First, you can stop at the Ranger Station during working hours and fill out a permit. Second, if you cannot pick up your permit, you can call the proper Ranger Station prior to your trip, and the Rangers will fill out your permit and leave it outside for you to pick up.

Third, if you find it impossible to stop in at the Ranger Station on your way to your trail head, you can sometimes talk the Ranger into filling out your permit and sending it to you. They don't like to do this anymore, as the Ranger Stations are running real short of money.

As I often hitch-hike to railheads, it is much easier for me if I call the Ranger Station well in advance of my departure date and talk them into sending me the permit.

comments

The Stanislaus National Forest

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route

Backpacking the Stanislaus National Forest

Hiking from Carson Pass to Bond Pass

Introduction

This Guide is constructed primarily for long distance backpackers hiking North to South along the length of the Sierra Nevada Crest line along the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails.

Thus the National Forests, Wilderness Areas, and Special Management Zones are described as you will encounter them in sequence along these trail routes as you pass into and out of local trailheads. South to North hikers should read the Trail Guide and Miles and Elevation pages backwards from bottom to top.

What is important for short and medium distance backpackers and section hikers is that most of the access points to the trails across these national forests, wilderness areas, and special zones are through trailheads which are mostly located along the trans-Sierra Highways that bisect the Sierra Nevada.

This is not the case with the Stanislaus National Forest along Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route. You will both enter and exit the Stanislaus NF in the heart of High Sierra wilderness areas far from trailheads as you hike South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

Hiking South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail we first enter the Stanislaus National Forest South about 13 miles of Highway 88 when we finally exit the difficulties of the unmaintained trail section we encountered South of Round Top that stretches from our entry into Summit City Creek South to Camp Irene.

We enter the Stanislaus National Forest by crossing the North Fork of the Mokelumne River at Camp Irene.

Northern access into the Stanislaus NF along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is through trailheads that are located in the El Dorado National Forest to the North along Highway 88.

Hiking the Length of the Stanislaus National Forest

The Scope of the Stanislaus National Forest

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hikes down the length of the Stanislaus National Forest.

Hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Southbound from Carson Pass we enter the Stanislaus National Forest far from any trail head where we cross the North Fork of the Mokelumne River at Camp Irene. Further South, Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hikers will also depart the Stanislaus National Forest far from any trailhead, 68 miles (?) South of Camp Irene where we hike through Bond Pass into Yosemite National Park.

During these 68 miles we have crossed the Western sections of the Mokelumne and Carson Iceberg Wilderness, and hiked across the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route enters and departs the Stanislaus National Forest far from any trailheads.

We arrive at the Stanislaus National Forest boundary at Camp Irene after hiking 16.45 miles South from the Carson Gap through the Mokelumne Wilderness administered by the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest.

Section Hiking the TYT

from

Carson Pass to Lake Alpine

This is why there are El Dorado NF links and information on this Stanislaus National Forest page. If you are section hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Southbound between Carson Pass on Highway 88 and Lake Alpine on Highway 4 you will obtain your permit from the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest.

If you are section-hiking the TYT Northbound between Lake Alpine on Highway 4 and Carson Pass on Highway 88 you will obtain your permit from the Calavaras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest.

The Northern entrance into the Stanislaus National Forest along the TYT is a difficult way to enter the forest. Let's take a closer look at the terrain North of the Stanislaus NF in the El Dorado NF hiking down to the boundary between the El Dorado and Stanislaus National Forests from Highway 88.

Carson Pass Region Map

Carson Gap to Lake Alpine Map

Entering the unmaintained trail zone

Summit City Creek

Wilderness Areas

The Stanislaus National Forest covers a bit of the Mokelumne Wilderness to the North of Highway 4, the Western half of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness between Highways 4 and 108, and the entirety of the Emigrant Wilderness, which sits to the South of Highway 108.

The Stanislaus National Forest is large, but not as large as the Toiyabe National Forest.

The Toiyabe National Forset administers most of the Pacific Crest Trail route along the Sierra Crest and Eastern Sierra flank between Lake Tahoe South to the Yosemite National Park boundary at Dorothy Pass Lake.

