Carson Gap
to
Lake Alpine

MILES
AND
ELEVATIONS

Summit City Creek
in
Summit City Canyon

Dropping off the Southeastern shore of Fourth of July Lake to the Southeast quickly puts us on a grand exposed traverse East down across the Southern flank of Round Top and the Sisters into Summit City Canyon.

As we drop down this great traverse below Fourth of July Lake we get views to the East up to Summit City Creek's headwaters where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses Forestdale Divide.

To our West we can see where the upper portion of this great granite canyon twists South. The upper portion of our route down Summit City Creek to Telephone Gulch is laid out at our feet.

We get this view after dropping down through the rough rock strewn gully-like upper section of the trail below Fourth of July Lake. Below us, hidden at the bottom of Summit City Canyon under its heavy forest cover is the Summit City Creek trail Junction.

Soon our feet will be pounding the bottom of that canyon to the Summit City Canyon trail junction.

Warning
Hiking South from the Summit City Creek trail junction we enter the 9.52 mile potential section of un-maintained trail (definition) on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail between this junction to Camp Irene. We might even stretch this unmaintained segment beyond Camp Irene, depending on when the last time the manzanita was cut off the trail up Mount Reba.
Though the segment of trail South of the Summit City Creek trail junction to Camp Irene has been unmaintained and degrading over the past twenty years, it has recieved some attention from a number of different sources since 2009 up through 2014.

To keep up with changing conditions Tahoe to Whitney has created the
Unmaintained Trail Sections Conditions, Updates, and Reports

Here you can review the past few years of hiker reports, read recent accounts of hikers, add your own, or ask questions.

The Grand Perspective
Further South down the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail we will look back while crossing high points of the terrain to situate ourselves to accquire context to better understand the terrain we are crossing. We are going to get our best overview at the far South end of this section of trail through Summit City and the North Mokelumne River Canyons while we climb the North Flank of Mount Reba.
Climbing the North Face of Mount Reba gives us a bird's eye view of the general features of this whole section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from the backside of the Sisters to the North Flank of Reba. It's quite a show. This segment of our Tahoe to Whitney backpacking trip is as beautiful from afar as it is hiking through it close-up.

Our near and far views well compliment each other.

Our pace will slow considerably hiking South of this Summit City trail junction as our emphasis shifts from maintaining pace to observing and keeping ourselves on-route through this potentially very challenging section of trail.

Below we lay out the maps, miles, elevations, and even some historical information to impart both the local situation and overall context of our continuing hike South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Backpacker's Information

Local Totals
South
into
Summit City Canyon
along the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

MILES OF SMILES
The Grand Context
Below we put the next few miles of this little segment of the TYT hiking South from the Summit City Creek trail junction into the broader context of the overall mileage of our Carson Gap to Lake Alpine section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. We'll then contrast this section against all the other sections of the TYT and the PCT traversing the North Sierra.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
Section Miles

This Section
Carson Gap
to
Lake Alpine
26.28 miles

All backpackers can post text comments about the following section of trail through the comments links on all the trail guide pages. Registered Members can post up stand alone posts about the trail with words, images, maps and videos in the Trails Forum that supplements this section of the Trail Guide.

This section has a special forum for updates on the status of the un maintained trail section between Summit City Creek and Camp Irene. Post up your updates and information on this challenging route here.

Check out the Tahoe to Whitney .org Backpacking Trails and Topics forums

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Upper Summit City Canyon

This films starts with a brief recap of our hike down to Fourth of July Lake from Round Top Lake before passing into Summit City Creek's magnificent canyon. At the base of Summit City Canyon we encounter the trail junction running North and South along Summit City Creek.

Downstream into Summit City Canyon is South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

The trail deteriorates a bit as we hike South from the Summit City trail junction down to the Horse Canyon trail junction. Then it gets worse below Horse Canyon. This film ends shortly South of Horse Canyon after checking out the two campsites South of the Horse Canyon trail junction. Trail difficulty continues to increase as we hike South of Horse Canyon.

South of the Upper Ford the manzanita can be quite challenging on our way down to the lower ford, where we begin my favorite part of this unmaintained section:

The hike into and through the "Enchanted Forest."

Big old growth forest and white sand beaches fronting steep cliffs with the North Mokelumne River slipping between the sheer cliffs and old forests on its way down to Camp Irene. We bipeds have to find the way out of the Enchanted Forest to take the long way around the steep cliffs and massive granite through which the river slips on its short route between the Enchanted Forest and Camp Irene. Our route around these obstacles is much longer...

This exciting semi-un maintained section begins with the hike from the Summit City junction down to the Horse Canyon trail junction.

It's a beautiful and challenging hike. Compare it with the PCT route across the East Mokelumne Wilderness:
Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

Duration: 20:40

Video Playlist
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Carson Gap to Lake Alpine

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Above: The view South from below Fourth of July Lake hiking down the great traverse into Summit City Canyon to the Summit City trail junction. We can see Summit City Canyon making a hard turn to the Southwest.

Character of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Dropping into Summit City Canyon marks the beginning of the first of our two great swings far down the Western Flank of the Sierra Nevada along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

These great swings down onto the Western Flank are what distinguish the TYT from the PCT. The Pacific Crest Trail stays high up on the Sierra Crest or close to the crestline along its Eastern flank, while the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail twice swings far down onto the Western flank through deep granite canyons.
Our hike from Round Top Lake (9630) to Camp Irene (5280) marks our first great descent down the Western Flank along the TYT.

After crossing Mount Reba (8720) South of Camp Irene we drop down to Lake Alpine (7360) and continue South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail towards Saint Marys Pass across ridges about 15 miles West of the Sierra Crestline.
South of Lake Alpine we are neither hiking up to the crestline nor descending much further down the Western flank until we begin our climb to the crestline and Saint Marys Pass (10,400).

The highpoint of of hiking up to Saint Marys Pass is instantly followed by the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail's next great swing down the Western flank of the High Sierra.
The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail does not continue South from Saint Marys Pass across Highway 108. It continues South through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station, nine miles West down Highway 108, and 3040 feet of elevation lower than the 9440 feet of elevation at the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead along Highway 108.

We've got to hitch hike down to Kennedy Meadows from the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead to begin the next section of our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hike South, from Kennedy Meadows Pack Station (6400) ) up to Brown Bear Pass (9760) on our way across the High Emigrant Wilderness.

Character of this Section of Trail

Three things characterize this next segment of our 9.52 mile hike from the Summit City Canyon trail junction South to Camp Irene. First and foremost is the un maintained character of the upcoming trail section. Observing and maintaining our course along the optimal route through the terrain will now be our first priority, rather than speed. Observing, analyzing and making excellent route-following decisions is now our paramount concern.

The second characteristic is our precipitous loss of elevation.

