevations

 

Video
Hiking South to Forestdale Divide

 

Frog and Caples Lakes

 

Winnemucca Lake Trail Junction

 

Video
The TYT route from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake via Carson Pass and Winnemucca Lake

 

Carson Pass Management Area Southeast Boundary

Weather and Road Information

Below are the Ground Stations, Point and Regional Forecasts covering Carson Pass.
Satellite and radar imagery provides long range and regional overviews.

Carson Pass Weather Forecast

NWS Carson Pass Point Forecast

Regional Forecasts

NWS Regional Forecast; Greater Lake Tahoe

NWS Regional Forecast: West Slope Sierra Tahoe to Yosemite

All Carson Pass Regional Weather Information
All High Sierra Weather Resources
Real Time Ground Reporting Stations

Carson Pass
reporting station

Caples Lake
Reporting Station

Blue Lakes
Reporting Station

Forestdale Creek
reporting station

Silver Lake
Reporting Station

All Ground Reporting Stations

MesoWest N Calif Stations

Calif Snotel

Road Conditions

Caltrans Hwy 88

Big View: Radar

North California Radar

Big View: Space

Western US Satellite


Thought of the Day

Wuuuuu-HOOOOOO!

 

Views and Encounters
South of Carson Pass

 

Trail and
SCA private Trail Crew

Long Views East

 

Approaching
Forestdale Divide

 

Forestdale Divide

 

South of Forestdale Divide

 

Devils Corral

 

Map and Water
Notes

 

 

 

 

All Weather and Fire Information

All High Sierra Weather Resources

Comprehensive High Sierra Fire and Smoke Information

> Forum <

POST UP!

All backpackers can post text comments about the following section of trail through the comments links on all the trail guide pages.

Registered Members can post up stand alone post about the trail with text, images, maps and videos in the Trails Forum that supplements this section of the Trail Guide.

Check out the Tahoe to Whitney .org Backpacking Trails and Topics forums

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PCT Trailhead
South from Carson Pass

Southbound Pacific Crest Trailhead at Carson Pass.

Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead information Southbound out of Carson Pass.

The trailhead is located behind the Carson Pass Cabin. The permit box where pre-arranged permits are left for pickup is attached to the Southwest corner of the Carson Pass Cabin.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

Elevations
Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide
5.1 miles.

Carson Pass
8600 feet

High Point across Elephant Back
9080 feet

Forestdale Ponds
8600 feet

Forestdale Divide
8840 feet.

comments

Detail of the Pacific Crest Trail Information board at Carson Pass.
PCT trailhead South from Carson Pass.

Above
Kind of a self-portrait...

Below
Better detail of the miles listed on the Pacific Crest Trail information board at Carson Pass.

Miles from the Carson Pass Trailhead.

Local and long distance trail miles from this Carson Pass Trailhead.

Schneider Camp road and the trail to Little Round Top are routes South into the Tahoe Basin located to our Northwest along the North shore of Caples Lake. This map shows the dirt road and Schneider Camp. This larger map shows where the trail from Schneider Camp over Little Round Top into the Lake Tahoe Basin joins with the combined PCT-TYT-TRT routes in the Meiss Country Roadless Area.

Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

The first six trails on this list are to our Northwest, which is funny because this trailhead is pointing us to the Southwest and these first six trails are behind us.

No problem. All information is good information.

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Hiking South

Up to Elephant Back

Heading South from Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail finds us making an easy 480 foot ascent over two miles of distance to reach the rounded flat under the distinctive steep Northern Flank of Elephant Back.

Below us to the East-Southeast we will see Forestdale Creek in its valley.

The compass point the direction of the trail guide down the trail. Down each page is South down the trail.

At the high point crossing Elephant Back fine views open up. Forestdale Creek sits in the valley below us. Tallac Peak and its lofty neighbors define our Eastern horizon. Jobs Sister, Jobs Peak, and Mokelumne Peak grab our attention along with Freel Peak.

The wide expanse of Hope Valley is laid out in the near distance before us, verdant green for Spring, golden brown during fall, and always reassuring.

The Lay of the Land
Here on the North side of Elephant Back we turn South for the traverse down its East flank towards the head of Forestdale Creek. At the head of the canyon we'll cross over the upper section of Forestdale Creek near the ponds to access the switchbacks up to the Forestdale Divide out of its namesake creek's headwaters bowl.

The map lays it out clearly.

Reaching the ponds at the head of the Forestdale Creek near the top of the valley marks the point we begin climbing sweeping switchbacks out of the of Forestdale Creek's valley to Forestdale Divide.
All of this hiking South is backdropped by long views North and East across the Eastern Sierras into the distant Carson Valley to the NE, which sits below the Eastern flank of the Sierra's Carson Range. The Carson Range makes up the mountain range wrapping around the Southern and Eastern shores of Lake Tahoe.

Well, we've this nice view until we drop off the East flank of Elephant Back into the valley holding Forestdale Creek and lose it dropping below the peaks of the surrounding mountains. We've still got good views, just not as expansive as those from the high point crossing Elephant Back.

Local History
This is historical terrain. The dirt Forestdale Road on the far side of the valley is the modern version of the Silver Boom road over over Forestdale Divide to Summit City in the 1860s.
All these roads around here seem to be on or close to their historic routes.

The earlier Western History is intertwined with that of Kit Carson and John Fremont, which are well recounted across the first dozen pages of the History of the Toiyabe National Forest.

Crossing Open Terrain
We are crossing mostly open terrain and are exposed to Sun and Sky through the majority of this upcoming trail section. There is a little forest cover South past Carson Pass and what there is quickly ends. There is forest cover just South of Forestdale Divide that continues for a short distance until we begin traversing over The Nipple above the Blue Lakes.

Break out the suntan lotion and the hat.

comments-questions?

South
from the
Carson Pass Trailhead

  Fine forest and rock terrain.          
  South on the Pacific Crest Trail from Carson Pass.       Snow Travel Aids  
  Snow markers South from Carson Pass.  
  The area around Carson Pass is marked for Winter travel.  
     
 
A steady climb through boulder strewn forest South from Carson Pass brings us higher and up into an exposed Southwestern exposure, where we get views of Round Top      
Hiking South from Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Lone local day hiker heads out for twilight walk.