The Toiyabe National Forest continues South from Dorothy Pass Lake to wind around the Northeastern boundaries of Yosemite almost down to Highway 120, the Tioga Pass Road.

Check out the Stanislaus National Forest Map, on the Stanislaus National Forest website.

On the Eastern Side of the Northern Sierra the Toiyabe National Forest administers the Eastern sections of two of these wilderness, the Mokelumne and Carson Iceberg Wilderness. Though not a wilderness area, the Toiyabe NF South of Highway 108 stretches down around the Eastern boundary of the Emigrant Wilderness, continuing Southeast to wrap around the Northeastern boundary of the Yosemite backcountry.

The Three Wilderness Areas within the Stanislaus National Forest

The Mokelumne, Carson-Iceberg, and Emigrant Wilderness

On the Western Flank of the Sierra Nevada from 8 miles North of Highway 4 to well South of Highway 108 the Stanislaus National Forest holds the biggest section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. The Stanislaus is also our gateway into the Western sections of these these three beautiful wilderness areas for short or medium distance backpacking loops and trips, as well as section hikes on the Tahoe to Yosemite and various Tahoe to Whitney trail routes.

I strongly urge you to check out the Western sections of all three of these amazing wilderness areas. Once you get a idea as to how large and diverse these areas are, you will see my logic in always planning trips of no less than five days. It takes that long to just begin to adjust, dust off your natural perspectives, and then cover enough territory to get a feel for the depth, as well as the length and breadth of the beauty in and around you. It takes a bit of time to dig in to the experience.

Eastern Aspects

The PCT route down the length of the Toiyabe National Forest offers access to the same wilderness areas, but along the Eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada. The Eastern sections of both the Mokelumne and Carson Iceberg Wilderness sit within the Toiyabe National Forest.

The terrain on the Eastern and Western Flanks of the Sierra are considerably different. Between Carson Pass and Sonora Pass the PCT passes mostly through Volcanic terrain within the Toiyabe National Forest, with the notable exception of the upper reaches of the East Fork of the Carson River. Lovely place. The Western Route of the Tahoe to Yosemite brings us across terrain that defines the interfaces between granite and volcanic terrains. Just delicious.

To access the amazing High Sierra Hiking trails within the Stanislaus National Forest for short or medium distance backpacking trips you should divide the Stanislaus National Forest by Highway Access. Highway 4 and Highway 108 are the main highways that access the wilderness areas and the high trails across the length of the Stanislaus National Forest, and these highways bracket the Stanislaus National Forest's wilderness areas.

comments

Section Hikers

Section Hiking the Western Sierra across the Stanislaus National Forest

Got a few days you need to kill? Have I got some trips through the Stanislaus for you! From Lake Alpine on Highway 4 you can section hike the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail North into the Mokelumne Wilderness to Carson Pass, a hard 20 mile trip. Or you can section hike the 34.64 miles of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail South from Lake Alpine into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness down to Saint Marys Pass on Highway 108. From Highway 108 the 75 mile hike down to Tuolumne Meadows beckons.

Topo Maps of the Stanislaus National Forest Wilderness Areas for Long, Short, and Looping Hikers

Carson Pass to Lake Alpine: The TYT, El Dorado to Stanislaus NFs, Mokelumne Wilderness. (Click the red dots along the TYT route for that location's trail guide page.)

Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass: The TYT, Stanislaus NF, Carson Iceberg Wilderness. (Click the red dots along the TYT route for that location's trail guide page.)

Saint Marys Pass to Yosemite Boundary: The TYT, Stanislaus NF, Emigrant Wilderness. (Neither are the trail routes or the red dots yet laid out, though I've labeled some of the features in the Emigrant Wilderness. Check out this map of the PCT South of Sonora Pass that depicts the Heart of the High Emigrant Basin. You can see where the TYT comes up from Kennedy Meadows and the difference between the PCT and TYT routes South of Sonora Pass. I prefer to craft my own routes through here, depending on how I'm feeling and what I want to see.)

From Highway 108 you can hike North into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness towards Ebbetts Pass or Lake Alpine, or hike South into the Emigrant Wilderness towards Tuolumne Meadows or Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite National Park.