From Round Top Lake (ele 9360) to Fourth of July Lake (ele 8164) to Summit City Canyon trail junction (ele 7440) to the Lower Ford (ele 5540) to Camp Irene (ele 5280) we lose a total of 4080 feet of elevation over the 13.13 miles separating the high point of this section of trail at Round Top Lake from our low point at Camp Irene.

The third characteristic is the rise in temps associated with this loss of elevation. It's going to get hot as we lose elevation.

The Lapse Rate indicates that temp differences between 9360 feet and 5540 feet work out to around 11 degrees F. I use the wet Lapse Rate figure of 2.7 degrees per 1000 feet of elevation.

I have found very high temps greeting me descending this section of trail, depending upon the season. Spring and Summer offer very hot hikes through the lower parts of this section. Temps in the low 90s are typical of Spring and Summer hikes through here.The elevation and temp changes also change the foliage.

We will drop out of whitebarks at Round Top Lake to Lodgepoles below Fourth of July Lake into the manzanita zone between the Upper and Lower Fords of Summit City Creek, finally entering an optimal zone and elevation for massive Cedars, Jeffery and Sugar Pines in the Enchanted Forest along the North shore of the Mokelumne River as well as Spruce and Juniper trees appearing to grow as big as their species can support.

Second Sweep Down onto the Western Flank

Our second great swing down the West Flank of the Sierra Nevada begins when we exit the Saint Marys Pass trailhead onto Highway 108. Our trail resumes its Southern route about 8 miles West down Highway 108 through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station and Resort.

I don't suggest hiking down to Kennedy Meadows Pack Station from Saint Marys Pass along the twisting narrow track of Highway 108. Rather than the dangerous walk along Highway 108 down to Kennedy Meadows I suggest hitch hiking. It's a lot safer than walking Highway 108...

It's dangerous for hiker and driver. Give yourself a break and hitch-hike down.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail begins its climb back to the Sierra Crest from Kennedy Meadows Pack Station (ele 6400) which ends 10.92 miles further South at Brown Bear Pass (ele 9760) where the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail again regains the Sierra Crest.

There are ways to hike into Kennedy Meadows Southbound along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, but they differ significantly from the route of the classic TYT route.

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Long views
East and West
up and down
Summit City Canyon

Views East and West from the great traverse across the Southern flank of Round Top and The Sisters into the Summit City Canyon below Fourth of July Lake.

Though we are hiking North to South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail the trail at upcoming trail junction runs East-West by the compass.

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EAST

The View East. The PCT crosses the bald peak, which is Forestdale Divide's Eastern flank, being where both the PCT and the Forestdale Road cross Forestdale Divide.

Check the Carson Pass Topo Map.

The Summit City Creek trail runs East up to both Upper Blue Lake, sitting behind the ridge arm descending from the middle-Right of the image, or up to Forestdale Divide, not visible just a bit to the Left of the barren patch on the most distant-Left pointy peak.

In fact, the PCT route crosses that barren patch on the South side of Forestdale Divide.

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Almost down to Forest Level, Summit City Canyon

We can see where we will be bending South with the canyon following Summit City Creek as it turns towards the North Fork of the Mokelumne River. At this point we have departed the heavily-used Carson Pass Management Area and are entering the most isolated section of a "known" trail in the Sierra, the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Summit City Canyon.

Though well known as the route of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, there is no actual maintained trail for 9.52 miles between the upcoming Summit City Creek trail junction to Camp Irene.

These trail conditions tend to dissuade most backpackers from this difficult section of trail, and this section is far out of the range of all but the strongest day hikers from Fourth of July and Blue Lakes. Chances are that you will not encounter other hikers between Summit City Creek to the Bee Gulch trail head on the East Side of Lake Alpine. I've only run into a handful of hikers here over the last two decades.

All this boils down to one thing: be real careful through this section, as you will not have the normal support that hiker traffic on a heavily-used trail provides.

Looking at the TYT Route down Summit City Canyon
Above: Peak 9607 on Right side of the image above towers above West side of Fourth of July Lake. Observing this peak and Horse Canyon will keep us informed as to our position as we hike down Summit City Canyon.

Summit City Creek to Bee Gulch
USGS 15 min hiking map

> Forum <

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Ouch!

Old Post 2009
The result when a Bear backs up to the post, and begins using it as an itching stick...

The post points the way South to Horse Canyon, the only trail junction along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail between here and the Munson Meadow trail junction, which I have not seen for years.
SIGN REPLACED: SEE BELOW

>Summit City Creek forum<

Living Things Forum
Trail Posts as Itching Sticks and Cranky Bears

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1998
to
2009 Status

The conditions described on the trail guide below for the unmaintained trail section between the trail junction in Upper Summit City Canyon to Camp Irene have changed considerable between 2009 and 2013.

Between 1998 and 2009 trail conditions had deteriorated considerably, most notably the short section of trail between the Summit City Canyon junction downstream to Horse Canyon. This once-maintained trail segment had degraded into unmaintained status.

The remaining segments of trail below Horse Canyon down to Camp Irene perpetuated and deepened their unmaintained status between 1998 and 2009.

A trip through at the end of the 2013 hiking season revealed much improved conditions. Still challenging, but much improved.

2009 to 2013 Status

Trail conditions have improved considerably between 2009 and 2013. The segment of trail between the Summit City Canyon trail junction pictured below down to Horse Canyon has been significantly opened up.

A pair of dedicated hikers, the Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers, and the Trails Ranger of the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest have all turned their attention to the Summit City Creek section of this classic trail, The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Early in the Summer of 2013 the Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers "brushed out" a big section of the trail, followed up by the work of a pair of hard working backpackers who spent a couple of backpacking trips clearing and repairing sections of the trail during mid Summer of 2013.

Both groups have done very constructive work.

Much of the undergrowth and small to medium fallen snags have been removed or cut along the upper section of the trail from the Summit City Canyon trail junction down to the Horse Canyon trail junction.
Though trail conditions are still a bit faint in places with occasional voids cut by meadow and wash, there is reasonable route between the Summit City Canyon trail junction down to the Horse Canyon junction.

This is still listed on the maps as "maintained" trail, and it is once again in maintained status as of 2013.

Approaching Horse Canyon Southbound the trail becomes lighter and fainter. This trend continues and deepens below Horse Canyon. Yet some degree of work has been done during the past few years along the whole route, meaning signs of trail are not too far apart when the trail itself disappears.

A duck, a blaze, or some short stretch of trail bed is scattered along the correct route through the terrain. If you are not picking up clear signs of trail every 30 to 50 yards you are not staying on route, which means you need to keep your eyes a bit further open.

If you look carefully you will see...

Yet conditions change every year. What we experience one year may not be applicable the next, and I would anticipate the trend direction of conditions is always pointed down.

