The Lake Alpine Lodge

Your Hosts
Steve and Gigi

Kim
Managing

Lake Alpine Lodge
is on
The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
&
15 Miles West of the PCT down Highway 4
from
Ebbetts Pass

LATEST
2019
Scheduled to Open
MAY 24, 2019

Notes
Lake Alpine Lodge and the surrounding National Forests are very Dog Friendly!
Nature Dogs

The Lake Alpine Lodge is one of my favorite resupply spots between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney.

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BACKPACKER'S
INTRODUCTION

Where It's At
The Lake Alpine Lodge sits on Highway 4 (roadmap) about .75 of a mile West of my pirate campsite along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. I set up a camp off the East shore of Lake Alpine where the Tahoe to Yosemite comes down the paved road running between the Bee Gulch Trailhead to the Silver Trailhead. My pirate campsite is located up about fifty yards upriver behind the backpacker's camp.

Lake Alpine Map

Don't make fires up there, even if you have a fire permit, if it is just too dry.

Big Picture
In a broader context the Lake Alpine Lodge is located between our last resupply point 43 miles North at Echo Lake near Highway 50 (North of Echo Summit), and the Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, located 34 miles further to our South. Kennedy Meadows, like Lake Alpine, is offset down the West Flank of the Sierra from the Sierra Crest.

Sierra Crest and West Flank
TRAILS
The route of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail lower down on the Western Flank of the Sierra crosses Highway 4 near Lake Alpine, while the route of the PCT crosses through Ebbetts Pass up on the Sierra Crestline. To our South the PCT will cross Highway 108 through Sonora Pass. Both Highways 4 & 108 require PCT hikers to hitch West for resupply.

TYT
From the Top to the Bottom
The TYT will also pass through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station down on the Western Flank of Highway 108, but not in the same way that it's route passed near Lake Alpine along Highway 4. Hiking South approaching Highway 108 the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail climbs much higher than Sonora Pass, to pass through Saint Marys Pass before dropping down to the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead. The Saint Marys Trailhead is located on the West Flank of the Sierra along Highway 108 near the top of the meadow just below Sonora Pass.

While both PCT & TYT hikers find themselves with a hitch-hike between eight and nine miles West from their respective Highway 108 Trailheads, only the PCT hiker will have to hitch back up Highway 108 to the Sierra Crest to continue hiking South. The TYT hiker's route continues South through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station.

The TYT hiker will walk, rather than hitch hike, back up to the Sierra Crestline...

The Utility of Lake Alpine Lodge
The Lake Alpine Lodge is the same: We hike in and we hike out. We will hike back up to the Sierra Crestline as surely as we've descended off of it. And it is worth it, worth every step!
Lake Alpine Lodge offers backpackers free resupply package services through UPS to break this 77 mile distance between Echo Chalet (or South Lake Tahoe!) down to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station into more managable segments. The resupply service is free if you ship your package through UPS. More on this below. Lake Alpine Lodge also offer excellent food, a small store, and a classic bar.

Lake Alpine Lodge
Located on Highway 4 between the Mokelumne Wilderness to the North and the Carson Iceberg Wilderness to its South, the Lake Alpine Lodge offers a free resupply package service for hikers on both the TYT and PCT routes, as well as being an excellent starting point for hikers beginning shorter hikes either North or South into both of these fantastic Wilderness areas.

The TYT
North and South
A lengthy section of unmaintained trail North of Lake Alpine along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail separates Lake Alpine from Carson Pass. This challenging segment of unmaintained trail makes this a very interesting bit of hiking for advanced and expert backpackers. The last bit of the hike North along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Lake Alpine to Camp Irene brings us down the NE flank of Mount Reba on faint trails.
Serene Camp Irene marks the end of the the maintained Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to our North. Excellent fitness and skills are required of backpackers venturing North of Camp Irene.

South
The next section of our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail South of Lake Alpine hikes into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness. The last six miles of the TYT approaching Saint Marys Pass enters unmaintained trail at the Eureka Valley trail junction that deteriorates into basic route-finding from Clarks Meadow to Saint Marys Pass.

We've exciting sections of trail to our North and South while sitting here relaxing, recharging, and resupplying at the Lake Alpine Lodge.