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Miles & Elevations

Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide
5.1 miles. Two short climbs for a total gain of 720 feet, and one long descent for a total descent of 480 feet.

The High Point
of the
Trail across Elephant Back

Elevation
9080 feet, 480 feet above Carson Pass.

Mileage

The high point of the trail across Elephant Back is
2 miles South of Carson Pass.

Forestdale Divide
8840 feet

Forestdale Divide
is
5.1 miles South of Carson Pass on the PCT.

Carson Pass South to Ebbetts Pass
27.88 miles

 

Miles and Elevations

Forestdale Divide Forum Page

comments-questions-information?

Video
Approaching Forestdale Divide Southbound from Carson Pass

     
   

Duration: 2:57

A short look at the terrain approaching Forestdale Divide.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

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On the Way South from Carson Pass

Round Top and The Sisters
On the way up to the Northern flank of Elephant Back from Carson Pass we enter Mokelumne Wilderness and get our last views of the Northern Side of the Round Top-Sisters Massif. Our trail around the East flank of Elephant Back to Forestdale Divide is South along the very Eastern edge of the Round Top-Sisters massif.

We will see Round Top and the Sisters again when we arrive at the top of Forestdale Divide. Forestdale Divide straddles the ridgeline running Southwest from the main bulk of the Round Top-Sisters massif.
Glancing West as we hike just a bit South of Forestdale Divide reveals the backside, the South side of the Round Top and Sisters massif further up the ridgeline we cross over Forestdale Divide. This South flank of Round Top and the Sisters makes up a length of the upper section of the Northern shore and the Northern Canyon wall rising above the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail's route down Summit City Creek in Summit City Canyon.

As we can see the terrain down on the South flank of Round Top, so too can hikers on the TYT down there see us up here on the upcoming segment of the PCT where it crosses the exposed mountainside South of Forestdale Divide. TYT hikers can get a glimpse of a segment of the PCT by looking East out of the top of Summit City Canyon as the route of the TYT traverses down to the Summit City Creek trail junction below Fourth of July Lake.

The Deal
From Forestdale Divide we will see that Forestdale Divide sits on the same crest line as Round Top and The Sisters, but just a bit to their Southeast, composing a low saddle in the High Sierra crest line.

comments-questions?

Hiking South from Carson Pass
Mokelumne Wilderness Boundary

.38 of a mile South of Carson Pass we enter the El Dorado NF administered section of the Mokelumne Wilderness. For a minute.
Mokelumne Wilderness boundary South of Carson Pass.

The Mokelumne Wilderness boundary is highly gerrymandered between Carson and Ebbetts Passes. Only a small section is in the El Dorado NF. The majority is within the Toiyabe NF.

But there are many cut-outs along the tattered Eastern edge of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

Mokelumne Wilderness Boundary South of Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail
The boundary marker looked a lot better in 2009, above, than it looked in 2014, second image above. It was just starting to crack up in '09.

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Views to the Southwest
Open Up

Round Top sits to the Southwest of Carson Pass.
Round Top from the Pacific Crest Trail South of Carson Pass

View of Round Top from just South of Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Views of Round Top open up as our climbing trail rotates around the lower flanks of Elephant Back rising above Carson Pass, rotating around to the Southwest facing flank as we climb higher.

Note the big bird...

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

 

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Southeast to Elephant Back

Turning Southeast and rising out of the forest we get views of Elephant Back through the forest cover.
Approaching Elephant Back from Carson Pass.

Approaching Elephant Back from Carson Pass.

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Southwestern View

Now that we've turned fully onto the Southwest flank below Elephant Back we've come around into some fine views of Round Top off to our Southwest.

Round Top from the Pacific Crest Trail.

Southwest viewing of Round Top.

We can see two depressions in the terrain between us and Round Top. The first is in front of us, filled with forest. At the far side of the forest we can see the terrain dropping elevation past a strip of golden meadow. The terrain over there is dropping into the second depression, at the bottom of which the trail up the footbridge route from Woods Lake is tracking South up to Winnemucca Lake.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Southeastern View
Elephant Back

Looking South down the trail we are hiking in a Southeast direction towards Elephant Back, now rising into view above tree cover.

A few hundred feet further South we will encounter the unmarked trail leading Left to Frog Lake, and a few hundred feet beyond that the trail junction to our Right, where the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route breaks off to the Southwest to the Round Top Lake trail junction via Winnemucca Lake.

If we're hiking South on the Pacific Crest Trail we will hike past the Winnemucca Lake trail junction to finish our climb up to and around the North side of Elephant Back, its Left side, before following the trail's bend to the Southeast towards Forestdale Divide. We'll pass under the Eastern flank of Elephant Back dropping down into the canyon holding Forestdale Creek.

If we are hiking South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail we will turn Right at the Winnemucca trail junction on this side, the West side of Elephant back back for the short hike to Winnemucca Lake.

Elephant Back from Carson Pass.
Approaching Elephant Back to our Southeast hiking South from Carson Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail route.

Frog Lake Trail Junction

An unmarked trail leads Northeast to Frog Lake. It needs not be marked as we can see Frog Lake from the junction.

Unmarked Frog Lake trail junction.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

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Frog Lake

Frog Lake sits just off to the Northeast of the PCT, through a well used trail a little less than a mile South of the Carson Pass trailhead.
Frog Lake sits South of Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail

Note the trail down to Frog Lake.

Map Addition
The trail to Winnemucca Lake is South of the unmarked trail Northeast to Frog Lake. The USGS map shows no trail or junction to Frog Lake. There are both.

Elements of High Sierra beauty tie themselves together at Frog Lake.

View Northeast across Frog Lake.

Frog Lake South of Carson Pass in the Mokelumne Wilderness.

Water, Clouds, Forest, Mountains and Me.

All the ingredients of deep experience, deep satisfaction.

View Northeast across Frog Lake low level of late season. Cold winds blew and snow fell on this late September day.

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On the Trail Between Frog Lake to Elephants Back

Round Top and The Sisters climbing South from Frog Lake towards Elephant Back.

View to the Southwest

Round Top and The Sisters perfectly frame our trail climbing South from Frog Lake towards the Winnemucca Lake trail junction under the Northwest flank of Elephant Back.

Last night's snow flurries left their mark on Round Top and The Sisters.