The Most Fun

TYT-PCT LOOPS

and

Section Hiking the TYT from Carson Pass to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite

You can hike loops to and from your seclected trailheads along the PCT or TYT on both Highway 4 and Highway 108.

The plan is to hike out on the PCT and loop back on the TYT, or visa-versa. You can craft some pretty amazing PCT-TYT loops South from Highway 4, and North and South from Highway 108. These are great loops, a whole lot of fun. Twenty seven miles is around the very minimum distance you can make a TYT-PCT loop, and you can easily stretch these loops out to 80 miles.

Here's how you do it: locate your favorite PCT or TYT trailheads along Highways 4 or 108. Look at both trails going South from Highway 4, and North or South from Highway 108. Note the first connector trail between the trails. Figure out the mileage. Note the second connector between the trails. Figure out that mileage. What suites you? Here's my account of a TYT-PCT loop out of Lake Alpine South to Boulder Lake along the TYT. From Boulder Lake I hiked up to the PCT and headed North to Ebbetts Pass. More like a 51 mile horseshoe than a loop, but you get the idea...

The Emigrant Wilderness makes up the North and Northwestern boundary of Yosemite National Park, making the Stanislaus Trailheads along Highway 108 a great way to hike into and across Yosemite when permits are in very short supply at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite during mid-Summer.

Sections

If you are section-hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Southbound between Carson Pass on Highway 88 and Lake Alpine on Highway 4 you will obtain your permit from the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest.

The Carson Pass itself is administered by a special zone, the Carson Pass Management Area. The CPMA itself is also administered by the El Dorado National Forest, through the Amador Ranger District. Contact the Amador Ranger District for information on the CPMA and hiking South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Carson Pass.

If you are section-hiking the TYT Northbound between Lake Alpine on Highway 4 to Carson Pass on Highway 88 or South to Highway 108, you will obtain your permit from the Calavaras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest. (see above)

Draw your permit from the Summit Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest if you are hiking North or South out of the Western Highway 108 corridor. (see above)

I say the Western Corridors of Highways 4 and 108 because the the Eastern sides of both Highways 4 and 108 are within and administered by the Carson and Bridgeport Ranger Districts of the Toiyabe National Forest, respectively.

The Sierra Crestline acts as the rough dividing line between the Toiyabe National Forest on the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, while the El Dorado and Stanislaus National Forests administer the Western flank of the Sierra between Lake Tahoe to the Northwestern Yosemite National Park boundary.

Got it? If not, or if I got it wrong, add you information or hit me up through the comments link below.

comments

South out of the Lake Tahoe Basin on the Tahoe to Yosemite

Though we exited the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit when we crossed out of the natural confines of the Lake Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap, Highway 88 is the de-facto boundary dividing the Toiyabe National Forest's territory on the Eastern side of the Sierra crest line against the El Dorado's administration of the Western flank.

The tiny Carson Pass Management Area that surrounds the Carson Pass itself is administered by the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest. This is our Southbound gateway into either the Stanislaus National Forest if we hike Southwest on the TYT, or the Toiyabe National Forest if we hike Southeast on the PCT.

Hiking Southwest through the El Dorado National Forest along Summit City Creek we will cross into the Stanislaus National Forest when we ford the North Fork of the Mokelumne River in the hushed splendor emanating from the green forest and granite isolation around "serene" Camp Irene. Man, I love that place.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Route

The Stanislaus National Forest Administers more of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route than any other permitting authority along the TYT.

Overall, the Stanislaus National Forest administers the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from 8.36 miles North of Lake Alpine at the North Fork of the Mokelumne River at Camp Irene all the way down to Yosemite National Park boundary at Bond Pass. I have the length of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the Stanislaus National Forest at somewhere around 62 miles of the route's 181 total miles.

The length of the TYT that the Stanislaus administers can be broken into three stand-alone hiking trips. The basic divisions are Carson Pass to Lake Alpine through the Molkelumne Wilderness, Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, and Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows through the Emigrant Wilderness and the North Yosemite backcountry.

Too long? Too Hard? Too Easy? Pick the Section that suits you, Cut it Down, or Add these Sections Up!