Below we have information about Lake Alpine Lodge's exact location along the trails and on this very scenic Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway, the resupply, food, showers & laundry facilities, the full range of backpacker services Lake Alpine Lodge offers, as well as a basic introduction to their cool staff and the unique culture of this fun High Sierra backpacker resource.

You can see that I have enjoyed my stays at the Lake Alpine Lodge over the years and decades.

The Carson Iceberg Wilderness
to our
South
These difficult segments of unmaintained trail along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail should not deter any backpackers. The Carson Iceberg Wilderness to our South contains a vast web of excellent trails exploring a wide variety of amazing terrains that we can access out of the Silver Trailhead on the Northeast end of Lake Alpine.
We can craft backpacking loops of at least 50 to 60 miles staying on well-maintained trails, and over 90 if we want to hike cross country along part(s) of a vast loop around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

Hikers on the TYT who want to avoid the unmaintained segments of trail will have to walk the PCT across the Mokelumne Wilderness, but can walk the majority of the TYT across the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, then detour to the PCT around the unmaintained segment.

The web of trails laid across the Carson Iceberg Wilderness to the South of Lake Alpine are magnificent.

Carson Iceberg Wilderness
USGS 30 minute backpacking map

There are a wide range of trails in the Carson Iceberg ranging from Intermediate 2 to Hard 1, spanning every range of trail condition from the super-well maintained Superhighway of Trails, the PCT, to very difficult route-finding across very difficult unmaintained and untrailed "scrambling" terrain.

The Mokelumne Wilderness
to our
North
The same is not true of the Molkelumne Wilderness to our North. I am not saying it is less beautiful, only that it has more of an "impenetratable" character of terrain than the Carson Iceberg. This is more a function of the layout and structure of the terrain in the Mokelumne Wilderness than anything else.

The TYT and PCT bisect the Mokelumne Wilderness just like the Carson Iceberg, but unlike the Carson Iceberg these trails are not connected by four trails across its length. The vast glacial cuts of the great Summit City and North Mokelumne River Canyons don't just push the TYT South down the West flank of the Sierra, but these features put the heart of the massive Deadwood Peak Massif between the TYT and PCT.

We can zig-zag between the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails while hiking South through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness virtually all the way down to Saint Marys Pass, but not whle crossing the Mokelumne Wilderness.
In the Mokelumne Wilderness we are either hiking the TYT or the PCT. This is a function of the terrain. That's why the Mokelumne Wilderness does not offer many loop trips...

We have to hitch-hike between Lake Alpine and Ebbetts Pass if we want to hike a loop around the Mokelumne Wilderness using the TYT and PCT.

Mokelumne WildernesS
USGS 30 minute backpacking map

Lake Alpine Lodge is good to, and good for backpackers
Lake Alpine Lodge is perfect for a last meal before a local trip, and our first big meal after a trip.
But for me Lake Alpine Lodge is a great place where I rest, recover, and resupply while backpacking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.
I even hitch down to visit when I'm hiking the Pacific Crest Trail across Ebbetts Pass, if I don't swing down an alternative route and walk in.

I always have fun when I hike through the Lake Alpine Lodge.

Find the Lake Alpine Lodge
Road Map
The Lake Alpine Lodge is situated across Highway 4 from the Northwest shore of Lake Alpine. Around us are numerous Federal car campgrounds that are full of families for much of the Summer. Lakes, streams, rivers and reservoirs draw fishermen during the Summer, and hunters during Fall.

I enjoy spending some time on the deck between the bar and store. That's where the passing backpackers hang out, where the fishermen and hunters swap lies, and where the employees catch a break. I've had great conversations with about every kind of person up there. You'd think Yosemite would be better for meeting folks. Nope. There's something about that deck by the bar and store that draws folks. You may have to sit there for a lot longer to meet folks than in Yosemite, but a wider range of folks come through. Maybe they are less in number but deeper in character. Less is More... Over the years I think I've sat there for a month... haha, but its always been rewarding and relaxing to kick back at Lake Alpine Lodge.

This page also explores the services available 3 miles West down Highway 4 at Bear Valley, as well as the full regional services 45 miles West down the mountain to Arnold.