Trail Conditions Reports

general comments-questions

Future Status

Each year's trail conditions emerge out of the chaos of the Spring Thaw. Runoff flows and rising meadows eat trail: great thickets of trees are swept down by runoff, while the same runoff energizes the bush, grass and flower all pushing their way up to the Sun through our trail.
Earlier, during Winter the weight and movement of great drifts of snow bends and snaps timber slowly, if not sweeping away whole groves instantly under avalanches. Great Winds rise during all seasons capable of bringing down both tree and snag. Both sides of Nature's endless cycle of construction and destruction wear our trail into route, eventually melting route into the terrain.

Trail definitions used on this guide

Challenges found early in the backpacking season moderate with the wear brought on the footsteps of the annually increasing Summertime backpacker traffic, or not. I'm personally betting trail conditions from Summit City trail junction to Camp Irene will improve between 2013 and 2020. As of 2013 conditions are already improved, and I expect them to improve further during the next few years. But, I could be wrong...

Another factor working to slow trail degradation is the long term trend of weakening and shortening Winters.

comments            status reports

I base my prediction on, first, the attention this site has created. We've drawn together lots of potential Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hikers and informed many curious backpackers about this uniquely challenging route. Traffic is increasing. Then there's the Amador Ranger District Trails Ranger, Cecilia Reed. I believe she's going to bring the upper section (Summit City to Horse Canyon) into fully maintained status with regular trail crew and has already seriously worked on bringing the unmaintained section up to the status of a more easily followable route.

Third, there are at least a couple of backpacking dudes who have put a lot of hard work into opening up the trail. Trail Slug and his pal Joe have put in a lot of work and appear to be dedicated to opening a clear route, if not a clear trail between the Summit City junction and Camp Irene.

Fourth, the Mokelumne Volunteers and Ranger Reed have been directing some serious efforts into fixing up this route. Trail Slug reported finding serious work already done when he and Joe made it out in 2013. I figure that work was done by the Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers and Ranger Reed. I can't really figure out who has done exactly what work, but a lot of work has been done as of the end of the 2013 season. It appears that there have been two groups working on the route during 2013, Trail Slug and the Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers. Ranger Reed of the Amador Ranger District is directing trail crew out there to do some work between the Summit City Canyon trail junction down to Horse Canyon and back out to Silver Lake on Highway 88 in 2014.

Ranger Reed's efforts opening up the 2.43 miles of trail between Summit City Creek trail junction South down to Horse Canyon will shorten the length of unmaintained trail down to 7.09 miles from the current 9.52 miles. The status of the majority of this length of trail is holding the status of a faint trail at the end of 2013.

That would bring trail conditions is line with with the specifications for maintained trails above Horse Canyon and unmaintained trails below, to Camp Irene.

comments            status reports

Questions of Status and Purpose
Backpackers are indebted to these folks for their fine work in opening up a clear route through some dense thickets, and reestablishing continuous observable route across long stretches of forest and meadows. But I question the wisdom of establishing a "maintained-level" trail between the Summit City Canyon trail junction to Camp Irene.

As I mentioned above, this does not sit well with all backpackers:

The whole extended section of unmaintained trail from the Summit City trail junction to Camp Irene is a unique backpacking treasure that should remain unmaintained. This status does not preclude some degree of trail work, but limits trail work to the subtle. Opening this route too far subtracts from the unique nature of backpacking experience enjoyed while hiking this section. I believe the nature of the terrain here assures that the long-term future of this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail will always holds some substantial stretches of unmaintianed route requiring some degree of route finding.

I mentioned the destructive and constructive powers of nature at the start of this discussion. The effects of these forces on the route are currently being observed by lots of humans. We humans have the power to properly balance our constructive forces against the destructive forces of Nature, or not.

Though this route is presently getting a lot of attention compared to the last couple of decades, that attention will fade as the years pass into the next couple of decades.

What to Expect
The Lowdown

A reasonable route exists as of 2013. This was a rough and tough route between 2002 to 2009. Though we may have more open conditions at present, trail conditions are cyclic across the long and short terms. I would classify 2013 as a high point in the status of this segment of trail, and that it will subsequently degrade.

Read and Post Updates in the Forum.

The upper trail, the trail down to Horse Canyon will be in improved conditions for a few years or a decade, then conditions will change. If it stays on the list of maintained trails it will actually improve over the upcoming years as its present long-unmaintained status is improved.
The lower trail, the trail below Horse Canyon down to the Upper Ford was brought up to a marginal status as a "trail," with segments bouncing back and forth between being a trail and being a "route." There has traditionally been much more trail above Telephone Gulch, and more route below.

I predict the "trail" below the Horse Canyon junction to Camp Irene will degrade post-2013 at a rate directly linked to the ferocity of Winter Storm and Spring Thaw activity, divided by the number of backpackers who travel over it, as it is not on the list of maintained trails.

This segment will degrade steadily. Post up your trail reports to keep us current, or review those of the past few years to get yourself up to speed.

NOTE
Your rating and assessment may vary. Every backpacker has different levels of skill and fitness.

A Route
My definition of a route are locations where conditions make navigation dependent upon the observations of the hiker, rather than the presence of continuous indications of trail to maintain the proper course across the terrain.

Trail definitions used on this guide.

Trail conditions between the Upper Ford to the Lower Ford merit its rating as a route rather than a trail. Though we find many good section of trail bed and a solid line of ducks there is no continuous trail bed between these points. A few downed ducks and a small bit of manzanita growth will make this section very challenging. Thus I suggest you read the variety of experiences folks have had through here.

A reasonable trail leads from the Lower Ford to the Dead Pond entrance to the Enchanted Forest.

There is no trail across the Enchanted Forest, but someone has begun to build trail North into this forest section, up from the Southern exit out of this unique forest basin.

There is reasonable if faint trail from the Enchanted Forest to Camp Irene. Faint conditions persist a bit South from Camp Irene, but solid trail begins where we begin climbing above the top of the forest, away from the North Mokelumne River towards Mount Reba a short ways South out of Camp Irene. Growth of manzanita may leave the trail pushing through seams of the underbrush.

status reports

Despite a few dense sections of manzanita and a couple of raggedy steep switchbacks on the very upper section of the North flank of Mount Reba, the trail between Camp Irene to Lake Alpine is traditionally reasonably maintained.

That's why the trail descriptions on the trail guide pages following below cover this trail as it was between 2002 and 2009 when conditions had deteriorated into route-finding and the post-2009 trail conditions improvements, when we've had improved trail conditions.

As it was, is, and can be.

We will encounter both hard and easy situations hiking this route. Where we encounter them may change from year to year. There are always many places where we will have to observe carefully to find the next length of trail. Other lengths of trail are carved into the granite terrain itself, and will remain to the next ice age.

My point here is although there is currently (2014) reasonable route between the Summit City trail junction to the Upper Ford and a good train of ducks from the Upper Ford to the Lower Ford, these advantages can instantly disappear.

A heavy Spring Thaw will sweep away great lengths of trail. A blight will sweep down great swaths of forest over trail. Ducks get swept away. Brush grows, trees fall, and things constantly change.

Things will happen every year to degrade parts of the trail. People may have repaired others.