Create the perfect trip for You

The Stanislaus National Forest offers a wide range of short and medium distance hiking trips that give backpackers deep access to three High Sierra wilderness areas with hundreds of miles of classic Sierra hiking trails. Great looping routes through both the Carson Iceberg and Emigrant Wilderness can give you access to classic sections along both the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails in one great backpacking trip.

Well, not a whole lot of the Pacific Crest Trail, unless you put your mind, and your feet towards making that happen. Most the the Pacific Crest Trail and its part of these three wilderness areas are within the Toiyabe National Forest. But this presents no problem at all.

We can easily hike sections along the PCT out of the Stanislaus NF by crafting trips through either the Carson Iceberg or Emigrant Wilderness where we link up the PCT and TYT through their connector trails. If you happen to start one of these loops out of an East Sierra trailhead you will draw your permit from the proper Ranger District out of the Toiyabe National Forest.

Check out the Highway 4 to Higway 108 trail guide index. Both the TYT and the PCT routes through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness are described, along with discussions about alternative routes to the main trails and the different backpacking loop options you have.

NORTHBOUND PCT HIKERS

Hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail will see little of the Stanislaus National Forest. Unless you exercise some of these same route options, and weave-in elements of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail into your PCT hike through these same connector trails mentioned above and in the trail guide.

Two strong suggestions for hikers North and South on either trail: do your homework, compose your route by putting together the best sections of both trails by finding the sections that best suit you, your goals, your experience, and your level of fitness.

The Pacific Crest Trail route Vs. The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route across the Northern Sierra Nevada

The Pacific Crest Trail backpacker will merely brush the Stanislaus National Forest a couple of times hiking along the Sierra Crestline between Carson Pass and Sonora Pass. The majority of the PCT hiker's trail between Carson Pass and Yosemite Lays within the Toiyabe National Forest.

Once you cross Highway 108 at the Sonora Pass (Southbound) you will enter the Stanislaus National forest for your brief hike around an edge of the Emigrant Wilderness for 7.97 miles. The PCT route South of Sonora Pass to the trail junction above Kennedy Canyon and Kennedy Lake follows the boundary line between the Stanislaus and Toiyabe National Forest along the crest line of the Leavitt Massif.

Once you pass South over the Leavitt Massif the PCT turns East to again hike into the Toiyabe National Forest at Kennedy Canyon and remains in the Toiyabe NF until you enter the Northern Boundary of Yosemite National Park at Dorothy Lake Pass.

The total length of the Pacific Crest Trail hiker's involvement with the Stanislaus NF is limited to these very few steps. That's too bad, as the Stanislaus has a lot of beautiful terrain that PCT hikers miss. And I'm very happy that the PCT skirts around the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness. It keeps it quite up there in the High Emigrant Basin.

The annual traffic is heavy when the "main body" of PCT hikers pass through the Sierra Nevada.

On the other hand, the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiker is within the Stanislaus National Forest for the majority of their hike between Carson Pass and Yosemite. Very much quieter...

On the third hand, the Tahoe to Yosemite backpacker is deprived of the experience of hiking through the Toiyabe National Forest, especially the East Fork of the Carson River. The Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite hiker will not see the Toiyabe National Forest again after entering Summit City Creek. (The TYT hiker can see the Toiyabe from Carson Pass, and from the South side of Round Top... )

In short, the PCT hiker only gets a taste of the Stanislaus NF, and the TYT hiker only gets a couple of brief glances East at the Toiyabe NF.

The Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails each craft unique routes down the Sierra Crest. The PCT is biased to the East flank of the Sierra Nevada, and the TYT to the Western flank.

This makes hiking between Lake Tahoe and Tuolumne Meadows something that needs to be done at least four times, once to check out each route, and a second time to get to know them a little better, a third trip to put together the best parts of both trails, and a fourth trip just for fun.

Pacific Crest Trail Route: MODIFICATIONS for the ADVENTUROUS PCT HIKERS

Pacific Crest Trail hikers (Northbound) can incorporate greater experience in the Stanislaus National Forest into their hikes. Especially PCT section hikers, who generally take more time, take more scrambles, and take more side-routes. Taking more time, or should I say investing more time exploring the terrain has its advantages.

