The backpacking trails Between Highway  4 and Highway 108

Back to the Trail Section index

North to the Lake Tahoe to Lake Alpine index

South to the Highway 4 to Highway 108 index

Highway 4 to Highway 108

The Two Trailheads South to Highway 108

Silver Valley and Ebbetts Pass

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Route

Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

The Pacific Crest Trail Route

Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Silver Valley-Highland Creek

Trail Guide

Map Index

Miles Index

Forum Index

Ebbetts Pass Trailhead

Trail Guide

Map Index

Miles Index

Forum Index

The Highland Creek Hybrid

Loop the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness using the PCT and TYT

Heading across the length of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness you will find 4 trails linking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail with the Pacific Crest Trail. North to South the trails are Highland Creek, Arnot Creek, Disaster Creek, and Boulder Creek. Each of these connector trails allows you to craft larger or smaller loops incorporating both the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails around the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

One of my favorite routes through here heading Southbound on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is to depart the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Highland Creek to join up with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

This route allows me to hike through the rigors of Summit City on my way to my resupply at Lake Alpine on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. At the Jenkins Canyon TYT trail junction I will continue NE up Highland Creek to pass by Highland Lakes to link up with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass. Continuing South on the PCT I will climb down into, and back up through the East fork of the Carson River on my way over its headwaters bowl, a section of the trail which I really enjoy.

From Sonora Pass on Highway 108 you have the option of continuing South on the Pacific Crest Trail, or hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite route South out of Kennedy Meadows. Or you can put together your own route through the Emigrant Wilderness, as you did through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

To hike this particular hybrid TYT-PCT route when you reach the East side of Spicer Meadow Reservoir continue up the Highland Creek Trail past the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail turn at Jenkins Canyon. From the Jenkins Canyon trail junction you continue to follow the Highland Creek Trail up past Highland Lakes and across Gardiner Meadow to connect with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

I hiked a Fall loop using elements of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail through the Carson-Iceberg in 2011. It was a fine trip.

The sign above was at the Silver Valley Trailhead before it was removed. Gabbott Meadow was drowned by the creation of Spicer Meadow Reservoir in 1989. Gabbot Meadow now sits under the East side of the reservoir, surrounded by lakeside campsites. Wolf Creek Pass is 3.27 miles NE from the Highland Lakes Trailhead. This makes the distance from the Silver Valley Trailhead to Wolf Creek Pass on the PCT 21.27 miles.

Wolf Creek Pass is 9.73 miles NE from the Jenkins Canyon trail junction (where the TYT route continues South), and Wolf Creek Pass is about 7 miles South of Ebbetts Pass, and 22.48 miles North of Sonora Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Trail Guide

Map Series

Miles

Backpacking Route History: The Tahoe-Yosemite Trail

Resupply

On the North Side of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness from Highway 4:

Lake Alpine Lodge

Bear Valley General Store

The Town of Arnold

On the South Side of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness from Highway 108:

Kennedy Meadows Pack Station

The Towns of Walker and Bridgeport