We'll be up there soon if we are turning onto the TYT through the upcoming Winnemucca Lake trail junction.

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Frog Lake and Caples Lake
Northeast and Northwest Views

  A glance to the West at just the right moment reveals Caples Lake fitting nicely into the contours of its surrounding mountains and forests.
  You get a quick glimpse of Caples Lake to the West, as you climb South out of Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail

Caples Lake with a breeze blowing across it during a Summer afternoon.

Highway 88 hugs the far shoreline. Schneider Camp and the trail over Little Round Top lays off the far Right side of Caples Lake.

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Caples Lake from Northwest side of Elephant Back, Pacific Crest Trail.

A Fall Morning.

Caples Lake viewed through morning light looking to the Northwest from under the Northwest side of Elephant Back, Pacific Crest Trail.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
Miles and Elevations

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View Northwest at our Carson Gap exit from the Lake Tahoe Basin

Little Round Top and our Carson Gap exit point from the Lake Tahoe Basin to our Northwest.

Here we see the mountains making up the Southwestern corner of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

I'm thinking we're lined up, and looking at Tallac Peak using the Carson Gap as our gunsight.

Everything on the far side, the North side of that low gap drains into Lake Tahoe. Everything on this side of the ridge drains into the Silver Fork of the American River.

Little Round Top is visible on the far Left side of the image. The Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail routes pass North and South through the low gap on the Right of the Tahoe Rim Ridgeline. I call this low gap the Carson Gap.

Carson Pass is a short ways out of frame to the Right at the high point below the Southern base of this golden ridge arm. The forest is running up to the gap in the terrain between the base of Red Lake Peak to the North and Elephant Back to the South.

In the Distance we can see the tip of Pyramid Peak in the Crystal Range in Desolation Wilderness and Mount Tallac in the far distant Right of the image as well.

A grand terrain with interesting views in all directions.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
Miles and Elevations

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Winnemucca Lake trail junction
and
Elephant Back

TRAIL GUIDE PAGE
Southwest

Pacific Crest Trail
to
WINNEMUCCA LAKE
to the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
@

ROUND TOP LAKE

Winnamucca Lake trail junction on Northwest side of Elephant Back.

Post pointing the way for Southbound PCT hikers around the North flank of Elephant Back.

The trail to Winnemucca Lake can be seen on the Right side of the sign post.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

comments

The trail
to
Winnemucca Lake
is the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
route to
Lake Alpine.

Trail to Round Top Lake
via

Winnemucca Lake

Here is the Southernmost Point where our classic routes, the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails, split East and West.
The PCT stays up on the Sierra Crest and Eastern Sierra Flank of the Sierra Nevada down to Ebbetts Pass while the TYT route is turning Right, to our Southwest, for a great sweep lower down onto the Western flank of the Sierra on its way South to Lake Alpine.

Lake Alpine is located about 15 miles West along Highway 4 and 1400 feet lower in elevation than Ebbetts Pass.
Despite, or maybe because of this great swing down the Western Sierra flank, this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is far and above my favorite route between Highways 88 and 4, and among my very favorites of all the routes I've ever hiked.

East and West Sierra Experiences
That difference between these two routes between Highway 88 and 4 is the same as what characterizes the difference between these two trails between Lake Tahoe down to the Yosemite Wilderness:
One covers the East and the other the Western flank of the Sierra Crest. The PCT stays along the Sierra Crest Line or its Eastern Flank while the TYT stays on the Western flank of the Sierra, with the TYT also making two grand sweeps far down the Western flank before climbing back to the crestline.

The great drops down to Camp Irene (5280) and Kennedy Meadows (6400) are followed by great hikes back to the Sierra Crest.

The PCT and TYT share the same trail through the Lake Tahoe Basin in the North Sierra and rejoin at the Yosemite boundary for the hike through the Yosemite Wilderness in the Central Sierra. Between these areas the TYT covers the Western and the PCT the Eastern flank of the North Sierra Nevada.

The junction below is our last chance to decide East or West.

comments-questions?

South of the Winnemucca Lake Junction we climb up to and pass around the Northern side, the left, of Elephant Back, pictured below.
Elephant Back from East on Pacific Crest Trail South of Carson Pass

The tree cover is thinning as we climb. We will be without tree cover before reaching Elephant Back's North side. We will not enjoy cover again until we pass South of Forestdale Divide. The next section of trail crosses much open terrain.

Carson Pass
to

Winnemucca Lake: 2.3 miles

Round Top Lake: 3.18 miles

Fourth of July Lake: 5.48 miles

Winnemucca Lake
TRAIL JUNCTION
to

Carson Pass: 1.04 miles

Winnemucca Lake: 1.26 miles

Round Top Lake: 2.14 miles

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Winnemucca Lake Trail Junction

A mile South of Carson Pass we encounter the Winnemucca Trail Junction.
Winnemucca Lake Junction one miles South of Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail leads to the Tahoe Yosemite Trail

This is the Southbound Backpacker's last chance to turn West and head up to Round Top, and follow the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

Winnemucca Lake trail junction to

Winnemucca Lake: 1.26 miles

Round Top Lake: 2.14 miles

Carson Pass: 1.04 miles

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TRAIL GUIDE PAGE

PCT to WINNEMUCCA LAKE
to
TYT at ROUND TOP LAKE

The Winnemucca Lake Trail Junction
to
Winnemucca Lake

West to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Here at the Winnemucca Lake trail junction with the Pacific Crest Trail we are at the Southernmost cutoff to Round Top which also puts us on the most Eastern of the three possible ways of linking up the Pacific Crest Trail with the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail around Carson Pass, if we are planning on hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Three Ways from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake

Which one we take depends on how we are coming down the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

If we are hiking South out of the Tahoe Basin on the TYT I suggest splitting off the PCT route at the Northern trail junction to hike the Western route up to Round Top via the Lost Cabin Mine Trail.
If we are hitching into Carson Pass to begin hiking the Southbound TYT the easiest place to get road access to is Carson Pass, so this Eastern route may be best.
If we are driving to Carson Pass we can park near Woods Lake and hike the Lost Cabin Mine Trail or the middle route to Round Top Lake.
But, in any case the route we choose is up to our tastes or fitness. The easiest route is arguably the middle route from Woods Lake to Winnemucca Lake to Round Top Lake.

