Index

MAP

See the trail guide page to the North for the View from Tyron Peak

Hiking the PCT South through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness

Basic Facts

High Point of the Pacific Crest Trail across Tyron Peak: 9320 feet

Mileage

The Murray Canyon trail junction is 5.95 miles South of Tyron Peak

The Murray Canyon trail junction is 10.87 miles South of Ebbetts Pass

The Murray Canyon trail junction is 18.57 miles North of Sonora Pass

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Hiram Peak dominates the scene. You can see a sliver of blue where Upper Highland Lake sits West, to the right of Hiram Peak.

The Arnot and Disaster Creek courses are visible to the East, or Left of Hiram Peak, respectively. The flow of Arnot and Disaster Creeks divides to pass West and East of Lightening Mountain, the pointed peak visible to the Left of Hiram Peak in middle-distance.

The Sierra Crest line, capped by Arnot, then Disaster and Boulder Peaks rises on the Left side of the image above.

MAP

Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon

The Lay of the Land

From Tyron Peak we have a mostly gradual and smooth 2.1 mile drop down to Wolf Creek Pass. Deeply shaded Asa Lake offers excellent break and camping opportunities 1.69 miles South of the high point of the trail across Tyron Peak's 9320 foot shoulder.

At Wolf Creek Pass we have potential to access the Southbound connector trail from the Pacific Crest Trail down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Jenkins Canyon as well as the options to hike down the Arnot and Disaster Creek trails to their trailheads along the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

The 2.21 mile long trail South from the Wolf Creek Pass to the Gardner Meadow Trailhead passes by the trail junction leading South to both the Disaster and Arnot Creek trails down to the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus.

From the Gardner Meadow Trailhead we follow the dirt road South past Highland Lakes down through Highland Creek to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Jenkins Canyon. The Highland Lakes topo hiking map depicts this section of this route.

This web of trails connecting the PCT and TYT provide options for many backpacking loops touring the Carson Iceberg Wilderness. I discuss the potential for hiking loops of 20 to 80 miles around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness at the Jenkins Canyon and Boulder Lake trail junctions.

But we are heading South on the Pacific Crest Trail. This time.

This trail guide will soon offer guide pages hiking down two of the routes connecting the Pacific Crest Trail to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. One through Highland Creek and the other through Boulder Creek. In good time. I can only build trail guide so fast... I'm planning on my 5th TW hike in 2012 so I can Zig-Zag up and down Arnot and Disaster Creeks to fill in those missing parts of the guide through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

South of Wolf Creek Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail we will find that Wolf Creek offers nice camping before entering the canyons, first Murray, then Golden Canyon. These canyons hang on the Western Wall of the East Fork of the Carson River, and mark our entry into its drainage, though Wolf Creek, and everything else East of Highland Peak is a tributary of the East Fork of the Carson River.

South of Wolf Creek Pass we begin the long, undulating 22.42 mile climb, punctuated by many steep drops and rippling undulations of washboard terrain to finally wind our way up twisted trails towards the 10,240 foot gap where the Pacific Crest Trail finally escapes the headwaters bowl of the East Carson River.

Then we have a last bit of climbing up to the 10,500 foot Sonora Gap before dropping down to Sonora Pass's 9624 feet to end our hike through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

But first let's get ourselves to the Murray Canyon trail junction.

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Video: Tyron Peak to Murray Canyon Trail Junction. Time: 8:12

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South off of Tyron Peak

The Grand Views of Clarks Fork drainage Southwest, Noble Canyon Northeast follow us South off of the Tyron Gap.

We could be said to be looking into the heart of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness gazing South from Tyron Peak. We are observing the main drainages feeding the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River, Spicer Meadow Reservoir, and the North Fork of the Mokelumne.

The Highland Lakes feed the latter two, the Southwestern lake feeding Spicer Meadow Reservoir through Highland Creek and the Northeastern lake is the source of the North Fork of the Mokelumne. Disaster and Arnot Creeks drain down to the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River between Highland Creek and the East Fork of the Carson River.

But we will see none of these features on our Pacific Crest Trail route South through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. Except for our view of them here, from this long view of the Western flank of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness from Tyron Peak.

