Mapology

MAP NOTE
Those squares breaking the USGS maps up into grids are the Universal Transverse Mercator / Military Grid Reference System, otherwise commonly known as UTM.

What's important for our general reference purpose is that each side of a square is 1000 meters, or a Kilometer.

From my point of view that is 1093.6 yards or .62 of a mile.

Diagonal: 1414.22 meters, if my trig is correct.

That converts the diagonal distance into 4,639.8 feet or .88 of a mile.

Common Map Symbols

Main Features: The roller coaster picks up speed from the Swampy Lake South to the Boulder Lake Trail Junction.

Winding Northeast from the Swampy Lake around the South side of Peak 9501 gives up some nice views of the East Carson River before we turn Southwest to begin winding our way around the Southwest side of Boulder Peak.

On the West side of Boulder Creek we cross Boulder Creek high up its drainage, at the top of its year-round flow. Just South of Boulder Creek there are nice campsites on both sides of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Climbing Southeast around the South side of Boulder Peak brings us through a channel of forest and rock to a fine overlook of the East Carson River in its granite gorge. Continuing South we continue to climb the last ridge arm separating us from the Boulder Lake Trail Junction.

The trail from the Tahoe to Yosemite trail along Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River through Boulder Creek is the shortest connector of the 4 that tie these two trails together as they cross the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Below us to the East the East Fork of the Carson River sits at the bottom of its great granite-faced gorge. The unmaintained trail route along the East Carson River will join with the Pacific Crest Trail in a few miles. We will take a break at this junction after we hike down the switchbacks off the crestline to river level.

This sloppy article describes entering the East Carson River and its unmaintained trail from the East.

This map depicts the Pacific Crest Trail from the Swampy Lake around Boulder Peak and Creek to the Boulder Lake Trail Junction.

Map Miles, Elevations Information

Miles and Elevations

Marsh Lake                              9200                 14.65

Al Camp at Boulder Creek       8640                 16.71

East Carson River Overlook     ----                    17.1

Boulder Lake Junction             8560                17.71

Miles and Elevations

Ebbetts to Sonora Pass Topo maps Index

Nearby trailheads, North to South

Ebbetts Pass Trailhead

Gardner Meadow Trailhead

Disaster Creek & Clarks Fork Trailheads

Sonora Pass Trailheads

USGS Topo Map Information

Map Name
Dardanelles Cone Calif., 1979, 7.5 minute Topographic

Compass Offset
Magnetic North is 18.25 degrees East of True North

scale: 1:24 000

Contours: 80 Feet

Permits

National Forest Contacts

Toiyabe National Forest

Backpacking permitting authority

Carson Ranger District

Wilderness Area

Carson-Iceberg Wilderness

Swampy Lake: 9200 feet

Boulder Creek Campsites: 8640 feet

Boulder Lake trail junction: 8560 feet

Trail Guide, Section: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Trail Guide, Segment: Ebbetts Pass Trail head

Google Map: Highway 4

Map Credit

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior: The USGS

USGS MAP LOCATOR

Use search term "Meeks Bay," and "Address," as search type to locate this USGS map.

USGS Topographic

Map Information

Map Symbols