PCT alternative Route #1: Across the Emigrant Basin to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station

First, your exit and re supply strategy from Yosemite National Park. Youare going to resupply at Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, your next resupply location 75 miles North of Tuolumne Meadows.

The PCT exits Yosemite through Dorothy Lake Pass, swings down to the West Walker River drainage, then turns up Kennedy Canyon to the backside of Leavitt Peak. Sonora Pass and Highway 108 sit on the North side of Leavitt Peak. The smart PCT hiker hitches 9 miles West down Highway 108 to resupply at Kennedy Meadows Pack Station-not Bridgeport, then hitches back up to Sonora Pass to continue South along the PCT. But you have an excellent alternative to the Pacific Crest Trail route.

You can easily hike down to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station by entering the Emigrant Wilderness of the Stanislaus National forest through Bond Pass rather than exiting Yosemite into the Toiyabe National Forest through Dorothy Lake Pass. Here's how you do it:

Rather than passing out of Yosemite National Park through Dorothy Lake Pass into the Toiyabe National Forest on your way North to Sonora Pass, you instead turn Northwest through Bond Pass into Emigrant Wilderness, then hike down the TYT route to pick up your re supply at Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, rather than hitch-hike from Sonora Pass.

The trail junction up to Bond Pass sits about a mile South of Dorothy Lake Pass at the top of Jack Main Canyon. Most Pacific Crest Trail hikers hitch-hike down Highway 108 to Kennedy Meadows from Sonora Pass. I merely propose walking there...

From Kennedy Meadows you can easily hitch back up to Sonora Pass on Highway 108 and continue South on the Pacific Crest Trail from there. This route variation adds around 15 miles to your total. I've got to check that... but it's a great piece of trail and stunning country that the PCT misses. Check out my "Trail Culture" pages that depict this route, though I hike Southbound from Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows. I figure you PCTers can use your imaginations and read it backwards...

The alternative route for the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite hiker is to exit Saint Marys Pass and walk the mile East up to Sonora Pass. From Sonora Pass you can continue your hike South on the Pacific Crest Trail. Or you can hitch down to Kennedy Meadows, resupply, and follow the TYT route South out of Kennedy Meadows.

Contrast and Compare Route Variation

Is it worth it? It's quite a bit longer to hike down to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station than hiking to Sonora Pass and hitch hiking down.

Lake Harriet, just North of Dorothy Lake along the Pacific Crest Trail is real pretty, set in thin Whitebark forest and granite. The terrain down the West Walker is fine forest and granite too, and the trail into Kennedy Canyon has a very remote feel to it. Exiting at the head of Kennedy Canyon you have a fine four-way view: down Kennedy Canyon, looking at the avalanche routes clearing the forested mountain sides above Kennedy Canyon, the view of the hulking mass of Big Sam to the South, blocking you way to the Emigrant Basin, Kennedy Lake nestled in the canyon dropping Westward between Big Sam to the South and the Leavitt Massif to the North. The PCT route around the Emigrant Wilderness is quite nice.

On the other hand, hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route through Bond Pass brings you into and across the heart of the High Emigrant Wilderness. Continuing Northwest you have grand views of the multiplicity of canyons falling West off the Sierra Crest line, until you pass into the great granite bowl that composes the High Emigrant Basin at the high heart of the Emigrant Wilderness. Trails radiate out from the High Emigrant Basin.

To the North a trail crosses over Big Sam to intersect with the PCT at the top of Kennedy Canyon. To the Southwest trails lead down the Western flank of the Sierra towards Pincrest Lake far down mountain near Highway 108. To the Northwest the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail passes through the interface between granite and volcanic terrain that Brown Bear Pass perfectly splits on its way down to Kennedy Meadows.

On the NE side the granite terrain has been covered by volcanic material. The SW side of Brown Bear Pass is composed of the distinctive pinkish-hued granite that highlights the beauty of the the High Emigrant Basin. Hiking up to the throat of Brown Bear Pass you will see that the interface between granite and volcanic terrain continues down the middle of the valley on the other side of the pass. Majestic granite bounds the SW side of the valley, while volcanic formations decorate the NE side. As you head down Summit Creek between this terrain created by fire and ice the incredible bulk of Granite Chief rises out of the terrain.