I consider all three to be the TYT.

The video below depicts the section of the TYT route from the Carson Gap through Carson Pass to the Winnemucca Lake junction along the PCT South of Carson Pass, and then on to Winnemucca and Round Top Lakes.

At the Winnemucca Lake trail junction the middle trail coming up from the foot bridge near Woods Lake joins us for the next leg of our hike up to the high point of this trail at Round Top Lake. At Round Top Lake we note the junction where the Lost Cabin Mine trail from Woods Lake intersects with our route.

Clicking the red dots on the Carson Pass Region Map below links to the guide page for that position. Clicking the black-dotted route on the Wilderness Map brings that area's detailed map, the red dots also linking to guide information.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Gap to Lake Alpine
Miles and Elevations

Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

From Round Top Lake our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail guide continues South on the next TYT guide page covering the TYT down past Fourth of July Lake to Summit City Creek while this page continues South down the PCT below our brief detour exploring this Eastern route to Round Top Lake, to Forestdale Divide.

comments-questions?

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Video
Three ways
from
Carson Gap to Round Top Lake

Three ways from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake.

Duration: 13:27

In the video above we hike the PCT route from the Carson Gap through Carson Pass. Turning Right, to the Southwest on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route at the Winnemucca Lake trail junction opens up views across the Carson Pass Management Area revealing the terrain the two other potential routes between Carson Gap and Round Top Lake cross. When we arrive at Winnemucca Lake we pass the trail junction where the "middle" route, the trail coming up from Woods Lake arrives at Winnemucca Lake.

Arriving at Round Top Lake we take note of the third route up to Round Top Lake, the Lost Cabin Mine trail coming up from the campground near Woods Lake. This is the most Western of the three routes.

This video covers the Eastern route from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake through Carson Pass and Winnemucca Lake. This is the most lengthy route between these two points. The Woods Lake trail guide page covers the other two routes, of which the Lost Cabin Mine Trail is the most direct and steepest route, while the "middle" route over the footbridge near Woods Lake up to Winnemucca Lake splits the difference in difficulty and distance between the "Eastern" and "Western" routes.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

Our next move is from Round Top Lake to Fourth of July Lake on our way down to enter the unmaintained section of Tahoe to Yosemite Trail along Summit City Creek.

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Trail to Winnemucca Lake

Continuing South on the Pacific Crest Trail

The Northeastern Side of Elephant Back

A very dry almost-flat rocky area sits below the Northeastern steep flank of Elephant Back.

Expansive Views to the East begin opening up as we reach this high point of the PCT across Elephant Back.

This is a nice "side" destination for day hikers out of Carson Pass, before they double-back to the Winnemucca trail junction for the hike up to Winnemucca Lake.

Overlooking Forestdale Creek
from
NE side of Elephant Back

Elevation
8800 feet

Mileage
2 miles South of Carson Pass, facing a 1.86 mile descent to Forestdale Creek

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

comments-questions?

Carson Pass Management Area Boundary and Linda

        Many day hikers enjoy the many miles of trails in the Carson Pass Management Area.

Exiting the CPMA on the North side of Elephant Back, heading South towards Forestdale Divide.

We turned around to face North to read this sign.

  Linda, a strong day hiker, South of the Carson Pass
Departing Carson Pass Management Area South on the Pacific Crest Trail  

Note the gentle sloping almost-flat terrain here on the North side of Elephant Back.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
 
Info: Carson Pass Management Area   Linda and I had a nice long chat.

Views and Encounters on the Eastern Flank of Elephant Back

The Social Trail Policy in Action

Observe

I make it trail policy to observe, analyze, and greet every thing I meet on the trail.  Most backpackers are fit and secure, but I occasionally run into backpackers who are injured, totally trashed, lost or unsure of their position, or running low on food or fuel.

Observing a hiker's gait reveals lower body injury, their breathing reveals their level of fatigue, their posture indicates the condition of their back, shoulders and general status, and finally, observing a hiker's face generally reveals their attitude about their overall level of tension and fatigue. And talking to them reveals all.

Exchange Trail Information

If my fellow backpacker is secure, then I turn my attention towards obtaining fresh information from them about the terrain I am approaching, which they just covered, while providing them with the information about the terrain I have just crossed. I also check their tracks, so I know who and when it was put on the trail I will be hiking, and can follow its degradations. Known tracks becomes a known reference point for other tracks.

If backpackers are not secure, I try to fix them up.

After the basic evaluations I'm curious about where the person came from, how they came to find these fine trails through the Sierras, and where they are going.

The Result

At the very least I get to meet another back country traveler. I get to try to understand another hiker's approach to, and experiences in the wilderness. I meet people who show me new things and things I've missed all the time. The Sierra is Huge. Shared experience makes each of us better informed and more knowledgeable and safer because of it. Knowledge is power.

The Bottom Line

The negative is that this type of social interaction on the trail can really extend how long it takes to cover a given distance. On the North side of Elephant Back I talked to Linda, pictured above, for over a delightful half-hour, and then I spent 10 minutes with the SCA crew pictured below. At a three mile per hour pace, which I can easily hold over this moderate terrain, 40 minutes equals 2 miles. This adds up on a busy trail.

Thus you may want to adjust your expected daily mileage in consideration of your social policy on the trail. This should be figured into your overall and daily hiking plans.

I figure that my preoccupation with taking pictures of everything, and talking to everyone along the trail takes up two hours a day, costing me the equivalent of 6 miles a day. Yikes!

Another way of looking at this is to understand that I spend 2 hours a day standing around wearing a heavy pack doing 0 miles, if not running around in pursuit of something. Every minute in the pack is physically stressful, so I've solved this problem by immediately removing the pack when any predictable trail encounter or photographic goal threatens to exceed 30 seconds.

If something pops up I chase it with the pack on.

My point is that you've got to give yourself the time in your hiking plan to enjoy the trail culture as well as the terrain and environment. On the other side of the scale we have the very real mileage requirements fundamental to hiking the long trail or the aggressive short trip.

There is a balance point between talking with backpackers all day versus hiking relentlessly from Sunrise to Sunset, and it is your own. You have to find your balance point between the time requirements of different aspects of the trail.

The good news is that this balance point changes daily over the course of a long trip. Hiking the long trails shows that different situations require different approaches, delivering a wide range of different trail experiences.