Bear Valley and Arnold

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Trail Guide
Information

PCT

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses Highway 4 at Ebbetts Pass, about 15 miles East of the Lake Alpine Lodge up the classic narrow and twisting Highway Four.

It's worth a trip up here to check out
Highway 4!

Road Map

Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail sign in Bee Gulch a bit North of Lake Alpine. Mokelumne River to the North, Highway 4 to the South.

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Highway 4
Road Map
Ebbetts Pass, Lake Alpine, and Bear Valley

TYT and PCT in Relation to Highway 4 and the Lake Alpine Lodge

Lake Alpine Road Map

Physical
and
Social
Organization

The Lake Alpine Lodge is composed of a beautiful main lodge building containing the restaurant, bar, and store.

Rental units are scattered around behind the main building, along with housing for some of the employees. There is also a building housing coin-operated showers as well as clothes washers and dryers that backpackers can use.

The Deck
between the
Bar and Store

One of the features of the Lake Alpine Lodge is the Deck. A sliding glass door connects it to the bar on one side, and we overlook Lake Alpine on the other.

Here we find fishermen, backpackers, tourists, Hunters later in the year, and lots of good conversation floating around, telling stories not even your mother would believe.

It is a wonderful spot to relax and "take it all in" on the Lodge's Deck after backpacking in. Or a day of fishing, hiking, hunting, or whatever.

The Deck represents the center Lodge's social and working environment, which is laid back, and very backpacker friendly.
The Bar is to the Left, the Store straight ahead, and lake to the Right. Deck seating for the restaurant is behind us.

Note the mailbox and pay phones. Plenty of chairs. Quite a mix of people gather here, heavy on fishermen and car campers from all over California, our nation, and the world.

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Backpacker Camping
at
Lake Alpine

There is a backpacker campground on the East side of Lake Alpine. It is situated on the left side of the short paved road between where the Tahoe to Yosemite hiker exits Bee Gulch on Highway 4 along the East Shore of Lake Alpine to where the trail continues South through the Silver Trailhead.

When we see the bathroom on the right we will shortly see the backpacker's camp on the left.

The problem for me is that a campsite costs $15, which is just crazy, considering that camping in the National Forests is free, even without a backpacking permit. I've never seen a backpacker camping there.

UPDATE: During 2011 a car pulled up, some folks pirate camped, and they departed early the next morning.

About 50 yards upstream past the backpacker's camp (East, behind the backpacker's camp) is my little camp. It has a little fire ring, a nice flat for your sleeping bag, and good places to sit.

Don't make fires. Too dry.

There are bathrooms with a water tap across the paved road from the backpacker's camp that are open until mid-September. My camp behind the camp is about .75 of a mile East of the Lake Alpine Lodge.

As Lake Alpine is our first rest and resupply point South of the Tahoe Basin, a span of between 4 and 7 days, depending on which trailhead we started from and our pace, I generally spend two nights at Lake Alpine. The first night is after I hiked in, and the second night is after a full day off the trail.

Sign pointing to the Silver Trail Head, as well as the Silver Valley and Pine Martin Car Campgrounds on the East Shore of Lake Alpine along Highway 4.
This is where the Tahoe to Yosemite backpacker exits Bee Gulch, crosses Highway 4, and continues South following the arrow above hiking South along the East Shore of Lake Alpine.

There are numerous car campgrounds around Lake Alpine, which always appear full during Summer.

There is the crappy & expensive backpacker's camp, and my pirate camp behind it.

Lake Alpine Lodge has tent cabins, and I've urged them to set up a backpacker's camp area, where backpackers could throw down while soaking up some services, a shower, clean clothes, and their great breakfasts!

Lake Alpine Lodge
Backpacker Resupply Services
KEY
Information

Other
Lake Alpine Lodge
Services

Store
Thin for backpackers

Laundry
and
Showers

Showers
It would be nice if the Lodge stocked and sold small soap bars, shampoo, and towels for backpackers.

I suggest including a small soap bar and a small bottle of shampoo in your resupply package.

shower and laundry building

Get your supply of quarters in the store to operate the showers and laundry.