The North Mokelumne, Spicer Meadow Reservoir, and the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus are all features that decorate the Tahoe to Yosemite Route making its way South down along the Western Flank of the Mokelumne and the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

This is as good an argument as any for eventually hiking both the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trail routes through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, if not the whole Northern Sierra.

Mileage

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You can also see the Dardanelles peaking out half-way down the Northwestern flank (Right) of Hiram Peak. Spicer Meadow Reservoir sits at the foot of the Dardanelles.

On the Left side of Hiram you can see the golden strand of Upper Gardner Meadow where the Arnot and Disaster Creek trails intersect.

The Southbound Pacific Crest Trail route turns Left on this side of the gap to follow a gentle grade down the flank of the mountain to our present position sitting just North of, and above Asa Lake.

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Asa Lake

elevation: 8520

A well-developed campsite

There are a couple of campsites on the East side of Asa Lake below the expansive flat apron of land on the North side of the lake.

These more isolated sites are South on the PCT past the Asa Lake signpost where Elder Creek drains out. These sites are more private than the sites on the open flat apron sitting around the lake itself.

ASA Lake

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Mileage

1.69 miles South of the high point on Tyron Peak.

6.61 miles South of Ebbetts Pass.

Access from the Highland Lakes Road

A very short 2.53 miles separates the Gardner Meadow Trailhead from Asa Lake.

ROADMAP

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Southbound hikers will encounter this junction first.

The trail winds South around and down to the apron around the NE side of Asa lake.

On the Northeast side of the lake the PCT drops down to flat apron where the majority of campsites are located. Passing the lake to the South brings you to a couple of sites along the creek draining the lake.

The distance from the lake gives more privacy during busy Summer weekends when young families hike the kids out from the easy access via Gardner Meadow.

Trail Guide Options

Trail Guide Page South through Gardner Meadows to Highland Lakes, on our way down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Jenkins Canyon:

Highland Lakes to Wolf Creek Pass

Topo Hiking Map

Highland Lakes to Wolf Creek Pass

Many Hiking Trip Options

across the

Carson Iceberg Wilderness

If you are not walking the length of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, or following the Pacific Crest Trail route between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney, you still have many great long distance backpacking options in the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

The Carson-Iceberg Wilderness is worth exploring in short or medium distance sections, if not as part of a long backpacking trip. In fact, you can craft grand backpacking loops of up to 80 miles staying within the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Some of these routes are very isolated.

Many Options

Sections

Your first backpacking option is to hike the length of either the TYT and/or the PCT trail sections between the Northern boundary of the Carson Iceberg at Highway 4 to its Southern boundary along Highway 108. That would make you a "section hiker."

Hiking sections of either the PCT or TYT routes is always fun.

Loops

Next, you can craft great medium and long distance loops around the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness using the four main trails which connect the Tahoe to Yosemite route to the Pacific Crest Trail through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Wolf Creek Pass down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Highland Creek is the Northernmost and longest of these four trail connecting the PCT and TYT across the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

Check out this Carson Iceberg regional topo map that notes your various options.

Check out this article about a 50 mile loop around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Wolf Creek Pass

Wolf Creek Pass is the first of four trails connecting the Pacific Crest Trail with the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail across the length of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. Well, we really access three North to South connector trails turning towards Gardner Meadow from Wolf Creek Pass.

Hiking South down the trail towards Highland Lakes off of the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass brings you first to the Arnot and Disaster Creek trail junction half-way to the Gardner Meadow trailhead, which is along our hike to Highland Lakes.

Both the Arnot and Disaster Creek trails have trailheads on the Clarks Fork Road along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. Their Northern ends terminate on the trail linking Gardiner Meadow at Highland Lakes with Wolf Creek Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail. These are PCT-TYT connector trails number 2 and number 3.

Continuing towards Highland Lakes past the Arnot and Disaster Creek trail junction you follow the Highland Creek Trail from the Southern Highland Lake down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail the Northeast end of Spicer Meadow Reservoir. The Highland Lakes Trail is the first of our four PCT-TYT connector trails across the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

The Arnot and Disaster Creek trails are the second and third trails that connect the PCT and TYT across the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Further South along the Pacific Crest Trail we will encounter two other trails linking up with the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, the next at the Golden Canyon-Paradise Valley trail junction, and finally through the Boulder Lake trail junction.