Enjoy them all.

Onward...

From the flat area on the North side of Elephant Back we will now be dropping down 200 feet over the next 1.85 miles to the ponds at the head of Forestdale Creek.

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Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide

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The Trail & Private Trail Crew

Looking South at the PCT making its way down and around Elephant Back's Eastern Flank towards Forestdale Creek, flowing from Right to Left through the valley below.
Pacific Crest Trail South down to Forestdale Creek

Note how deeply the PCT route is cut into the terrain. You can follow this sucker at night. It glows in the dark.

This is why I call the Pacific Crest Trail the "Super-Highway" of trails.

The trail ahead is working its way Southeast below the East flank of Elephant Back. The Southbound trail from our high point on the North side of Elephant Back traverses down to the canyon floor while hiking up-canyon.

We can see the dirt Forestdale Divide road climbing towards the divide on the far side of the canyon.

That rock on the far upper-Left of the image looks like The Nipple above Lost Lakes.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Good Kids on the Trail

Student Conservation Association
Leader's Trail Crew, working the NE side of Elephant Back.
Student Conservation Association Leader Trail Crew

This crew was composed of Trail Crew Leaders who will later lead SCA student trail crews.

These were real nice kids. A credit to our country.

For more on Trail Crews, see the Trail Culture section in the Backpacker's Forum.

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View Northeast
from the
Eastern Flank
of
Elephant Back.

The golden grasses of Hope Valley bend around towards Freel Peak on the furthest Left, Jobs Sister to its Right and Jobs Peak to the furthest Right.

This fine scene comes into view as we climb out of Carson Pass during Fall up to the flat on the North side of Elephant Back.

Pickett and Hawkins Peaks while heading South towards Forrestdale Divide

Highway 88 hits Hope Valley on the section of meadow on the Right, which is also where the Blue Lakes Road intersects with Highway 88.

Check out the top blue marker on the road map below the backpacking map.

The distant meadow section in Hope Valley is crossed by Highway 89 between Picketts Junction and Luther Pass.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Towards Forestdale Divide
The Sierra Crest West of Forestdale Divide

Hiking South towards Forestdale Divide along the lower East Flank of Elephant Back. Forestdale Divide is out of sight out of the Left side of this image, making up the low point of where the crestline is dropping down.

That's Forestdale Divide. That's where we're going.

Heading South up to the  Forestdale Divide on the PCT

This Crestline is the Southeastern extension of the Round Top/Sisters crestline.

As I mentioned, the ridgeline along the far Left of the image is running down to Forestdale Divide, and the top of our Southbound trail's switchbacks up to the divide. The West end of each switchback up to Forestdale Divide turns East under/to the Left of the triangular rock jutting up from the Left end of the ridgeline.

The sharp crest of the ridgeline ahead moderates into a wide area of flattish terrain across Forestdale Divide.
The terrain still climbs, but across the great inclined dry flat known as the Forestdale Divide.

The topo hiking map well depicts this flat.

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Markleeville Peak
View East-Southeast Across Forestdale Creek

Markleeville Peak viewed while dropping almost directly South down into Forestdale Creek's Canyon approaching the North side of Forestdale Divide. 
Forestdale Creek

Forestdale Creek is running through the meadow in the foreground.

Note the location of the pond with the island on the topo hiking map.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes Map
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Mule Ears

 

Fresh Sprouting Wyethia mollis, commonly called Mountain Mule Ears, which I call Paper Plant.

     

Why I call them Paper Plants
The Mule Ears have dried out early in the season on the exposed terrain of the East flank of Elephant Back.

 
  Wyethia mollis; Mountain Mule Ears, which I call Paper Plant.     Mules Ears become Paper Plant by September  
 

I call them paper plants because of the sound they make at the end of their annual lifecycle.

They look like ears of corn sprouting straight out of the wet Earth during early Spring.

 

 

Paper Plant
Lifecycle

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When wind blows through these plants during late Summer into Fall its dried leaves rubbing together in the breezes sound like the raspy rustling of thousands of dried-out pieces of loose paper blowing about in Nature's ancient library.

Thus I call them "paper plants..."

To get even more interesting-weird, I am not as much concerned about what man calls the plants, but what they call themselves...in a manner of "speaking."

How we approach nature determines what we see...

 

 

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Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide

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Ponds
at the
Top of Forester Creek

After descending from Elephant Back down to the Ponds at the head of Forestdale Creek, we begin a 1.25 mile hike gaining 250 feet in elevation up a set of wide switchbacks to Forestdale Divide.

Forestdale Creek Ponds
Elevation

8840 feet

Mileage
3.85 miles South of Carson Pass

7.64 miles to Tamarack Lake

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Across
the
Forestdale Creek Drainage

Remote Trailhead Access
At the top of our great traverse South from Elephant Back up to the top of Forestdale Creek we turn East to cross the upper section of the Forestdale Creek and its canyon.

Hiking South to the point the trail crosses Forestdale Canyon we look to our Left while approaching our fording point of Forestdale Creek, over our Left shoulder at the semi-shaded parking in a small stand of trees off the Forestdale Divide Road. This parking offers auto access to a trail leading up here to the PCT and/or down Forestdale Creek's Canyon.

Note the Forestdale Road beyond the SUVs, at the base of the mountain on the East side of the canyon.

Forestdale Creek Road is a rough unpaved road which leads from Highway 88 to Upper Blue Lake. See the Road Map for information.

Well, it does not look too rough, but the drivers of SUVs I've observed crossing its upper section over the years all exhibit great fear climbing the last steep section of road up to Forestdale Divide. It's steep, and I've watched numerous SUV drivers lose confidence approaching the crest, causing them to slow and stop on the steepest upper section of the road.

Stopping on the steep section of a dirt road is not a great idea. Knowing how to keep and carry your vehicle's traction and momentum up and over steep sections of marginal traction surfaces is an important driving skill.

It is a skill you should posses if you decide to drive Forestdale Road.

Drivers can avoid Forestdale Road in favor of the paved Blue Lakes Road which also connects Blue Lakes to Highway 88. But hey, why do you have a fake four-wheeler, an "SUV," if not to drive roads like the Forestdale Divide Road?