BE READY for the UNEXPECTED.

These degradations will be somewhat counter-balanced by the efforts of the Mokelumne Volunteers, backpacking diehards like Trail Slug and his buddy Joe, National Forest Trail Crews, and the hundreds of hikers who's feet kick route into the terrain.

I never bet against Nature.

Report what you see and experience:

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Unmaintained Section Updates
Summit City Creek to Camp Irene

general comments-questions

SOUTH
down Summit City Canyon
along the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

2.43 miles to Horse Canyon

3.23 miles to Telephone Gulch

4.94 miles to Upper Ford

7.45 miles to Lower Ford

9.52 miles to Camp Irene

NORTHWEST
out of
Summit City Canyon
to
Fourth of July Lake
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

1.31 miles to Fourth of July Lake

3.61 miles to Round Top Lake

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

East
Upstream

Upstream the trail splits 165 feet up the trail from the Summit City Canyon trail junction. One branch hikes to Forestdale Divide while the other leads to Blue Lakes. I was confused by the destination cited on the Eastbound panel of the trail post at Summit City Creek/Canyon naming the upstream destination as "Evergreen." Though the trail East points to both Forestdale Divide and the Blue Lakes, the post here now appears to name the obscure Evergreen Lake to the Southwest of Lower Blue Lake as its destination. That's the only Evergreen I know of up here. Post up if you have more info. 165 feet upstream from this trail junction we encounter the first trail split where the trail up Summit City Creek divides into an Upper Trail Northeast up to Forestdale Divide and a Lower trail that hikes East to Blue Lakes. The lower trail splits again, also sending a branch up to Forestdale Divide. The lower trail, the second trail branching off up to Forestdale Divide is the most logical and least stressful way up.

Upstream
from the
Summit City Creek/Canyon Trail Junction
THE TRAIL SPLITS

TYT Maps and Miles
Carson Pass to Lake Alpine
Mokelumne Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

Before the trail East splits, a few feet upstream from the Summit City trail junction we find a nice campsite.

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A few feet upstream from the Summit City Canyon trail junction there's this nice campsite with good sleeping flats, easy water access, some granite boulder seating, nice shade, and a fire ring.

This site might suit you if your hiking day is ending here near the top of Summit City Canyon along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

But I'd rather stay at Fourth of July Lake if I hiked here on the TYT, or Lost Lakes, if I came in via the PCT.

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South
of the
Summit City Creek trail junction

Good sections of the trail South of the Summit City Creek trail junction

First Steps South down Summit City Canyon from the Trail Junction. The route tracks Right through thin forest into a great open space.

The image above is from 2009, and we can see the degree the trail bed has filled in with forest floor debris. This was all swept out in 2013.

This gives us a marker to judge the timing of subsequent degradation and between maintenance.

FORUM REPORT
Johnny Reports,
"Good Trail to Horse Canyon"
in 2015.

comments-questions-updates

We can see bright light in the open meadow beyond the trees.

As soon as we hit open space we see Peak 9607.

Our position relative to Peak 9607 (The peak towering above Fourth of July Lake) will mark where we are along our route down the upper segment of Summit City Canyon.

We will run into the first campsite above Horse Canyon about a half-mile past Peak 9607. By then we will be getting glimpses of Horse Canyon through the trees, which will help us determine where we are along the trail. Observing Peak 9607, then Horse Canyon, and finally Telephone Gulch will be our reference points as we hike down Summit City Canyon.

This is a section of trail I now hike with map in one hand, camera in the other.

RATTLE SNAKE ALERT
One last warning. I've been warned by Trail Slug and Johnny that they've talked to others who've encountered Rattle Snakes in Summit City Canyon, and Johnny reported meeting one on the way up Mount Reba during the Summer of 2015.

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Faint, quiet but easily follow-able trail leads us through forest path recently cut clear of small and medium obstructions.

Though still faint this recent work has opened up the route.

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2009: Good sections of the trail are the sections that you can see. There were no freshly cut trail obstacles.

2013: Trail almost continuous down to Horse Canyon, with many freshly cut trees, brush, and fallen snags.

general comments-questions

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2009: Very bad footing around the granite boulder. Forest floor debris have filled the trail bed. But hey, at least there's a trail bed to follow!

2013: Debris removed from trailbed, fallen trees and brush again cut.

Trail Conditions Reports

Look ! Trail !
2009: An equilibrium between plant growth with animal and backpacker traffic is maintaining faint tracks through a few forest and meadow segments of trail.

2013: A regular track is open.

> Forum <

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The trail bends around to Summit City Creek again as we come under the ledge in the mountain containing Fourth of July Lake. We're about .57 mile South of the trail junction.

We got water through the campsite just above the Summit City Canyon junction if we needed it, so we should be good to go.

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Though this is marked as a four-season creek on the map it is a seasonal wash. Note the informal trail work as signified by the new blaze.

The folks who did this work did a good job repairing this confused segment of the route. This once confusing stretch is now tied to trail bed on both sides of the wash.

We're about .76 of a mile South of the trail junction.

Trail Conditions Reports

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In a broader context we are passing by the shelf Fourth of July Lake sits on above us wedged into the canyon wall to our Northwest, and directly under Peak 9607. Guess what we do now?

After passing by Boy Scout Camp we have an extended hike through forest over rocky and flat terrain away from Summit City Creek down to the first of three campsites above Horse Canyon.

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This camp had considerable work put into maintaining it during the 90's.

Note the pack leaned up against the tree. I'm still using the same pack and frame in 2013 as I was using in 1999...

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The snag (standing dead tree) fell across the fire ring, and landed to the right of the tree pictured at left. The picture above is taken from the same angle as the one at left, but from further back.

As of 2013 this space is filled with fallen snags and timber.

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South from Boy Scout Camp the trail submerges itself into forest as our route moves up and stays high up near the North wall of the canyon while Summit City Creek falls towards the South through jumbled terrain

The logic of the trail here appears to attempt to keep the trail up high, away from Summit City Creek, only to be bend back to Summit City Creek where forced by the terrain.

Telephone Gulch 's outline in the distant canyon wall is revealed where our trail emerges from forest cover after the trail moved Right, to the North towards the canyon wall. We get a good look around from here.

Horse Canyon is located to the Right of Telephone Gulch out of our line of sight behind the ridge arm descending in the middle Right of the image above.

We are approaching Summit City Canyon's bend to our Left, to the South.

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Looking East across Summit City Creek we get a unique view of the massive rock wave on the East-Southeast wall of Summit City Canyon. On the map the crest of this great rock wave is named Peak 9434.

Deadwood Peak, the highest point on this massif, is rising to its peak out of the distant far Left of this image.

Check out this view of Peak 9434 from Fourth of July Lake, and this view from above Fourth of July Lake while hiking down between the Western flank of Round Top and the Sisters and Fourth of July Peak.

We can see here that we are pretty high above Summit City Creek, which we locate running through the dense thicket of trees between us and the other side of Summit City Canyon.