The Paradise Valley trail from Golden Canyon leads West to Disaster Creek, which drains into the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus across the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

This route is a variant of the Disaster Creek Trail coming down from Wolf Creek Pass, but here we join the trail half-way down to the Clarks Fork. The Boulder Lake trail, our fourth and shortest route connecting the PCT and TYT trail, follows a feeder stream of Boulder Lake down through a good-quality unmaintained trail route to the Boulder Lake trail junction on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at the along the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

These four linking trails mean that you can create great and small backpacking loops by tying these connecting trails into sections of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail.

You can create 20 to 80 mile loops from the wide selection of trailheads on Highway 4 to the North, Highway 108 to the South, the Clarks Fork Road off of Highway 108, and even from Highway 395 to the East.

More Information

I also discuss the potential for hiking loops of 20 to 80 miles around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness at the Jenkins Canyon and Boulder Lake trail junctions.

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Wolf Creek Pass

Route options for PCT and especially PCT section hikers

Wolf Creek Pass-Highland Lake Trail Junction

Northbound Hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail

Hike to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Resupply at Lake Alpine

If you have lots of time on your hands while hiking North on the PCT up to Lake Tahoe, or you are a PCT section hiker, let me suggest this Pacific Crest Trail route variation as you hike North between Sonora Pass on Highway 108 to Ebbetts Pass on Highway 4.

At Wolf Creek Pass turn Southwest to Highland Lakes. On the South side of the Southwestern Highland Lake take the Highland Creek Trail down to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at Jenkins Canyon, just above the top of Spicer Meadow Reservoir. From there follow the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Lake Alpine.

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Pick up your resupply. and kick back at Lake Alpine for a nice day off.

Wolf Creek Pass is a little over 7 miles South of Ebbetts Pass at Highway 4 hiking North on the Pacific Crest Trail. This route alteration from Wolf Creek Pass down through Highland Creek and onto the Northbound TYT to Lake Alpine on Highway 4 is roughly 21 miles. This route alteration adds significant miles, 14 miles, to the Pacific Crest Trail route across the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, and also adds a significant increase in elevation climbed if you are crossing over from the TYT to the PCT heading South.

More Trail Options: North from Lake Alpine

The Northbound hiker along the Pacific Crest Trail route who have followed my crazy route variation down to Lake Alpine on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail are now faced with a 15 mile hitch-hike East on Highway 4 from Lake Alpine back up to the Pacific Crest Trail route at Ebbetts Pass.

This may not be your best move if you are a PCT section hiker, or have time, curiosity, and expert hiking skills in your head and feet. At Lake Alpine you are located just a bit South of, and over one mountaintop from a classic section of High Sierra Trail.

One of the most remarkable sections along a major High Sierra trail sits along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail just North of Lake Alpine. Unlike most major trails, this 9.7 mile section from Camp Irene to the Fourth of July Lake trail junction along Summit City Creek has long been unmaintained, offering an exercise for your observational skills, route finding skills, your physical fitness, and your psychological preparation for untrailed travel. Most major High Sierra Trails are deeply cut into the terrain. The section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail North of Mount Reba is not.

Though "named," and a major trail, the Tahoe to Yosemite between the North Fork of the Mokelumne and the trail junction below Fourth of July Lake is a special route. I call this section a transitional trail.

Trail sections like this one are the "front door" into cross-country travel, a first step into finding and crafting your own route through the Sierra. Though unmaintained and at times very rough, this section is contained within a constrained valley, keeping you roughly on course.

You do not have to find the crack in the Sierra Crest line into, or out of this rough section. A fine trail leads you into, and a fine trail leads you out of this isolated section of trail.

Though unmaintained, this route is well-marked late in the season. Fools leave ducks, which are thankfully swept away by the thaw every year. Early in the season this section is unmarked, and overgrown too. Mid-season this route is a classic. This route is soooo worthy of drawing the attention of PCT section hikers, it is so superior to the PCT route, that I cannot stress it enough. (The same thing is true about your potential PCT route variations across the Emigrant Wilderness too...my opinion...) Now that you are excited about this, let's do it.

