tree, Poison Flat

Below: Looking South from Forester Pass on the JMT towards Tyndall Creek, the Kern Canyon, and the Great Western Divide.

Flowers, Sonora Pass

Banner: Looking South from Forester Pass

The Trails

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Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitneyctions Index

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Trail Guide: The 8 Trail Sections

An Introduction to, and an Index of the High Sierra Trails between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney

back to the trailhead

Trail Guide Construction Notes

This trail guide is under active construction.

It has many shortcomings that only time & work will heal.

As of late October, 2011, I have substantially completed basic drafts of the topics necessary to support backpacking. I have now returned to writing the trail guide from Highway 4 to Tuolumne Meadows. Topo Maps, miles and elevations informaiton is almost complete to Tuolumne Meadows.

I am currently returning to building the trail guide pages.

Keep in touch. The information already on line is being brought up to speed, and there's many miles yet to come.

Section One: Lake Tahoe Trail Heads

Lake Tahoe Trailhead Options

to the Carson Gap exit from the Tahoe Basin

Lake Tahoe is the Northern bookend of the High Sierras, marking the Northern extent of the high altitude range. As you head South towards Mount Whitney, you will experience constantly increasing altitudes, until you finally find yourself hiking for miles along an 11,000 foot plateau approaching the highest elevation in the continental United States: the top of Mount Whitney.

But you don't have to hike all the way to Mount Whitney! Carson, Ebbetts, and Sonora Passes preceed Tuolumne Meadow on the trails South, and all are excellent destinations for medium and long distance backpacking trips out of the Tahoe Basin.

THREE TRAILHEAD OPTIONS AROUND LAKE TAHOE

The three trailhead options (map locations) at Lake Tahoe described in this trail guide were selected because they represent good options for long-distance hikers entering the High Sierras through Lake Tahoe. Hikers coming down from the Northernmost trailhead will pick up the guide at Meeks Bay, those driving in on Highway 50 can start at Echo Summit, and Christmas Valley represents hikes coming down from the Eastern reaches of the Carson Range.

I have used all of these trail heads to launch my favorite trip, and the focus of this trail guide: backpacking the whole length of the High Sierra from Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney.

These trailheads are representative of many other local trail heads where you can begin your trip to Mount Whitney from Lake Tahoe, or from points far beyond. The trail heads described here are just as good for short trips and local loops around the Tahoe Basin as they are to start a long through-hike South. I think the one eventually leads to the other.

You are invited to contribute your own notes on the trails, trail heads, trip accounts, trail culture and trail and weather conditions. The Trails Forum allows you to upload pictures or videos about these trails and your favorite local routes and experiences. Your perspective is vital to compile as broad a view of the High Sierras as possible. A link at the bottom of each page demands that you add your perspective, opinion, experiences, or ask your questions about that particular location. It's up to you, but it will help us all get a fuller picture. One good question provides answers for a lot of backpackers.

TWO ROUTE OPTIONS

Besides having three major trailhead options out of Lake Tahoe, you also have two major route options through the Northern Sierras between Lake Tahoe and Tuolumne Meadows. This trail guide covers both the Tahoe to Yosemite and the Pacific Crest Trail routes between Lake Tahoe and Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite.

Quick Facts: Tahoe to Whitney

Topo Maps Index

Elevations/Mileages

Lake Tahoe Resources/Transportation

Side Trips/Short Loops: Everywhere!

Car Camping

Read, or add your own hiker's comments about Trail Section #1 and the Trail Segments it contains

Desolation Wilderness, Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Head at Meeks Bay.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Head at Meeks Bay. The Desolation Wilderness begins at the end of the road.

Lake Tahoe from South of Echo Summit on the Pacific Crest & Tahoe to Yosemite Trails

Christmas Valley in fog, above the South Upper Truckee Trail head in Meyers.

Echo Chalet at the Echo Lake Trail head and Marina

Resupply Point #1

Echo Lake Chalet

Echo Lake Chalet is located at the South end of Lower Echo Lake, just past where the Southbound hiker exits Desolation Wilderness Trailhead. If you chose to begin your journey South through the Meeks Bay Trailhead, you will pass the Echo Lake Chalet. Echo Lake is the very popular Southern Entrance to the heavily used Desolation Wilderness.

Echo Chalet is not a vital resupply point for Southbound Tahoe to Whitney or Tahoe to Yosemite Backpackers. The reason is that the Chalet is only 28.71 miles South of the Meeks Bay Trail Head on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. And, the Echo Lake Chalet sits North of our Echo Summit and South Upper Truckee trailheads, which makes it irrelevant for Southbound packers out of those two trailheads.

As my standard food load is five days, and I carry up to 11 days of food, I prefer to carry the food necessary to cover the 68 mile distance between Meeks Bay and the Lake Alpine Lodge, so I don't rely on Echo Chalet for resupply.

The 68 miles seperating the Meeks Bay Trail Head from the Lake Alpine Lodge on Highway 4 makes the Lake Alpine Lodge my first resupply point South of Meeks Bay. I rely on Echo Lake for a boost of good food and milkshake power.

The Echo Lake Chalet is a vital resource for Northbound backpackers on the Pacific Crest Trail. Check out this discussion of your Northbound Resupply Options between Tuolumne Meadows and the Echo Lake Chalet.

Read more about your Southbound route options on the Pacific Crest Trail or the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail on the Trail Guide Index, on the Carson Gap Trail Guide page, in the maps section, and in the miles and elevations pages. This information will provide you with a variety of basic information about these routes.