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Turning around to look Northeast over our Right shoulder at Peak 9607 and the backside of Round Top further up Summit City Canyon.

Fourth of July Lake is located between Peak 9607 and Round Top, wedged up under the Northeast flank of Peak 9607. Our trail down from Round Top Lake came through the second, the most distant gap in the canyon.

Referencing these landmark peaks in the images above will keep us aware of our location as we hike down Summit City Canyon.

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We pick up bits of fine trailbed as we turn back down towards Summit City Creek.

Welcome trail improvements easing the way back down towards Summit City Creek.

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The trail returns to a stretch of Summit City Creek formed by the power of the Spring Thaw. Note the collection of smashed trees wedged on the upstream side, the Left side of the great boulder. This deposit has becoming part of the terrain, turning the creek around it.

This wedge of trees redirected the course of the creek, and is now back-filling with sand rooted by vegetation. Note the proliferation of large fallen trees scattered about. Looking carefully at the collection of trees wedged into the boulder reveals a huge tree wedged up against the boulder. This monster tree is the key of this debris-raft, its flood-tide deposition here responsible for redirecting the creek. A little bit of new terrain has been born.

This configuration and the process that created it are indicative of the catastrophic thaws and subsequent floods that sweep down Summit City Creek on an unknown frequency. I know of one in 1925 and another flood during the Spring of 1997.

What I do know is that catastrophic floods smash down Summit City Creek every now and again. I feel very lucky to have seen the immediate and medium-term aftermath of one of these events.

This whole section of the creek is filled up with old smashed timber, especially past the upcoming campsite where the creek's fall increases.

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Continuing down along Summit City Creek we come to the first of three campsites above Horse Canyon trail junction. It's off to the Left in the distant sunny area.

We are about 1.57 miles South of the Summit City Canyon/Creek trail junction.

The campsite furthest North of Horse Canyon trail junction.

About 1.57 miles South of the Summit City Canyon/Creek trail junction.

We are about .86 of a mile North of the Horse Canyon trail junction.

The next campsite South of here on our way down to Horse Canyon is about .37 of a mile further South along the TYT.

Trail Conditions Reports

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Cold weather, strong winds, and the threat of snow prompted me to put up the tent in late September.

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South from the uppermost campsite North of Horse Canyon we climb a gentle rise out of forest onto a rocky meadowed open space where we can see Telephone Gulch directly ahead and the great cut of Horse Canyon into the side of Summit City Canyon off to our Right.

The next campsite, the second of three on our way South to Horse Canyon trail junction is about .37 of a mile South of the first campsite.

But here's the deal: We can camp wherever we want. We certainly do not have to rely on improved campsites. We have seen lots of fantastic potential campsites, and there is absolutely no reason why we cannot find a beautiful location, scout about a bit until we find a fantastic spot to camp in, and throw down our gear.

I prefer locations with great views, easy access to water, good sitting and wind protection rocks, and a flat big enough for sleeping pad and bag.

That's all it takes.

Between the Summit City Canyon trail junction and Camp Irene we will find lots of locations that are not formal campsites that fill these requirements.

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Crossing the low rise above and just a bit North of the Horse Canyon trail junction.

The cut in the canyon wall directly ahead is Telephone Gulch while we can make out the wide and deep cut of Horse Canyon rising out of Summit City Canyon on the far Right side of the image. In the image below we see the day's first light brighten up the West wall of Horse Canyon.

And, we've again climbed away from Summit City Creek.

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We can better see the grand cut Horse Canyon makes into Summit City Canyon in the image above. The upper West wall of Horse Canyon is being lit up by the rising sun.

Check out the view up Summit City and at Horse Canyon as we climb towards Mount Reba.

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Looking further down Summit City Canyon at Telephone Gulch and beyond we see that we begin making a turn South, Left, with Summit City Canyon when we arrive at Horse Canyon. The peak composing the Southwest end of Horse Canyon is visible on the far Right of the Canyon wall behind the interceding tree.

By the time we pass under Telephone Gulch we will be completing our turn South within the canyon.

On the Left side of the image we can see the descending flank of the Deadwood Peak Massif making up the inside corner of our turn South down Summit City Creek Canyon.

Peak 9607 on Left-center and Round Top beyond in the center of this image looking upstream, to the Northeast, from our current position just above Horse Canyon.

This is the last place we get clear views of the upper canyon and its main landmarks we've used to chart our progress down to here. We're leaving Peak 9607 and the backside of the Round Top and Sisters Massif behind when we make the turn into the lower section of Summit City Canyon.

As we turn the corner South along our hike down Summit City Canyon these peaks above, and this part of the upper canyon will pass out of sight.

As we pass Horse Canyon and Telephone Gulch turning South with the bend in the canyon Horse Canyon and Telephone Gulch will become our next set of landmarks referencing our changing position through the middle section of Summit City Canyon.

As we approach the far end of Summit City Canyon the end of the canyon itself will be our Southern landmark while Telephone Gulch and Horse Canyon will be our Northern landmarks.

Once we turn into the middle portion of the canyon we will also be able to get long views Southeast into the massive canyon of the N Mokelumne River from high points along our route as we hike down Summit City Canyon.

At the far South end of Summit City Canyon we emerge from within the sheer walls of this magnificent canyon high above the North Fork of the Mokelumne River.

From the end of the Summit City Canyon we get grand views of the epic canyon holding the North Fork of the Mokelumne River. We see that Summit City Canyon is essentially a hanging canyon disgorging Summit City Creek high above the North Fork of the Mokelumne River.

The final couple of miles of Summit City Creek past the Summit City Canyon flows down to the North Mokelumne River via a deep rocky channel/gorge on the Northwest wall of the North Mokelumne River's Canyon.

We get pretty good overviews of this terrain we are now hiking through from high points further down the trail. The overview linked to above puts our current position, buried in the terrain in Summit City Canyon, into a broader context. It is as important to me to turn around and look back as it is to look forward. Looking back from where we are climbing from Camp Irene to the Top of Mount Reba is particularly informative.

Our trail-route down from the end of Summit City Canyon to the Lower Ford of Summit City Creek roughly parallels the rough channel Summit City Creek is falling through, but our route moves away from the chaotic rocky channel of Summit City Creek to find its way down to the lower ford following distantly spaced ducks through a maze of dense manzanita into and out of dark folds of forest wedged into steep granite gorges.

That's if the ducks are there. It was well ducked in late 2013. They may well be gone or diminished after that date.

Here and Near

From our current position there's one campsite a short distance upstream and two campsites downstream along our remaining short hike down to the Horse Canyon trail junction. There's also a nice campsite at the Horse Canyon trail junction and two more campsites within a quarter mile South of the Horse Canyon trail junction.

We've got regular access to water and really sweet break spots scattered up and down the trail between the Summit City Canyon and Horse Canyon trail junctions.

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Dropping off the rise we begin moving towards Summit City Creek as we descend towards Horse Canyon trail junction.