TYT route North of Lake Alpine

Continue North on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Lake Alpine over Mount Reba down into the isolated roughness of the unmaintained trail section along the N Mokelumne River up Summit City Creek to the Fourth of July trail junction at historic Summit City, a ghost town where you are a few short miles from Carson Pass and rejoining the Pacific Crest Trail.

North of Carson Pass the Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe to Yosemite Trails rejoin for their unified trek around Lake Tahoe at the Carson Gap, no matter how you measure it, along with the Tahoe Rim Trail, which we will pick up at Meiss Cabin just inside the Tahoe Basin North of Carson Pass.

This is a great route combining elements of the Pacific Crest Trail through the grand beauty of the East Fork of the Carson River and then the isolated beauty of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the serial desolation first in Highland Creek, and then in the deep quiet of Summit City Creek.

Plus this route allows us to walk into Lake Alpine to pick up our re supply package.

For short and medium distance backpackers this hike from Ebbetts Pass to Lake Alpine via Highland Lakes and Creek along this route can be quite a nice trip.

PCT Mileage

The Wolf Creek Pass trail junction is .41 miles South of Asa Lake.

The Wolf Creek Pass trail junction is 3.85 miles North of Murray Canyon.

The Wolf Creek Pass trail junction is 7.02 miles South of Ebbetts Pass.

The Wolf Creek Pass trail junction is 22.42 miles North of Sonora Pass.

TYT Mileage

Wolf Creek Pass to Gardner Meadow Trailhead at Highland Lakes: 2.63 miles.

Gardner Meadow Trailhead to Highland Lakes Trailhead: 1.09 miles.

Highland Lakes Trailhead to Jenkins Canyon trail junction on the TYT: 6.46 miles.

Jenkins Canyon trail junction to Silver Valley Trailhead at Lake Alpine: 11.38 miles.

Silver Valley Trailhead (TYT) to Wolf Creek Pass: 21.56 miles.

Check out the Wolf Creek Pass (PCT) to Lake Alpine (TYT) Map

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Early morning frosts and freezes are never unexpected in the Sierra.

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Wolf Creek Pass to Wolf Creek Campsite

Wolf Creek Campsite: A Relaxing Spot

The next series of images brings you across 1.61 miles of rolling-rising terrain between Wolf Creek Pass and the nice campsite on the North side of Wolf Creek.

Wolf Creek drains down from our position here to flow under the East side of Highland Peak. We would have ended up down river from here if we had taken the Bull Canyon trail junction below the North side of Tyron Peak.

A bit South of here we will see sunbeams streaming through Bull Canyon onto the side of Highland Peak.

Mileage

Wolf Creek is 8.63 miles South of Ebbetts Pass.

Wolf Creek is 20.81 miles North of Sonora Pass.

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John, Dave, & crew. July 24, 2009.

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The trail tracks along the base of this section of the Sierra Crest Line.

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Feature on the East side of the Arnot Massif.

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This is likely a remnant of old pasture land absorbed into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

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Wolf Creek to Shark fin 9362

Unique Features Mark your Path

Wolf Creek is followed by two of Wolf Creek's feeder drainages to the South.

Mileage

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Darkness, Light, Hot and Cold, Up and Down, the trails through nature are a kaleidoscope of feelings, sensations, sights, and experiences.

Don't live your life without dipping it deeply into its primary sources.

Pacific Crest Section Hikers. This Section (encountered sept '09): Tuolumne to Ebbetts Pass. After we talked for awhile about this trail guide project these dudes insisted that I take a nifty little camera case to protect my equipment.

I had made a "backpacker bum" camera case out of duct tape...

Thanks dudes! Your case still shields my camera.

Running low in July. Prior to the recent run of very heavy Winters and snow in late Spring (2010 and 2011) we were in the middle of a multi-decade movement towards earlier Spring thaws and shorter Winters.

Thus Wolf Creek's feeder creeks were drying out or diminishing by late July during the Summer of 2009.

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Light snows and cold winds were highlighting our hike, and this sunray was a cold pleasure.

As we approach Murray Canyon Southbound we enter an open meadow area where we can now view the East sides of Bull Canyon, Highland and Silver Peaks, and the wide drainage of Wolf Creek passing Northeast under their Eastern flanks.

