Remote Lakes and Granite Canyons of the Emigrant Wilderness, California

Day 1: We will meet in the late afternoon near Pinecrest to decompress, check our gear, review our route/trip procedures, and get acquainted over dinner (bring your own).

Day 2: Crabtree Trailhead to West Fork of Cherry Creek. We hike to the sometimes raging west fork. We will get an early start to allow us to enjoy the day and arrive at camp by mid-afternoon. Distance: 7 miles. Elevation gain: 1,500 feet. Elevation loss: 1,000 feet. Campsite elevation: 7,600 feet.

Day 3: From the West Fork of Cherry Creek, we will choose one of several possible routes into the lake basin containing wonderful lakes such as Hyatt, Pingree, and Yellowhammer. Traversing these little-used trails will require some route-finding as we make our way to our camp at one of these enticing lakes. Distance: 4-7 miles. Elevation gain: 800 feet. Elevation loss: 600 feet. Campsite elevation: 7,400 feet.

Day 4: We enjoy a layover day, providing the opportunity to explore the numerous lakes of this basin and climb ridgetops to check out the expansive views south into Yosemite and beyond. You may elect to relax around camp with lakeside strolling and the occasional chilling, but refreshing, dip into the lake.

Day 5: We will choose from various options: either make our way to Wire Lakes or continue to explore the many enticing lakes of this basin and/or another fork of Cherry Creek. Expansive views await us from the ridges before we settle into a pleasant lakeside campsite. Distance: 6-8 miles (a couple of miles cross-country). Elevation gain: 1,600 feet. Elevation loss: 1,000 feet. Campsite elevation: 8,800 feet.

Day 6: On our last night, we may choose to camp at Piute Meadow, Lily Pad Lake, or Grouse Lake. We'll hike mostly on trail through classic Emigrant country past appropriately named Jewelry and Gem lakes, and cross Cherry and Piute Creeks. Distance: 5 miles. Elevation gain: 1,200 feet. Elevation loss: 1,500 feet. Campsite elevation: 7,600 feet.

Day 7: We head out to Crabtree trailhead, arriving around mid-day. Distance: 6 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Elevation loss: 1,000 feet.

Getting There

We will meet near Pinecrest, California. More specific directions will be sent in correspondence between the leader and participants.

Directions to Pinecrest:

• From Oakland, CA: Pinecrest is about 150 miles east of Oakland via I-580, CA-120, and CA-108.
• From Reno, NV: It is about 150 miles southwest of Reno via I-580, US-395 and CA-108.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The first night will be spent at a campground near Pinecrest. Bring your own dinner to the campsite. We will provide meals starting with breakfast at the campground; the last meal will be a quick lunch on our last day. Meals are planned to be tasty and filling. We will provide all of trip food. Cooking and clean-up duties will be shared by all members of the group on a rotating basis. If you have special dietary needs or restrictions, please contact the trip leader in advance of signing up for the trip – accommodations may be feasible.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated 3 out of 5, where 1 denotes the least difficult trip and 5 denotes the most difficult. A 3 rated trip is physically challenging, and requires pre-trip training and physical conditioning. We will experience significant elevation gain and loss at high altitude, both on- and off-trail. The layover day can be as strenuous or leisurely as you like it. Most planned single-day elevation gains are less than 1,500 feet. We will generally hike between four and seven miles per day. Some days we will hike for six to seven hours (including breaks), but possibly longer, if unforeseen difficulties arise. Off-trail sections of the trip are not foreseen to be overly difficult, but may require patience and good balance. Since our trip is at high elevations, very good aerobic conditioning is essential. You must have the ability to hike up to eight miles per day at high elevation with a backpack weighing as much as 40 pounds. We may encounter snowfields and challenging stream crossings.

You must maintain a regular fitness program, supplemented by weekend practice hikes wearing the boots and pack (loaded with at least 40 pounds) that you plan to bring on the trip. Also, taking at least one "warm-up" backpacking trip prior to this outing, at high elevation, if possible, is recommended. If you are not in good shape, you simply won't have a good time. Be honest with yourself about your high-elevation capabilities. Altitude sickness is an unpleasant and potentially serious condition. Trip participants are encouraged to arrive in the area one or two days before the trip in order to begin high-elevation acclimatization.

This trip is suitable for participants with recent backpacking experience who are in excellent physical condition. Experience in cross-country backpacking is not required, but hiking on rough, rocky terrain can prove challenging if you are not physically and mentally prepared. For cross-country hiking practice, find a dry streambed or other rocky terrain in your area to negotiate while wearing a loaded backpack.

The High Sierra is renowned for its excellent summer weather. However, extended storms can occur at any time of the year. Afternoon thunderstorms, with sudden cloudbursts of wind, rain, hail, and even snow, are not uncommon. Be prepared for any extremes on this trip: daily temperatures can exceed 80 degrees and can fall into the 30s at night.

Equipment and Clothing

We provide pots, utensils, stoves, fuel, group first-aid kit, repair kit, rope and tarp. Bears are in the vicinity so we will carry our food in bear-proof canisters (provided). You will need to bring enough water bottles or a bladder with a capacity to carry at least 2 liters of water. We will filter water for group use in camp, but plan to bring your own individual water treatment (e.g., tablets, water filter, SteriPEN, etc.). Limit your personal gear to 20 pounds or less – each participant's share of the commissary load could be up to 14 pounds at the start of the trip, occupying at least as much space as a full grocery sack.

Sturdy, fully broken-in boots providing good support with rubber lug soles are required. For shelter, tents with a rainfly are strongly encouraged, and lightweight waterproof tarps are the required minimum. For raingear, we recommend a waterproof jacket and rain pants rather than a poncho.

Refer to the recommended the equipment list at http://www.knapsack.org/basic_equipment.html

References

Books:

• Muir, John, The Mountains of California.
• Schifrin, Ben, Emigrant Wilderness and Northwestern Yosemite.
• Laws, John Muir, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada.

Maps:

• Tom Harrison Trail Maps Emigrant Wilderness, available at outdoor stores, Amazon or at www.tomharrisonmaps.com.
• USGS Topo 7.5 Minute Quads: Pinecrest, Cooper Peak, Emigrant Lake

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about the conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by salaried staff, encouraging grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy, and participation in the goals of the Club.

The United States Congress designated the Emigrant Wilderness in 1975. Livestock-grazing was in practice at this time and thus was grandfathered into the wilderness management plan. Whereas we may encounter no livestock grazing on our trip, grazing and other “resource management” activities have been controversial in the Emigrant. The U.S. Forest Service is in the process of revising its Forest Management Plans nationwide, providing many opportunities for concerned citizens to voice their views on issues such as grazing, fire management, and new wilderness. During our trip, we will discuss how these issues impact the Emigrant and also share experiences from other parts of the country.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.