The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Route

Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

Silver Valley-Highland Creek Trailhead

Trail Guide: Lake Alpine backpacker

Trail Guide South: Silver Valley to Rock Lake

Topo Hiking Map: Tahoe to Yosemite Trail South

Map Index: Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass

Miles & Elevations Index: Lake Alpine to Saint MarysPass

Permits: Stanislaus NF, Calavaras Ranger District

Forum Index

The Pacific Crest Trail Route

Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Ebbetts Pass Trailhead

Trail Guide: Ebbetts Pass backpacker

Trail Guide South: Ebbetts Pass to Tyron Peak

Topo Hiking Map: Pacific Crest Trail South

Map Index: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Miles & Elevations Index: Ebbetts Pass to Sonora Pass

Permits: Toiyabe NF, Carson Ranger District

Forum Index

The Highland Creek Hybrid

Highland Lakes

Gardner Meadow

Topo Hiking Map

Loop the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness using the PCT and TYT

Heading across the length of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness you will find 4 trails linking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail with the Pacific Crest Trail. North to South these trails are Highland Creek, Arnot Creek, Disaster Creek, and Boulder Creek. Each of these connector trails allows you to craft larger or smaller loops incorporating both the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails around or across the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

One of my favorite routes through here heading Southbound on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is to depart the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route at Jenkins Canyon to hike up Highland Creek and past Highland Lakes to join up with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass.

This route allows me to hike through the rigors, isolation, and beauty of Summit City Creek on my way South from Carson Pass to my resupply at Lake Alpine along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route. I continue South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route to Jenkins Canyon.

At the Jenkins Canyon TYT trail junction I will continue NE up Highland Creek to pass by Highland Lakes to link up with the Pacific Crest Trail at Wolf Creek Pass. Continuing South on the PCT I will climb down into, and back up out of the East fork of the Carson River on my way over its headwaters bowl to Sonora Pass, a section of the Pacific Crest Trail which I really enjoy.

From Sonora Pass on Highway 108 you have the option of continuing South along the Pacific Crest Trail, or hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite route South out of Kennedy Meadows, located 8 miles West down Highway 108.

Or you can put together your own custom route through the Emigrant Wilderness, as you can through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

I hiked a Fall loop using elements of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail through the Carson-Iceberg in 2011. It was a fine trip.

I have a couple of more discussions about your backpacking trip loop options around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness at the Jenkins Canyon Trail Junction and the Boulder Creek Trail Junction.

Silver Valley Trailhead

The sign above was at the Silver Valley Trailhead before it was removed. Though a classic trailhead sign, both the locations and the route themselves have changed over the years.

Gabbott Meadow was drowned by the creation of Spicer Meadow Reservoir in 1989. Gabbot Meadow now sits under the East side of the reservoir, though surrounded by lakeside campsites. Wolf Creek Pass is 3.27 miles NE from the Highland Lakes Trailhead. This puts the distance from the Silver Valley Trailhead along the TYT to Wolf Creek Pass on the PCT at 21.27 miles.

I have this distance measured out at 21.11 miles on my miles and elevations list.

Yet the mileages on this sign above, as well as figures from all sources including me, are suspect due to intervening years full of trail route modifications since the routes were laid out and measured. But the mileages on this sign are close, so I vote they should have left this sign up.

Wolf Creek Pass is 9.73 miles NE from the Jenkins Canyon trail junction (where the TYT route continues South), and Wolf Creek Pass is about 7 miles South of Ebbetts Pass, and 22.48 miles North of Sonora Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Trail Guide

Map Series

Miles

Hiking Opportunities off of Highway 4 at Lake Alpine and Ebbetts Pass

I recently (October 2011) did a four-night Fall loop of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness beginning at Silver Valley Trailhead on the East side of Lake Alpine and exiting through Ebbetts Pass. Check out my Trip Report.

Both of the Southbound trailheads of the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail into the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness offers excellent short, medium, and long distance backpacking trips within this incredible Wilderness.

In fact, all of the great hiking areas between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney described on this trail guide can be explored one section at a time without having to hike all the way down to Tuolumne Meadows or Mount Whitney.

The same is also true heading Northbound from Highway 4 on either the Tahoe to Yosemite or Pacific Crest Trail routes. North from Highway 4 you will pass through the Mokelumne Wilderness on your way North towards Carson Pass on either trail.

If you are section hiking the Sierra you have the opportunity to extend each section, as possible, by linking up segments of the PCT and TYT through each of your sections to get a much bigger picture of the terrain and the wilderness area you are hiking across.

Or, you can create very interesting loops and in and out trips through each of the Wilderness Areas between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney.

Heading North or South from these Highway 4 trailheads offers an excellent range of terrains and unique backpacking experiences for a wide range of skill, experience, and fitness levels.