Forrestdale Divide Road

Forestdale Creek Road connects Highway 88 at Red Lake with the upper end of Upper Blue Lake while the Blue Lakes Road connects Highway 88 in Hope Valley to East end of Lower Blue Lake.

We can see the Forestdale Road beyond the cars.

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View West

Looking West-Northwest across the headwaters pond of the Forestdale Creek towards Round Top/Sisters Massif.

Frkn nice terrain.

Stunningly beautiful in a remote and harsh manner.

Pond and Peak to West while climbing South to Forrestdale Divide

We've crossed over to the East side of the very upper section of Forestdale Creek, and are hiking South around the East shore of the pond Forestdale Creek issues from.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

We're positioning ourselves for the switchbacks up to Forestdale Divide.

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Top of Forestdale Creek Canyon

Looking Southwest across the top of Forestdale Creek's upper pond in the top of the canyon.
Forestdale Creek Headwaters.

Looking Southwest across the upper pond after crossing over to the East side of Forestdale Creek at the very top of the Forestdale Creek Headwaters.

The Sierra Crestline runs Southeast from Round Top, to the Left, towards Forestdale Divide.

It's a pretty scene dressed in Fall colors.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
PCT Miles and Elevations

We're beginning the switchbacks up to Forestdale Divide. The West side of each switchback will turn East under that triangular rock jutting up from the Sierra Crestline on the upper Left of the image above.

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Last Steps South up to Forestdale Divide

Hiking South into the Forestdale Divide above Blue Lakes.

Hiking up the great inclined flat known as Forestdale Divide.

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Elephant Back and Red Lake Peak
View North from Forestdale Divide

Elephant Back and Red Lake Peak from Forestdale Divide.

Looking North at our Route from Elephant Back
Our trail South worked its way around the East flank of Elephant Back. The East flank of Elephant Back is the steep flank rising on the Left side of the image, up to the crest of Elephant Back.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

We worked our way to the East on the semi-flat ridgeline extending East from the North side of Elephant Back. That ridge is plainly visible in the image above. From the East end of that ridge we began what was essentially a great traverse South from our position under that steep Eastern flank of Elephant Back, hiking down to Forestdale Creek as we can see that the line of our traverse South brings us to the top of the rising valley Forestdale Creek flows down.

We're hiking down to the top of the valley Forestdale Creek flows through.

Red Lake Peak is the mountain on the Right of center in the distance. Between us and Red Lake Peak we can see the ridge running East from Elephant Back.

Carson Pass
We have another feature we can locate in this image, the position of Carson Pass. Carson Pass is located between the ridge to the East of Elephant Back and Red Lake Peak in the distance.
Between these two features we can see a thin bending line of trees tracing out the location of Carson Pass.

The Highs and Lows
One traveler's High Point is another's Low...
Carson Pass is the high point for drivers on Highway 88 running East and West across the Sierra Crest, which we can see in the image above.

Carson Pass is also the lowest point for hikers on the Sierra Crestline running North and South.

Life is a series of highs and lows, and life on the trail makes this fact especially apparent.

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Mokelumne Wilderness Boundary

 

The Forestdale Divide

  Wilderness Boundary below the North side of Forrestdale Divide
 

An inspection of the map reveals that the Mokelumne Wilderness is highly gerrymandered through it's whole length along the PCT between Carson and Ebbetts Passes.

This is our second Wilderness Boundary so far since departing Carson Pass. We'll see a few more before we arrive at Ebbetts Pass.

In the image above we can almost see the line of Forestdale Road crossing the divide at the base of the mountain behind the wilderness boundary marker.

The road runs across there, though we can't quite see it clearly.

Note the location of the Wilderness Boundary on the map below.

   
 
Carson Pass to Blue Lake Road
15 min Backpacking Map
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Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
Miles and Elevations

View to the Southeast

Trail down to Summit City Creek from the top of Forrestdale Divide

Trail
into
Summit City Creek in Summit City Canyon
The trail in the foreground is heading down South off the Forestdale Divide to intersect with the trail running between Upper Blue Lake and the top of Summit City Canyon.

It's easier to hike to Upper Blue Lake by continuing South along the PCT down to the Lost Lakes intersection with Forestdale Road, then follow the road down to Upper Blue Lake, than it is to hike the trail above to Upper Blue Lake.

But, this is the best trail to enter Summit City Canyon and access Summit City Creek, and Devils Corral, where we can continue our hike South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Besides the web of connector trails around Carson Pass and Round Top between the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails, there are not many/any other trails linking the TYT and PCT together across the length of the Mokelumne Wilderness. Well, there's the one we see above, and our three options to Round Top Lake across the Carson Pass Management Area to our North, and that's it.

Once we hike South of the trail from Upper Blue Lake to Summit City Canyon there are no more trails tying the the PCT and TYT trails together across the South end of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

This is very unlike the situation across the Carson Iceberg and Emigrant Wilderness Areas to our South. Down there we have many amazing trails that we can use to tie these two routes together into custom local loops and long distance routes across the lengths of both of these upcoming wilderness areas to our South.

Not so across the Mokelumne Wilderness, once we get South of Upper Blue Lake. There are no PCT/TYT connector trails across the Southern Mokelumne Wilderness.

The trail above is the last connector between the PCT and TYT until we hit Highway 4.

This limits local loop backpacking trips around the Mokelumne Wilderness. We can do fairly short loops around the Carson Pass Management Area using the trail above to connect the PCT with the TYT elements of a Carson Pass Management Area loop. And, we could hike an arc from Lake Alpine to Ebbetts Pass using the trail connecting Summit City Canyon with Upper Blue Lake that the trail pictured above intersects.

Once we get down to the Carson Iceberg and Emigrant Wilderness Areas we will be able to craft custom long-distance backpacking routes across both, as well as hike loops of various diameters around both wilderness areas.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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South
out of the
Forestdale Divide

Junction for the Trail to Summit City Canyon
At the first trail head at top of the Forestdale Divide sits this trail junction and mileage post. It states: Ebbetts Pass 18 miles. The other side says: Carson Pass 4.   PCT in the Background.
Ebbetts Pass mileage post at the top of Forrestdale Divide: 18 miles   Trail down to Summit City Creek from Forestdale Divide.

I have the distance South to Ebbetts at 21.33 miles, and the distance North to Carson Pass at 5.1.

See the barren peak rising to the East of Forestdale Divide in the background Right above?