I told you I use terrain landmarks... We are looking Southeast across the expansive open meadow North of Murray Canyon.

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Wolf Creek runs down and joins the East Carson River on its way down to drain into the desert. As we approach Murray Canyon we are nearing the course of the East Carson River, but at its highest reach up the mountain.

We will follow the East Carson River upstream through its headwaters bowl for 14.48 miles once we get into to its drainage, which begins South of the upcoming Murray Canyon trail junction.

Murray Canyon drains into the East Carson River.

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PCT Section Hiker. Late July 2009.

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Comment-Identification?

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Murray Canyon Trail Junction

Down to Falls Meadow and Carson Falls

Murray Canyon is a grand "hanging canyon" suspended in the Western Wall of the Sierra bounding the East Fork of the Carson River. So to is Golden Canyon, the next canyon immediately South of Murray Canyon.

For the next 3.78 miles we will cross the upper reaches of these two canyons. We will be passing from the Northern boundary of Murray Canyon through the Southern boundary of Golden Canyon. Shark fins of metamorphic rock mark both the Northern and Southern ends of these canyons.

Mileage

Murray Canyon is 10.87 miles South of Ebbetts Pass.

Murray Canyon is 18.57 miles North of Sonora Pass.

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We are now officially in the drainage of the East Fork of the Carson River.

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Murray Canyon Campsites

1.5 miles South of Murray Canyon Trail Junction

The Murray Canyon trail junction is located on the North side of Murray Canyon.

There is a small feeder stream where the Pacific Crest trail crosses the center of Murray Canon that is not marked on the maps. But it is there, and there are a swath of campsites on its South side, as pictured below.

The stream is captured in the video for this section, and you can see it is a trickle during late October of a very wet Summer. It will not be flowing during late August of a normal year, and it will terminate by late July during a dry year.

Mileage

Murray Canyon is 12.37 miles South of Ebbetts Pass.

Murray Canyon is 17.07 miles North of Sonora Pass.

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Murray Canyon drains East, into the East Fork of the Carson River, to our Right.

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Sierra Water and Fording Conditions

The Lay of the Land

When the thaw starts running the snow line up the mountains every year we can see open trails coming soon, after the emerging trails stop flowing like creeks...

Yet sometimes things happen. For the last two years (2010 and 2011) the Spring Thaw did not begin in earnest until after Summer had already technically begun.

Don't plan your backpacking trips by the calendar, but by the conditions on the ground. Many times the two do not match. During these mismatched times unobservant backpackers die.

Spring Thaw Trail Conditions

Well, during normal years the Spring Thaw fills the trails with flowing runoff, making them run as creeks towards the end of June and the beginning of July. The newly exposed soils can become so saturated that soil actually flows slowly down mountain. The example below is a uniquely terraced. Most mud flows are not terraced.

	At the bottom of the Shortcut from Poison Flat to Dumonts Meadow.				Deep, wet, and terraced mud.
	A great flow of Spring wetness oozing out of the base of the mountain.				East Fork of the Carson River.

Sections of the trail will sink you in up to your ankles, if you are lucky.

Spring Thaw Fording Conditions

During the height of the Spring Thaw the smallest tributaries are raging and the main rivers are outright dangerous. As Spring warms into Summer the wide fan of the tributaries up into the edges of the drainage bowls start drying out, leaving only tired flows in the higher elevation main drainages.

During drought years, or late during a dry Summer, even the main drainages start retreating down-mountain, leaving only a dry stream bed crossing the Pacific Crest Trail up high.

Neither of these early or late conditions should be of too great concern to the mid-Summer hiker. Unless it is a very wet or a very dry year. Remember to base your trip plans on the conditions on the ground, not the date on the calendar.

Observe the character of the transition of the seasons into Summer and the resulting conditions so you can understand the specific water availability, the fording conditions, and the weather and temps you will experience.

High Sierra Weather Forecasts and Conditions

Video: Sierra Water and Fording Conditions. 1:45.

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Backpacking Trail Guide

PCT North

South to the TYT

Wolf Creek Pass to Highland Lakes and/or the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Backpacking Trail Guide

PCT South

Murray Canyon to Boulder Lake Junction