I have a confession: I haven’t been backpacking in almost a year. Last summer I focused on a lot of big dayhike-able peaks with car camping. So I’ve been crazy eager to get out on the trail again!
Another reason we haven’t gotten out as much is because we have been raising Thor, our yellow lab pup, training him and waiting for him to develop a strong body that can handle the trails and a pack. This summer he’s finally ready for his first backpack so we decided to join on a trip with friends in Emigrant Wilderness where he could get his introduction to the fun!
Our trip was an overnight from the Crabtree Trailhead, taking the Pine Valley lower trail to the West Fork Cherry Creek for the night. In the morning we returned via the higher trail that went by Camp Lake. It was a perfect ~17 mile loop for the weekend and we had a ton of fun (…except for the mosquitoes).
On Friday night we drove out to Pinecrest Lake where we had a campsite reserved in a cluster with friends. Celebrations ensued, but we still got to bed at a reasonable campground hour (at least I did…).
In the morning, Thor was eager to hit the trail. “C’mon guys, lets go!”
We followed the trail out of Crabtree down to Pine Valley where we found a ghostly burned out forest. It looked too old to be part of the Rim Fire, but it was a good reminder of how quickly things can change. We even heard, then saw, a tree fall.
After wandering through the valley we climbed into the more familiar granite terrain.
Eventually we reached the West Fork of Cherry Creek and found a campsite near the creek. We spent the afternoon enjoying our own waterslide and wandering along the cascades.
Waterslide on Cherry Creek
West Fork Cherry Creek
We had a decent size group and found a great area where we could spread our camps out among granite terraces above the creek. We weren’t able to escape the mosquitoes, but it was pretty nice!
Camp area – terraces
On Sunday we hiked out via a loop, along the higher trail that went by Camp Lake. I preferred this route to the hike in through Pine Valley. Being higher gave us some great views.
Overall, this is a great early season trailhead. This year is much drier than usual so it was more like July than May, but I highly recommend it as a quick way to reach some beautiful granite Sierra terrain without the long drive all the way to one of the passes!
Gear Tips
I want to start a new featured section in each of my trip reports that talks about that trip’s main gear success and failure. I get a lot of emails asking me specific questions about gear I used on trips, so I thought I’d feature some items in the trip reports themselves.
It could be about choices that I made that worked or didn’t, or gear that performed beyond expectations (or not). Sometimes it will feature gear that I purchased on my own, and sometimes it might include gear provided to me for free to test out. I’ll always disclose the source and be honest in my opinions. So, lets get started with something simple.
- Gear Win:
- Columbia Coolhead Sun Gloves: I hike with poles which exposes the back of my hands to the sun. No matter how much sunscreen I put on, I always seem to get burned. At the end of last summer I discovered these gloves while wandering through Wilsons in Bishop and bought a pair. Best investment ever. Comfortable, light, and grippy, they protect my hands from the bright sun and even help keep me cool when I dunk them in cold running water as I hike down the trail. At 0.6 oz for the pair, why would I NOT carry these?
- Gear Fail:
- Bug Juice: This was not a gear fail, it was a decision making fail. May is usually far too early for mosquitoes in the Sierra. With recent snow, I expected to be ahead of the hatch on this trip and neglected to pack any bug juice. But that was SO not the case. They have hatched and were out in swarms everywhere between the trailhead and the 7500 ft level where we camped. What did I learn? If there is the smallest chance of bugs, the headnet and bug juice are worth it.
Style:
Loop Backpack
Distance:
16.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:
+/- 2500 ft
Trailhead and Permit Notes:
A Wilderness Permit is required for overnight use in Emigrant Wilderness, but no quotas apply to the trailhead. Group size is limited to 12, and please check on current conditions with regards to fire regulations, trail conditions, stream crossings, and road closures. Crabtree is a busy trailhead so I recommend an early start.
Camping Tips:
Upon reaching the West Fork Cherry Creek, take time to spread out and look for campsites. There are several in the area, from exposed granite platforms to shaded spots under the trees.
Useful Guides and Gear:
glad to read you’re back out backpacking! I’ve missed your epic trip reports.
i’ve been long out of the tent too-we welcomed our son into the world three months ago- so i can definitely relate to the trail absence…my packs are collecting dust in the garage..
looks like Thor is turning into quite the proper trail dog. can’t wait to get my boy out into the wilderness.
look forward to more epic adventures-and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment – hope you are able to get out again soon too!
Took that same trailhead to Gem lake last June – The Mosquitos. I feel for you. I think that area is just a real sanctuary for them. They must enjoy the granite wonderland too?