Check that peak out from the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail between
Fourth of July Lake to Summit City Creek
.


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Upper Blue Lake sits behind the forest-covered ridge in the distance.

We can see the distinctive shape of the forest wrapping around the Southeast flank of the peak rising to the East of Forestdale Divide.

 

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Well Marked Trail

PCT route to Forestdale Divide Road.

This trail post is informing us of the location of the PCT running South along the South side of Forestdale Divide Road.

The PCT runs along the South side of the road for a short distance before crossing.

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Crossing to the East Side of Forestdale Divide Road

  The Pacific Crest Trail is well marked where it crosses Forestdale Divide Road just below the South side of Forestdale Divide.
  PCT trail marker across Forrestdale Divide Road

Right here we are crossing under the exposed peak visible to TYT hikers on the trail below Fourth of July Lake.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Two Trail Junctions

We encounter two trail junctions teeing off our PCT route to the Southwest as we arrive and cross the Forestdale Divide. The first junction in Forestdale Divide is at the wilderness boundary marker, and the second junction is at the marked trail junction just South of Forestdale Divide.

Both trails track Southwest, and both can bring us down to Summit City Creek and the Tahoe to Yosemite Route down Summit City Canyon. The trail from the wilderness boundary is longer and steeper.

The trail from the wilderness boundary tracks directly into Summit City Canyon, while the trail from the post connects with the trail between Summit City Canyon and Upper Blue Lake.

I don't see the reason for the first trail from the wilderness boundary. The trail from the marked junction crosses a better route across the terrain hiking both directions, be we hiking up or down the terrain.

Local hikers circling the CPMA can turn here to begin through either trail to bend their circle route back to Carson Pass to bring them to Fourth of July Lake and the trails over Round Top to Carson Pass.

Or, local hikers can start loop trips around the Carson Pass Management Area by hiking West into Summit City Canyon through the trailhead at Upper Blue Lake.

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Two Trail Junctions

First trail junction in Forestdale Divide

Southwest to Summit City
2.85 miles

Second trail junction South of Forestdale Divide

Southwest to Summit City
2.5 miles

Note that the second trail junction, the Southern junction on Forestdale Divide is a shorter, easier, and more direct route into Summit City's Canyon and Creek.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map
Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

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Looking
West-Southwest from Forestdale Divide
Devils Corral

View of Devils Corral and Summit City Creek Headwaters
from just
South of Forestdale Divide

We'll keep our eyes peeled to the Southwest as we hike South on the Pacific Crest Trail off the Forestdale Divide. Once we rotate a bit Southeast past Forestdale Divide our view into Summit City Canyon will come out from behind the masking of the steep ridgeline dropping off Round Top. We'll be able to see the massive granite arm of rock coming off Deadwood Peak that composing Devils Corral. Devils Corral is above the Southern bank of Summit City Creek.
Devil's Corral is part of the headwaters of Summit City Creek, alongside where its Southern branch bends South, and then West to drain the West side of the hills separating Upper Blue Lake from the Summit City Creek.

Carson Pass to Blue Lakes
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

What makes Devils Corral is the 1600 foot near-vertical granite face the climbs from Summit City Creek's South shore.
This vast rock is the Northern nose of the massive piece of rock topped by Deadwood Peak, and the total circumference of this rock defines the South Shore of Summit City Canyon and the South wall of Summit City Canyon all the way down to the North Fork of the Mokelumne River.
The Deadwood Peak massif makes up the mountain bounding the whole Eastern shore of Summit City Creek while composing the Eastern flank of Summit City Canyon all the way down to the North Fork of the Mokelumne River.
In fact, this massive rock topped by Deadwood Peak also makes up the North wall of the canyon of the North Mokelumne River between Meadow Creek and Summit City Creek.

This is one impressive piece of rock! I've had plans to explore it more thoroughly, such as finding Monty Wolf's Cabin, over under the South side of Deadwood Peak draining Deadwood Canyon along the North Mokelumne River. But alas, a series of injuries has turned my attention to survival.

Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

Devils Corral sits at the base of the shaded left-flank of the rock formation pictured below.

Summit City Creek

The Southern branch of Summit City Creek runs South along the East side of the base of Devils Corral to join with its North branch to flow down to where the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail enters Summit City Creek hiking over the Southern flank of the Round Top and the Sisters massif via Fourth of July Lake.

Figure it like this: If we are making short backpacking trips into and around Round Top and Fourth of July Lakes in the CPMA, we can easily transform a simple in-and-out backpacking trip into a nice little loop through this beautiful country by adding this remote section of trail down to Summit City Creek from Forestdale Divide, to hike back into the CPMP via Fourth of July Lake.
Converting an in-and-out backpacking trip into to a loop will likely add around 10 miles to your Round Top Lake backpacking trip.

This section of trail from Forestdale Divide to Summit City Creek allows us to make a nice loop route circling the Round Top and Sisters Massif rather than just hiking in and out to Round Top and Fourth of July Lakes. This loop incorporates short sections of both the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trail routes.

Looking into Our Future from Forestdale Divide
Let's have some fun. Hike in and back from Round Top Lake. Then let's have some more fun by looping the CPMA. And then yet more, by hiking down to Ebbetts Pass. And soon, we'll be backpacking from Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney, saying, "is life not grand?"
Maybe we'll hike it all in one shot, of maybe we'll do it over a period of years, one glorious section of trail at a time.

In any case, the fun has just begun.

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Devils Corral drains from the Left
Summit City Creek flows to the Right

Devils Corral and the Head of Summit City Creek from Forrestdale Divide

Looking at the East side of the Carson Pass Region Map reveals our position on Forester Divide looking to the Southwest at what the map calls Peak 9626 with Devils Coral located on the Left side of this massive rock.
Deadwood Peak itself is visible in the far upper-Left corner of the image.

Note on the map the route of the trail from Forestdale Divide down to Summit City Creek and downstream along Summit City Creek to its intersection with the route of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail below Fourth of July Lake.

The trail down from Forestdale Divide intersects with the trail out of the top of Summit City Canyon East to Upper Blue Lake.

This is the Southernmost route that connects the PCT with the TYT. Below us a trail works its way over the low rise West of Upper Blue Lake down into Summit City Canyon. Our trail down from Forestdale Divide intersects with this trail about halfway between Summit City Creek and Upper Blue Lake.