The Echo Lake Chalet

Echo Summit

Echo Summit and South Upper Truckee trailheads to the Carson Gap

Backpackers using the Echo Summit or the South Upper Truckee trailheads will find much quieter backpacking in the Meiss Country Roadless Area than they would have experienced starting at Meeks Bay. These trailheads also knock a few miles off of the 181 miles between Meeks Bay and Tuolumne Meadows on the TYT.

This section explores a triangular section of the Meiss Roadless Area on the Southern End of the Tahoe Basin between Echo Summit, the South Upper Truckee Road trail head, and the Carson Gap where both trails depart the Lake Tahoe Basin.

These are all excellent trailheads to begin short and medium length backpacking trips in the Northern Sierras, if not a long trek South to Tuolumne Meadows or Mount Whitney.

South Upper Truckee

Echo Summit Trail Head.

The South Upper Truckee Trail Head.

North side: Carson Gap and Pass

Section Two:

The Carson Gap to Highway 4

The Carson Gap is the point where Southbound backpackers exit the Lake Tahoe Basin.

This is where the Southbound Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails part, and from here you will follow your selected route South towards Highway 4.

If you're following the Pacific Crest Trail, your route will bring you Southeast through Carson Pass and subsequently down the Eastern flank of the Sierra Crest to Ebbetts Pass.

If you are following the Tahoe to Yosemite trail, your route will bring you around the Southwest flank of Round Top and The Sisters, to hike the Western Flank of the Sierras to Lake Alpine.

In short, you will be heading to either the East or West of Round Top, the mountain pictured at top Left, on your way to Highway 4.

This section contains a route discussion comparing the terrain, mileage, elevations and the different characteristics of these two trails.

Excellent Video describing your PCT-TY trail choice

South side: Ebbetts Pass and Lake Alpine

Passing through the Carson Gap with the July bloom.

Approaching Ebbetts Pass from the North, Looking NE

Heading South out of the Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap on the PCT-TY trails. Round Top decorates our Southern view. The PCT heads Left, East of Round Top, while the TY trail heads around its Western flank.

Approaching Ebbetts Pass and Highway 4 from the North on the Pacific Crest Trail. This is the view to the NE.

The Carson Pass Cabin at Carson Pass on Highway 88. I only see Carson Pass if I am following the Pacific Crest Trail South.

Lake Alpine viewed from Bee Gulch, as we drop off of the top of Mount Reba approaching Lake Alpine at Highway 4 on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Resupply Point #2

Highway 4

Ebbetts Pass and Lake Alpine

Lake Alpine Lodge

and/or

Bear Valley

Lake Alpine Lodge sign on Highway 4.

Bear Valley, 3 miles West from Lake Alpine, this bear marks Bear Valley

Highland Creek Trail head, E side of Lake Alpine

Section Three: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Highway 4 to Highway 108

There are two major Southbound trailheads on Highway 4, the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail heading South from the East Side of Lake Alpine, and the Southbound Pacific Crest Trail out of Ebbetts Pass.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Topo Map: Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

The Pacific Crest Trail

Topo Map: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Leavitt Peak from Sonora Gap. Sonora Pass is at base of mastif

Leavitt Peak (it's not visible behind the mountaintop in back) from the Sonora Gap, Pacific Crest Trail, looking South towards the Sonora Pass on Hwy 108. The Sonora Pass is situated beyond the low hill in foreground and the mountains in the background.

Highland Creek Trail head, E side of Lake Alpine, South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Ebbetts Pacific Crest Trail head, Southbound

One beat-up Pacific Crest Trail marker, Southbound PCT at Ebbetts Pass.

Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, with the Stueve Family's Milk Wagon

Resupply Point #3

Highway 108

Kennedy Meadows Pack Station

I love this place!

Don't miss Kennedy Meadows on your trip along the Sierra Crest! Euros and other visitors who wish to experience the Modern West should reserve a cabin and hang out!

The towns of Walker and Bridgeport (Hwy 395)

Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, with the Stueve Family's Milk Wagon.

Section Four: Sonora Pass to Tuolumne Meadows

Highway 108 to Highway 120

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

KENNEDY MEADOWS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS, The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route South through the Emigrant Basin, to connect with the PCT below Bond Pass.

The Pacific Crest Trail

SONORA PASS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS, The Pacific Crest Trail route South to Tuolumne Meadows.

Quick Facts

Maps

Elevations

Mileages

Tuolumne Meadows Resources/Transportation

Resupply Points: Tuolumne Meadows Store, Tuolumne Meadows Post Office, Lee Vining.

Side Trips/Short Loops

Car Camping

Read, or add your own hiker's comments about Trail Section #3 and the Trail Segments it contains

Sonora Pass, Highway 108, Westbound. This is your low point between Sierra Peaks.

Lembert Dome in morning light, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite. Sammy Shannon walked me up the sunlit side.

Tuolumne Meadow Cafe, Post Office, and Store

Resupply Point #4

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite, Highway 120

A top quality long-time staff is complimented, and challenged by, everything the world can throw at them, including urban idiots and outdoor specialists from all around our country and all over the world.

Tuolumne Meadows Grill, Post Office, and Store

Tuolumne Meadow Cafe, Post Office, and Store

Trail Guide Construction Notes

I have not yet completed any of the trail guide elements for the trails between Tuolumne Meadows and Mount Whitney.

I hope to have at least the Maps and Mileages info up before the upcoming Summer backpacking season begins in earnest.