We note a noticeable decrease in the depth of the trail bed increasing the faintness of the trail, and more fallen snags and brush as we get closer to Horse Canyon.

The general rule of thumb is that the route deteriorates the further South we go.

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It looks like the beavers rearranged debris swept downstream into a nice little dam.

Looking downstream.

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This unmarked trail junction branching off to our Left towards Summit City Creek is blocked off by old branches. Our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route bends Right.

This cutoff is about 1.94 miles below the Summit City Canyon trail junction below Fourth of July Lake.

About 50 yards to the Left down a faint route we find the nice campsite below.

Trail Conditions Reports

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This is a nice place for a camp. It's offset from the trail sufficiently to afford privacy from hikers
passing by, not that that's an issue on this lightly trod section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.
The site is established on a wonderful granite formation creating one of the shores of Summit City
Creek through here, and as you can see the formation is topped with soil to soften our sleep.

Old fire ring showing signs of years of disuse.

All around us are nifty places to explore.

The next, and last campsite between us and Horse Canyon trail junction is
about .2 of a mile further South.

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A recently outlined length of very faint trail.

The trail is following Summit City Creek down canyon by bobbing in and out of the forest along its West shore.

Very faint trail hiking South down Summit City Canyon between the first and second campsites North of Horse Canyon.

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The first campsite North of Horse Canyon.

About 2.54 miles South of the Summit City trail junction below Fourth of July Lake. We've about .2 of a mile South to the Horse Canyon trail junction.

Trail Conditions Reports

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As we draw nearer to Horse Canyon the number of fallen trees and snags increases, and the trail gets fainter. Above the trailbed bends around a tree long ago fallen across.

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Recent work opening up path around fallen snag.

The trail section from the Summit City Canyon trail junction South down to Horse Canyon was only unmaintained for a few years. Maybe eight years. During this time lots of snags fell across the trail, especially lower down the trail approaching the Horse Canyon trail junction.

Most of the trail was absorbed by the terrain across the areas of soft soil, and the route detoured around the fallen obstacles.

In 2013 Trail Slug and his pal did a lot of work to reveal the old route. They marked and opened up the historical route and took the time and spent the effort, as demonstrated by the work above, to mostly subtly open or mark the route.

The cut branches on the fallen snag above inform hikers as to the route's location.

The route South of Horse Canyon has been unmaintained for decades, resulting in the build up of more large fallen trees across the original route than above Horse Canyon.

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The short and long ways around a fallen tree.

Trail Conditions Reports

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Horse Canyon Trail Junction along Tahoe to Yosemite Trail in Summit City Canyon. The trail through Horse Canyon to Highway 50 at Silver Lake splits to the Right, the Northwest. Our trip South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail veers Left through this junction.

Note the location of my bedroll on the back of my pack. Whenever I fall down I aim to hit that first. I am mostly successful, resulting in minimal damage to body and gear over the years. I rack gear on my pack to minimize damage and assure my gear stays attached to my pack in emergency situations while maximizing efficient and safe carry of heavy loads through all situations and conditions.

Tip: never lash anything to your pack or person that bounces while stepping your gait.

Trail Conditions Reports

Camp Irene is the noteworthy destination to our South on our hike on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail down Summit City Canyon. That's because maintained trail resumes just South of Camp Irene.

We've been hiking across harder than normal conditions, even for the High and Hard conditions hiking any part of the High Sierra entails, ever since we hiked South of the Summit City Canyon trail junction. The difficulty increases South of the Horse Canyon trail junction.

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Duration: 19:30

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2013 Trail Post Repair

Using a very sharp Swiss Army Knife allowed me to gently whittle off only the thinnest layers of paint and wood necessary to remove the fabric paint, or whatever the hell fingerpolish lady used to mark up the post.

The wood should age to uniform color quickly. I collected up all the scrapings that I could.

Hiker Input

My thanks to all of you hikers who have both contacted me for and with information about this trail route. Y'all are always welcome to email me or post up comment & question through the trails forums.

As you can see, comments, questions and trail conditions updates can be put through the forums covering the specific segments of this unmaintained section of trail, or you can post up general reports about this un maintained section can to the
Unmaintained Trail Section Conditions, Updates, and Reports Forum.

Campsite to the East of the Horse Canyon trail junction.

A hike requires planning. Where we start from and how many miles a day we plan on hiking determines where we will likely camp each evening. The availability of great campsites along the length of the route and especially the locations of the most beautiful spots along our route is going to affect our campsite decisions.

This is true at the Horse Canyon trail junction. We have three campsites stretching from just North of the trail junction and two sites located just a bit to the South.

At the Horse Canyon trail junction we also have a campsite, making a total of six sites situated North and South of the Horse Canyon trail junction. All of these sites except one, maybe two are along and visible from the trail. One is offset from, but close to the trail.

The two best campsites along this section of trail are above and below Horse Canyon, depending on your particular tastes. The second campsite to the North of Horse Canyon and the second campsite to the South are the best campsites along this stretch of trail by mine. Well, they are as of 2013...

All's we really need for a campsite is access to water and a flat sufficient for our sleeping bag. By that standard there are campsites at every point the trail route nears Summit City Creek.

Independent of this fact, the best campsites are still the second camps located both above and below the Horse Canyon trail junction.

TYT Echo Summit to Lake Alpine
30 minute Backpacking Map

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Though we see some remnants of fire inside, this is not a fire ring. I've found examples of what I call "ritual circles," of rock circles up and down the Sierra Crest.

Apparently folks like to make circles of rock in the mountains. There are some old ones up there.

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Lower Summit City

I understand that Lower Summit City was both a location of Silver exploration during the Comstock Silver Strike, as well as a failed speculation on the route of the Transcontinental Railroad.

I also understand that it was not located here, as it was previously signed as seen above, but that Lower Summit City was actually located at the current position of the Summit City Canyon trail junction below Fourth of July Lake. This sign pictured above is no longer at the Horse Canyon trail junction.

Rather than the original mining settlement of Summit City itself being located at the Summit City trail junction, as tradition had suggested, the hamlet of Summit City was likely located in the meadow at the mouth of Devils Corral. We can see the location as we descend into Summit City Canyon from Fourth of July Lake.

That's the opinion of Mr. Roy M. Acker, who's ancestors operated the sawmill at Blue Lakes and resided at Summit City. His investigations of life in Summit City Canyon are documented in, Historical Summit City. An 1860'S Mining Center in Alpine County California, self-published in 1999.

Independent of the rise and fall of the Gold and Silver Booms across the Sierra the advent of Civil War pushed the South out of Congress, meaning the Transcontinental RR was going to be built. Long delays building a Transcon RR had been generated by the same North-South split in Congress that fueled the Civil War: Each group fought for its own geographic financial and social "interests." With the South out of Congress the Transcontinental RR would be built across the North.