Continuing South past this short position offering views up Summit City Creek we cross to the East side of Forestdale Road and shortly enter the relief of shaded forest cover dropping down the South flank of Peak 9374.

Peak 9374 is the peak we can see at the head of Summit City Creek while hiking on the TYT from Fourth of July Lake down into Summit City Canyon.

Once we enter the forest we will be distracted between the old routes of the PCT and the Forestdale Divide Road over to Lost Lakes, and their new routes which stay to the West of the Lost Lakes.

I've noted these changes on the maps, and discuss them on the next trail guide page to the South,

Forestdale Divide to Blue Lakes Road

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North: The Carson Pass                                      top of page                         South: Forestdale Divide to Blue Lakes Road

Carson Pass
to
Forestdale Divide

Terrain

The majority of this section feels like it is downhill, excepting two medium difficulty climbs. But we are actually climbing a few more feet than descending between Carson Pass and Forestdale Divide.

miles and elevations

The first climb is out of Carson Pass up to the flat below the North Flank of Elephant Back. This is followed by our long descending traverse down to the ponds at the head of Forestdale Creek's canyon. The second climb is up to Forestdale Divide from these ponds at the head of Forestdale Creek.

Water

The terrain between Carson Pass and Forestdale Divide is quite dry and exposed, though water is available from Frog Lake and at the Ponds at the head of Forestdale Creek, even into late Fall. I am rolling through here with fresher water than that, haven taken water from the top of the South Upper Truckee River in Meiss Meadow.

I generally carry enough water for nine miles of hiking, which for me generally works out to 32oz in normal Sierra conditions. I can re-water in one of the fresh streams South of the paved Blue Lakes Road, unless they are dry in late Summer, in which case I will get water at Tamarack Lake, or the small lake to its South.

Or Lost Lakes. Lost Lakes is a good spot to have a lunch break and water up for the next segment of trail.

If I am hiking efficiently and conditions are cool I will not rewater from the South Upper Truckee until I reach Tamarack Lake 11.49 miles past Carson Pass. This means that I am going to have to stock a bit more than 32 oz at the South Upper Truckee, or stop for a water break at the Forestdale Ponds or Lost Lakes.

There is a fine campsite at Tamarack Lake, and I always take a break in this cool shaded site to rehydrate, have a nice snack, and refill my water bottle.

Before departing this shaded section of trail to head South towards Raymond Peak, I always stop at the campsite along the creek coming off of the North Side of Raymond Peak to re hydrate and refill my water bottle in anticipation of the upcoming 8+ mile crossing of the very dry exposed terrain between the North side of Raymond Peak to the South side of Reynolds Peak. Let's get back to the Forestdale Divide.

From the pond at the head of Forestdale Creek there is no water sitting directly on the trail in late Summer and Fall for 7.64 miles until we reach the small unnamed lake just South of Tamarack Lake. During dry years the many small creeks and tributaries that crisscross the area draining East during Spring dry out quite early in the Summer.

There is all-season water just off the trail at two points between Forestdale Divide and Tamarack Lake. Lost Lakes and Tamarack Lake both hold water all Summer, but both lakes are offset from the Pacific Crest Trail.

Lost Lakes is about a half-mile East of the PCT where the Lost Lakes dirt road intersects with the PCT and the Forestdale Divide Road. We can see the Northwest Lost Lake from where the trail crosses the dirt road to the lake. Just look East down the dirt road when you cross it and you will see the NW Lost Lake. I've never headed down there, but I'll bet there are loads of really nice campsites set up by car campers.

Roads = Car Campers = Campsites.

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Map Note

NOTE: The map does not properly depict the trail from Forestdale Divide to Lost Lakes. The trail is no longer routed to Lost Lakes, as depicted on the 7.5 min USGS Topo Map. The trail's loop to Lost Lakes has been straightened out, and the trail now crosses the dirt road to Lost Lakes about a half-mile West of the lakes.

Forestdale Divide Road's "loop" over to Lost Lakes has also been straightened out, and both the road and trail intersect about a half-mile West of Lost Lakes. Both the dirt road and the trail have been rerouted to the West of the NW Lost Lake.

I did not correct the map.
Correction: New map with corrected trail route updated 5-2012. Note the difference between the old and new routes. The area to the South of the junction between the Lost Lakes Road and trail was diffuse in 2010.

Continuing South on the Pacific Crest Trail

4.5 miles further South of Lost Lakes down the Pacific Crest Trail, sitting about .83 of a mile South of the Blue Lakes Road we will encounter the creek draining Tamarack Lake crossing the trail. Tamarack Lake is found less than an eight-mile SW off the trail following the creek.

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Map Note II

The 7.5 minute USGS topo map incorrectly depicts the trail coming off of the South Side of The Nipple. In fact it does not show the Pacific Crest Trail coming off the South side of The Nipple to the paved Blue Lakes Road at all.

Don't worry, I laid out the rough location of the Pacific Crest Trail route on the map.

The PCT continues South from the Blue Lakes Road and intersects with the trail coming up from the Tamarack Trailhead just South of Blue Lakes Road. The USGS map does not show the segment of the PCT coming South from Blue Lakes Road, but only shows the PCT coming out of the Tamarack Trailhead parking lot. This is incorrect. The PCT crosses Blue Lakes Road and does not loop through the Tamarack trail head.

South of Blue Lakes Road

Look for the large creek draining Eastward from Tamarack Lake .83 of a mile South of Blue Lakes Road, though when I passed by here in late September of 2009 the lake had dropped below the level necessary to feed the creek.

The creek bed draining Tamarack Lake is large enough that it's size and location should indicate to you the presence of the lake.

7.5 min USGS hiking topo Map
Carson Pass to Lost Lakes

30 min USGS hiking topo Map
Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass

Note: Click the Colored Dots on the Maps!

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

Miles and Elevations

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South
Forestdale Divide to Blue Lakes Road

Backpacking Trail Guide

North

The Carson Pass

Backpacking Trail Guide

South

Forestdale Divide
to
Blue Lakes Road

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Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass
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Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide

North: The Carson Pass                                                                        South: Forestdale Divide to Blue Lakes Road

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Frosted Backpack

Backpacking Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

Snug tent after Snow Storm
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