As you can infer from my route descriptions, I think both the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite routes on the North side of Yosemite National Park are awesome. You can't lose taking either route. My theory is to put together the longest trip your senses and physical capability can reasonably absorb.

PCT alternative Route #2: Extending the Route through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness by tying together elements of the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails

My second way-cool alternative route is to cut off of the Pacific Crest Trail route at Wolf Creek Pass in the Carson Iceberg Wilderness to hike down to an optional re supply, and a mandatory big fresh meal at Lake Alpine via Highland Creek and the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route. Map.

From Lake Alpine you can either remain on the TYT hiking North to Carson Pass to experience the deep solitude and route-finding difficulty of the unmaintained trail from Camp Irene North through Summit City Creek to Round Top. This is a very different set of trail conditions and atmosphere than hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail. Besides requiring route-finding skills and the ability to deal with deep isolation, this route variation adds about 11 miles to your total.

Contrast and Compare Route Variations

What is really different about this unmaintained section of the TYT from Lake Alpine to Carson Pass from the Pacific Crest Trail from Ebbetts Pass to Carson Pass is the pace. You can only go as fast as you are able to find a route through the terrain. You cannot just put your head down and hike as fast as you can. That approach will get you lost.

I strongly suggest hiking the Highland Creek connector to the TYT from Wolf Creek while hiking North on the PCT in the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, and visa-versa if you are hiking South on the TYT. I strongly suggest that you break off from the TYT to connect up with the PCT at Wolf Creek Pass if you are hiking the TYT Southbound out of Lake Alpine.

This route variation allows the TYT hiker to see the upper reaches of the East Fork of the Carson River. A fine section of the East Carson River is encased deep within a grand granite vault that is just stunning from the Pacific Crest Trail. As you will arrive at Sonora Pass on the PCT route only a mile East of the TYT's access point on Highway 108 at Saint Marys Pass, you will have substantially the same hitch-hike down to Kennedy Meadows to rejoin the the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route South to Yosemite.

Southbound hikers on the PCT will miss the hike up and over Tyron Peak, the cow-pie water of Noble Lake, and the volcanic terrain and forest that composes Noble Canyon's Eastward drainage. The view from the shoulder of Tyron Peak is really nice. From that position you can see how the Highland, Arnot, and Disaster Creek Drainages carve the terrain dropping off the Western Flank from the Sierra Nevada Crest line. In return the PCT hiker will be rewarded by the seclusion of the hike down Highland Creek, the great granite terrain along lower Highland Creek, close-up views of the great volcanic mass of The Dardanelles, and the satisfication of walking into Lake Alpine.

At Lake Alpine you are in position to hike through the unmaintained section of trail along the TYT up to your reunion with the PCT at Carson Pass.

Hiking the Lake Alpine to Carson Pass section of the TYT is much more of a navigational challenge than the Pacific Crest Trail between Ebbetts Pass and Sonora Pass. The terrain is much different as well. While the PCT passes through almost exclusively volcanic terrain, the TYT leaves volcanic terrain behind after crossing over Mount Reba. Climbing into Summit City Creek's great granite canyon is exhilarating.

PCT section hikers should seriously consider these two route variations, the first across the Emigrant Wilderness to walk into Kennedy Meadows, and the second down to Lake Alpine from the Northern Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Overall

These route options mixing up the best sections of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail as you hike through the Stanislaus National Forest will add a few dozen miles, and give you a good taste of the Stanislaus National Forest if you are a Pacific Crest Trail hiker.

I suggest the Highland Creek connector to for hikers on both the TYT and the PCT. This extension of the trip through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness makes both routes richer. If the PCT hiker does not alter their route they will miss the joys of the Stanislaus National Forest. If the TYT hiker does not alter their route they will miss the East Carson River in the Toiyabe National Forest.

Yeah, I know you PCTers are in a rush. Too bad for you. The trails between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney are the Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail. If you can't stretch out the most beautiful part of the whole trip a bit, then that means that you've got to come on back and do it again in a manner that will allow you to actually "soak it up," and take the time to do the experience justice.

On this page

Other National Forest Permitting Pages