The only question was where. Summit City Creek was claimed by speculators hoping to cash in if the Transcontinental RR route passed over the Sierras through the Summit City Creek route.

Scouting out the terrain of the major East-West passes over the Sierra Nevada today certainly reveals that the Summit City Canyon route would have been quite a long shot bet.

History of Summit City

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South from Horse Canyon

We noticed the trail becoming fainter as we hiked South down from the Summit City Canyon trail junction approaching Horse Canyon trail junction.

The trail route below the Summit City Canyon trail junction had stopped cutting through great fallen trees to find its way around them. These unmaintained trail conditions intensify South of Horse Canyon.

The forest appears to darken South of Horse Canyon, thickening and darkening as we lose altitude.

Despite the fainter trail conditions and increasing obstacles we see many indications of recent work during late 2013.

These freshly cut obstacles keep hikers on route. When we cannot see or follow trail we find the old and new cuts that keep us on route even if there is no trail.

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Hiking through a dense dark forest for about an eight mile South of Horse Canyon brings us to this campsite on a flat just off, and visible from our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

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Dark cold clouds pushing across Summit City Canyon. Light snow on strong cold gusts of wind in late September keep hikers cool.

Remember: weather can always surprise us in the Sierra, and quickly!

Section of faint but easily followable trail through Summit City Canyon below Horse Canyon junction.

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About an eight-mile past the first campsite South of Horse Canyon and about a quarter mile South of the Horse Canyon trail junction we encounter this trail post without a message.

I'm thinking that this sign once held one of the locations of the Lower Summit City trail sign, but I'm not certain.

I remember the Lower Summit City Creek sign was shifted around a bit before it was removed.

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Looking towards Summit City Creek from the trail post reveals a fine campsite wedged within a nifty granite formation.

Note that the fallen tree across the rock in the upper Left of the image above is the same tree faintly visible in the upper Left of the image below.

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Hiking through a dense dark forest for about an eight mile South of the first site South of Horse Canyon brings us to this second sweet campsite wedged in a sweet flat under fantastic granite boulders just off, and visible from our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

Beyond the site on the Right we can see a section of Summit City Creek featuring granite sculpted by thousands of years of flowing water.

This is a very nice campsite. Good seats. Soft flats. Shelter from wind and flowing cold air.

SWEET.

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Reasonable faint trail decorated with some debris.

When you can't find plain trail look about for new and old cut timber or fallen trees with bark damaged by passing travelers to rediscover the route.

Cut wood and bark damaged by hikers and animals are hiking hints visible along the faint trail above.

Many times it comes down to recognizing the faint cues laid out by man and nature to keep ourselves on route.

Entering the first short but significant rock section between Horse Canyon and Telephone Gulch. Telephone Gulch is the cut in the ridge on the upper Right, while our trail turns Left following Summit City Canyon's bend to the South.

TYT Echo Summit to Lake Alpine
30 minute Backpacking Map

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Crossing this granite flat high point reveals the whole length of the Western Wall of Summit City Canyon between Telephone Gulch, the cut in the ridge on the Right, from the cut in the canyon to the South, the Left in the image above.

Our route South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail bends Left, down the canyon.

Though there is no trail through Telephone Gulch to Silver Lake to our West-Northwest (through the gap on the Right of the image), as there is a trail to Silver Lake through Horse Canyon behind us, the great face ahead of us is also part of the Eastern face of the same great granite ridge dividing our position in Summit City Canyon from Silver Lake and the Silver Fork of the American River to our West-Northwest.

TYT Echo Summit to Lake Alpine
30 minute Backpacking Map

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South of Horse Canyon we are relieved to find easily discernable trail bed through and across a too-small section of rock.

Rock terrain is much easier to navigate than the dense forest and meadow leading South to the Horse Canyon trail junction.

Rock terrain is relaxing.

Turning South with Summit City Canyon approaching Telephone Gulch. The perspective above is looking down-canyon to the South in our direction of travel.

TYT Echo Summit to Lake Alpine
30 minute Backpacking Map

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Crossing this rocky terrain was like taking a break compared with crossing through dense forest.

How much of a break it is will depend on how bad the route through the forest is. And how bad your feet and knees hurt.

Soft forest soils cushion impact better than hard surfaces. Hard surfaces offer easier hiking, but much more foot, knee, and hip impact.

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Great Boulder. It either rolled down here or was dropped by the glacier.

I figure it was dropped here by the glacier.

View of trail South across rock and through forest at Telephone Gulch.

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Off the last bit of rock down into forest. These sections of trail carved into rock are welcome interludes to faint trail through dense forest and no trail across meadow.

Many backpackers don't carry a mental load on maintained trail.

We can let our minds wander, relying on generations of work by trail crew to keep us on trail and route, without a thought.

When the trail disappears and the faintness of the route melts into the terrain we begin to feel the weight of the mental load.

Soon we begin to notice that this mental load is burning calories and increasing, if not magnifying our physical load. Whoa!

That's Incredible!

We soon understand that stretches of identifiable trail and/or route lighten our mental load, while navigating the chaos of the forest increases it. Each piece of the puzzle of route-finding we figure out lightens our mental load while sections of easy to follow trail cut across rock ease both our mental and physical challenges.

Out here across unmaintained trail we can find the true weight of our pack.

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Dense forest at the base of Telephone Gulch in Summit City Canyon.

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Telephone Gulch trail sign and post together but not joined.

The campsite here is a bit South down the trail from Telephone Gulch.

Summit City Creek runs to our Left.

This is a great piece of old work because culverts wash away. The longevity of this setup is a testament to the trail crew that laid it, how long ago? Longer than I've been hiking through here.

Twenty years? Thirty? Forty?

Tell me: comments.

Note the recent addition of three boulders to hold the culvert down and in...

This feature is subject to being washed away by a big thaw.

The reason is my simple laziness. Close inspection of this unique feature requires work, and carrying the damn tripod, cameras, batteries, charger and taking all the damn pictures and notes is already working me good.

So I've deferred stopping, pulling off the old boots, and wading across Summit City Creek to screw around with the granite waves. But I will next time through here, (I did not) which should be sometime during the Summer of 2012, (passed it again in 2013) if things go well, and I get the opportunity to hike my 5th Tahoe to Whitney.

(I did a 2012 TW hike and things did not go real well... oh well. Here's a piece of wisdom for you: If you spend long enough on the trail everything will happen to you on the trail. Everything good, and everything bad. That is why you should always pack all the proper safety equipment, first aid, and proper gear for the range of dangers, including weather and injury.)

(Note: TW in 2012 was via PCT through Mokelumne Wilderness, but 2013 finally brought another hike down Summit City Creek, but my attentions were on other elements of the infinite terrain we find within even the small spaces...)

I'd like to get some shots and input about this feature from hikers, so post up through the second link below, or email me with shots and info and I'll include 'em in the guide and forum.

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Great rock along Summit City Creek just above the Telephone Gulch Campsite.

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Campsite South of Telephone Gulch 2013.