The
Lake Alpine Lodge Bar

The Lake Alpine Lodge Bar is a good place to have a stiff drink, meet the locals, car campers, fishermen, while having a set of mini-burgers ("Sliders") with a cold beer.

The bartenders and most of the staff at the Lake Alpine Lodge are drawn from the local area.

The people who live on the Highway 4 corridor from Arnold, through Calaveras Big Trees, and up to Bear Valley and even across to Markleville are noted for their independent characters.

China Blue behind the bar keeping things rolling.

Deborah is the Coolest Bartender between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney. Stop in and buy her a beer! And Have one yourself, too!

(Though Casey, the old cowboy/rodeo rider/horsepacker at Kennedy Meadow's Bar is a close second!!)

A few
of the
Fine Staff
of the
Lake Alpine Lodge

I generally arrive at the Lake Alpine Lodge in the early Afternoon, having hiked over Mount Reba from Camp Irene on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. 

First, I establish a campsite on the East Shore of Lake Alpine. I properly stash the remainder of my food, get water, and locate a nice place for my pad if it's late in the season and the mosquitoes have diminished. If not, I put up my tent.

Then I walk down the paved lake shore path along Lake Alpine to the Lake Alpine Lodge.

That's a lot different than the unmaintained trails we navigated North of here, and will encounter to our South!

Very Relaxing...

I check with Kim to see if my resupply has arrived, but do not yet pick it up. I will spend two nights at my campsite on the East Shore of Lake Alpine, and there are lots of bears trying to pick off the car camper's food.
No need to give them an alternative target.

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Lake Alpine in the morning with geese.

This place is beautifully relaxing, especially taking FULL a day off here.

The Bear Valley Village Center is where the Store/Deli, the Post Office, and one of the sports shops is located. Follow Bear Valley Road about a quarter mile from Highway 4. The Bear Valley Village Center is the huge building on your right.

Bear Valley Services

I was able to resupply with sunblock here. Kira, who works in the store, is really nice. This shop is located in the Village Center, along with the Store/Deli and the Post Office.

"Come to the Bear Valley Sport Shop in the commercial center for the local’s scoop on any of your mountain adventures. We offer the inside information and gear you need for day hikes, camping, running, swimming holes, off road-ing, biking, and high sierra lounging. Of course, we have alpine ski gear available for deeply discounted prices for those of you who are bargain hunters. We also have a mountain boutique full of affordable summer clothing to fit any activity’s needs and a good selection of gifts. Come visit us!"

This shop is located at the intersection between Highway 4 and Bear Valley Road.

I bought a pair of acceptable backpacking socks here, when one of my pairs came apart on the trail.

I had a nice conversation with Rick, who runs the BV Post Office. I really suggest sending your resupply package to the Lake Alpine Lodge via UPS.

Rick's post office is pretty small, and it would be a hassle for him to store resupply packages there.

But he will, even though Kim will have UPS deliver our resupply packages to Lake Alpine, which is much closer to the trail.

Differences
between the
Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
Resupply Strategies between Highway 4 and Highway 108

Hiking South from Highway 4

Both the Pacific Crest and the Tahoe to Yosemite trail routes travel through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness for the majority of their respective routes South from their Lake Alpine Lodge resupply point on Highway 4, to their next resupply point at Kennedy Meadows on Highway 108.
Though the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route remains on the Western Flank of the Sierras and the Pacific Crest Trail maintains its Eastern-biased Crestline route, both trails converge as they approach Sonora Pass on the South end of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

The Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiker reaches Highway 108 through Saint Marys Pass. The Saint Marys Pass Trailhead is about a mile West of Sonora Pass along Highway 108.
9 steep and twisting miles of the Sonora Pass Road, Highway 108, separate our positions at Saint Marys or Sonora Pass from our resupply point at the Kennedy Meadows Pack Station.

Though the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Guide book calls for the Tahoe to Yosemite backpacker to walk the 9 miles down Highway 108 into Kennedy Meadows from Saint Marys Pass, I don't suggest it.

This has never been an issue with any Pacific Crest Trail backpacker I've met. They always either hitch the 9 miles West down Highway 108 to their resupply point at Kennedy Meadows from Sonora Pass, or they are hitching about 13 miles East to Highway 395, where they will hitch another 25 miles South to the nice little town of Bridgeport.

Kennedy Meadows Resupply

I suggest that both Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite backpackers hitch-hike down to Kennedy Meadows for their resupply from Sonora Pass. It's an easy hitch hike if there are cars on the road, it's close, it has great services and people, and I love that place. I enjoy Bridgeport, but I love Kennedy Meadows.

As of 2015 the grocery store in Bridgeport was still closed, significantly reducing available resources. Rhino's is still the best place for hot food and cold beer. I visit Bridgeport when I hitch or drive up and down Highway 395 along the Eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada, but do not use it as a resupply point while hiking the Sierra.

Though Highway 108 is a fairly remote road, even on weekends during the Summer, a high percentage of the people who drive on it live in the country, and many of them will pick up backpackers. I have never had a problem hitching down to, or back from Kennedy Meadows Pack Station from Sonora Pass. The same is true from Ebbetts Pass to Lake Alpine on Highway 4.
It might take a little time for a few cars to pass by, but only a few have to come by before I get a ride.

Southbound hikers on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail will not have to hitch back up to Sonora Pass, as the PCT hikers will, to continue hiking South after resupplying. The Tahoe to Yosemite route calls for a hike South into Emigrant Wilderness out of the Kennedy Meadows Trailhead up to Brown Bear Pass, the Western entrance to the High Emigrant Basin.

Different Characters of TYT and PCT Routes

The deeper distinction that characterizes the difference between the TYT and PCT trail routes across Emigrant Wilderness is the same difference we have experienced hiking from Lake Tahoe to Sonora Pass: The PCT follows the Crestline and upper Eastern flank of the Sierra Crest, while the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail dips deeply down into the high, deep valleys cutting wide drainage channels up the Western flank to the Sierra Crest.

Here's how I like to do it Southbound: The TYT from Carson Pass to Highland Creek. TYT at Highland Creek to the PCT at Wolf Creek Pass. PCT to Boulder Lake, and down to the TYT for the unmaintained/untrailed portion of the TYT over Saint Marys Pass to Highway 108.
It's a toss up South from the top of Highway 108. Both the PCT and the TYT are excellent from Highway 108 to the Yosemite Boundary. As a matter of fact, there are three excellent long distance routes routes between Highway 108 and the Yosemite Park Boundary we can explore as we build up a succession of High Siera backpacking trips from the Tahoe Basin to Mount Whitney. The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is only one of many potential routes and variations we can craft to explore more with each trip.

There is also an emergency route that can take PCT hikers around Leavitt and Sonora Peaks when they are covered in snow, completely bypassing both of these peaks.
Getting over Leavitt and Sonora Peaks in Spring snow conditions requires gear and skills many PCT hikers lack, which can make this series of peaks along the Sierra Crst serious early season snow bottlenecks for early season Pacific Crest Trail hikers.

PCT and TYT route differences across Emigrant Wilderness

The Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite backpacker enters the Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus NF, at Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, while the Southbound Pacific Crest Trail hiker enters the Emigrant Wilderness by crossing Highway 108 at Sonora Pass.

Although the Southbound PCT hiker briefly enters the Emigrant Wilderness through the Stanislaus NF at Sonora Pass, the trail route wobbles across the crestline boundary of the Toiyabe and Stanislaus Forests' along the Eastern edge of Emigrant Wilderness until the PCT fully turns East down Kennedy Canyon into the Toiyabe NF just South of Leavitt Peak.
From that point until we enter Yosemite throguh Dorthy Lake Pass the PCT remains in the Toiyabe National Forest.

The third option South between Highway 108 and the Yosemite Boundary is to continue straight through this junction off of the Southbound PCT South of Leavitt Peak to remain within the Stanislaus NF's Emigrant Wilderness by climbing over Big Sam into the awesome High Emigrant Basin on our way South to join with the TYT route to enter the Yosemite Backcountry through Bond Pass.

This third route splits the difference between the the PCT and TYT routes across the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness, useing pieces of both trails to craft a unique route from Highway 108 into the top of Jack Main Canyon.

I'm still building this octopus of a website, so when I get that part of the trail guide completed, I'll link to it. But you can check out the map of this route option in the meantime!

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