This built-up fire ring is the physical representation of the increased attention and traffic this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, this special length of primitive trail down Summit City Canyon has been attracting during the last few years. But what does that mean?

It means that the trail route and campsites are showing signs of use and work. This is good and bad.

The question is how much trail work is too much? I invite increased backpacker traffic and the natural opening up of the trail this wear brings. But, this traffic is also drawing the attention of well-intentioned volunteers and the El Dorado National Forest who are working to open up this route into marked trail.

This makes me wonder how much work it will take to remove the challenge and mystery that have traditionally characterized a hike through this section. Exactly the same issues that have made this section of trail physically and mentally demanding, the deterioration of trail into route, are being reduced in length and difficulty all along this section.

Much of the beauty and pleasure of hiking the trail route down Summit City Canyon is tied to the exercise of route-finding skills. Personally, I always have seen this section of trail as a test of a hikers fundamental observation, analysis, and decision making skills.

There are at least a thousand miles of maintained trail in the Sierra Nevada. There are less than a hundred miles of unmaintained trail, making these miles an endangered specie.

If a hiker easily cruises through here they are generally ready to bring it up to the next level: Developing into a Spring then a Winter snow traveler, along with expanding your cross-country hiking menu. If you can run this section without too many problems you are good to go for most of what the Sierra Nevada can throw at you, if you plan and gear up properly. You are also good to go up to your next level of backpacking skills.

If you executed and enjoyed this section of trail I strongly suggest you check out the 9 mile unmaintained trail up the East Carson River from Carson Falls connecting to the PCT about 8 miles North of Sonora Pass.

Unmaintained sections of High Sierra Route like Summit City Creek and the East Fork of the Carson River where we follow ancient trail through very rough terrain are getting rarer and rarer. Places like these are vital places for evolving backpacking skills within the backpacking community, but it's most important to maintain places like these where the feelings, experiences, as well as the skills created by route-finding are preserved.

The degree of opening this route into a trail will be the degree it is closed down as a route-finding challenge. But how much work is too much? Or too little? I see things differently, and I don't think there is one "answer" or solution to this problem.

I see these changes as part of the trail cycle.

The Trail Cycle

Talking with Ranger Cecilia Reed, the Trails Ranger of the Amador Ranger District of the El Dorado National Forest, gives me confidence.

Ranger Reed is going to open up the 2.43 mile long section of trail from the Summit City Canyon trail junction down to Horse Canyon and out to Silver Lake with regular trail crew. It sounds like that is going to happen, and that this section will be returned to regular maintenance. It was always maintained up until around 2002, when it seems the El Dorado forgot about it. No problem for me, but curious. That section will now be maintained, with a trail crew going in during the Summer of 2014, if I understood Ranger Reed correctly.

Ranger Reed and the Mokelumne Wilderness Volunteers have also directed their efforts to brushing out and ducking the route from Horse Canyon to Camp Irene. They hit the trail early in the 2013 backpacking season, fixing up the traditional length of non-maintained trail between Camp Irene and Horse Canyon. This work was very apparent to me during my hike through in September of 2013.

In addition, Trail Slug and his pal Joe have been doing lots of trail work spanning from the Summit City Canyon trail junction South all the way through The Enchanted Forest. These guys have connected up sections of trail bed that were very disconnected, considerably improving the overall distance of continuous trail that hikers can observe.

All of these efforts have brought the unmaintained trail route up to the high level of quality it held prior to 1997, before the catastrophic thaw of 1997 destroyed the lower section of trail, and greatly degraded the whole route.

This section of trail from Horse Canyon to Camp Irene is in the best shape it's been in for the last 15 years, and looks to improve further over the next few years. This is the upward part of the trail cycle.

By 2020 all of this attention and work will fade away, a blight will bring down many trees across one section, and a thaw with flooding will degrade other parts, and the trail will again fall into an obscure route.

The trail cycle will rise and fall.

We are currently on the improving part of this cycle as of 2013.

Cool. But let's not push it too far.

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Primitive bench and fire ring.

TYT Echo Summit to Lake Alpine
30 minute Backpacking Map

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NEXT
Telephone Gulch through the Upper Ford to the Granite Flat Campsite

The Big Picture

At Telephone Gulch we are a bit less than half-way between the Summit City Canyon trail junction 3.23 miles to our North and where we leave Summit City Creek behind crossing its Lower Ford 4.22 miles to our South.

Here at Telephone Gulch we have finished our turn South within the South-bending course of Summit City Canyon. We are now pointed South by the compass, poised for our final 3.03 miles hiking in this great granite canyon down to the campsite overlooking a profound view of the canyon of the North Mokelumne. This campsite marks the Southern end of Summit City Canyon. The walls of Summit City Canyon open out to become part of the upper walls of the great canyon holding the North Mokelumne River.

The final 1.19 miles between this campsite at the end of the Summit City Canyon down to the Lower Ford of Summit City Creek drops down through an exposed flank of the Canyon holding the N Mokelumne far below us through an ocean of dense manzanita surrounding glacially carved granite islands rising out of this hot green sea. Summit City Creek runs through a deep and mostly inaccessible rock channel to our West, our Right from the end of Summit City Canyon down to the Lower Ford.

Let's Do It

The next page of our trail guide South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail continues South down the faint and degraded route from the campsite South of Telephone Gulch pictured above, to find our way to and then across the great section of open granite laying to the North, above the Upper Ford of Summit City Creek.

After fording Summit City Creek we continue South over the first two of four granite hills or rises, beautiful sculpted granite formations separating the Upper Ford from the South end of Summit City Canyon.

At the Southern base of the fourth hill South of the Upper Ford we look West, to our Right, at where Summit City Creek flows out of the rough section South of the Upper Ford onto and through an unusual massive expanse of flat, smooth granite.

This will be the second amazing granite flat we encounter South of the Upper Ford.

Hiking West over to Summit City Creek from here reveals this stunning granite flat has been penetrated and covered by dense forest, and is also decorated by a garden of massive granite boulders, while Summit City Creek flows peacefully past.

Another frkn amazing place hidden along our route. Check it out.

Its level of peace depends on the season; during wet Springs the creek surges through here. But if you managed to get across the Upper Ford your attention will be focused on worrying about getting across the Lower Ford.

These fords are crossable before the Spring snows begin to melt, and after the majority of the thaw has passed by. But they are not passable during the height of the Spring Thaw.

This granite flat with forest and creek is a stunningly beautiful, quiet, and peaceful place. The second granite flat South of the Upper Summit City Ford reveals an amazing section of creek, rock, and nice spots to throw down a relaxing campsite and soak up some nature.

It's a hard place to see and find, but it is worth the observation and efforts to find and see it.

Just when we though we had seen the most amazing things, more amazing things pops into view. Whew!

Backpacking Trail Guide

North

Fourth
of
July Lake

Backpacking Trail Guide

South

Telephone Gulch
to
Granite Flat South of upper ford