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[2nights] Underrated backpacking destination in Stanislaus National Forest/Emigrant Wilderness

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Memorial Day was upon us, and it went by so fast just like every other national holidays. We were craving for adventure that scratches the itches of being stuck at home still after one whole year of quarantine. Well, we actually did a decent number of outdoor adventures and I am just very behind on posting. Last summer Rebecca and I got engaged(!!!) by the beautiful Glacier Lakes in Tahoe National Forest (disclaimer: not the overly populated South Lake district of the forest, we went off the grid as per usual) then we also went up to Lassen Volcanic National Park for the first time since I did the weekend camping trip with dudes several years ago (you can read/see the itinerary from the previous trip here) and we also did a relatively relaxed trip to Plumas National Forest taking advantage of Summer Fridays thanks to Sony. I got photos and well kept journal entries from all of these trips we did over the cursed year of 2020. I am going to slowly attempt to translate my photo documentation into blogposts.

Unfurling view of snow covered mountains to the south of Stanislaus
Rebecca traversing through beautiful creek along Kennedy Lake trail
Gushing waterfalls along the high elevation point on Kennedy Meadows trail

This post is about our most recent backpacking trip that we took on the last weekend of May 2021: Kennedy Meadows trailhead to Relief Reservoir to Kennedy Lake back to Kennedy Meadows. Hope you enjoy!

Before proceeding – Please bear in mind the following two key rules for backcountry adventures: (1) pack in/pack out and (2) respect the rules set by the wilderness service. You are receiving permission to enter the wilderness, the wilderness did not ask you to come. First step for preparation is to acquire a proper wilderness permit from Forest Service website. If the URL is still valid and same, this is the link to Stanislaus FS website where you can submit request for wilderness permit to do any of the backpacking ideas illustrated in this post.

Remember to review the park specific rules especially for fire usage. Be sure to apply for fire permit (even for portable stove) should this be required by the Forest Service. Most, if not all parks in California are in high fire danger during the summer/fall camping seasons.

There was still snow on the higher elevation part of Kennedy Meadows trail

Entry to Stanislaus National Forest area takes about 3 1/2 hours if you are driving from Bay Area. We took the usual long relaxed drive along 120 that penetrates through many farmlands and fragrant strawberry vendors, and eventually cut through Oakdale towards 108 waving past the turn to Yosemite. We kept driving on 108 passing Strawberry town and Bumblebee town and pulled into Kennedy Meadows Trailhead parking lot.

The weather was hazy and cloud was dim under the influence of high pressure that can turn into much needed rainfall at any moment. We reorganized our packs in the back of Tiguan and adjusted the hiking poles to make a perfect 90 degrees angles with our elbows. This was my first trip with my new pack that Rebecca gifted me on Christmas. It surprised to think it took half a year to finally put this pack in use. We locked the Tiguan, double checked to make sure all trashes and any sign of food was taken out from the vehicle to not to alert bears (California backpacking rule 101), opened the car again, then locked it again, and finally started on our hike! A little past 4pm on the summer time–we are still good for another 3 hours of daylight.

Creek that flows through Emigrant Wilderness

One thing that quarantine has changed in me was the concept of time. Before COVID I was always nervous to start the hike in the late afternoon. I was so worried that we cannot find the good campground before the sun goes down. In reality, Rebecca and I had done many backpacking trips and we are very much aware of our strength and the speed of travel: unless there is extreme elevation gain that prolong for miles, we can comfortably burn 2mi/hour on the flat trail and give it or take additional 1 hour for sharp elevation gain. We are essentially racing with our stamina instead of the long summer daylight. I was not nervous about the late start of our trip since we are not “rushing” anymore.

From the parking lot to Kennedy Meadow trailhead, we had to walk through a paved road that connects Deadman’s Campground and Kennedy Meadow Resorts. All in all, it took us about good half an hour to reach the trailhead. I must confess, this was the hardest part of this trip. You won’t believe how difficult treading along the concrete road when it is compared to 1,000 ft incline on the rocky dirt trail. On the dirt you can stab the hiking poles pretty much anywhere to find your balance, but the paved road does not give you anything friendly like that.

Our destination for the first day was Relief Reservoir that sits in the basin of Emigrant Wilderness beyond mountains. Kennedy Meadow trail that leads to the reservoir was well marked and it was quite scenic from the beginning. The view opened up nicely when we hiked past forests and creeks and started to ascend on the exposed hill. After crossing one bridge after another we were already gaining descent elevation (~600ft) to the highest peak of the trail. The view behind us was highlighted in amber from the setting sun. Another benefit of late start.

After passing the junction that split off to Kennedy Lake trail, we hiked for another mile to get to the vantage point that revealed the first sight of Relief Reservoir. We gained approximately 1,000ft at that point and my watch was ticking past 6pm. We were the late afternoon warriors with packs still on our shoulders to find home for the night.

We’ve passed several pitched tents and saw a small gathering of campers seating and enjoying the dinner by the cliff. It would have been an easy decision to find A-OK ground to setup the camp nearby, but we kept going instead. Another lesson from my experience: If you feel the urge to situate at any reasonable flat ground ASAP because you are exhausted, always push for just another 1 mile. Trust me, you will find something better and be happier. This was exactly what we did and after scrambling through a non-existent trail and making Rebecca unhappy for a split second, voilà! We did it! We found the perfect home that provides shelter and solitude from the other campers.

Ground was not perfectly flat but it was workable enough to rake the dirt and pitch the tent to call it our home for the night. I really loved the view of Relief Reservoir and how the sky glimmered in violet and pink twilight. It was a gorgeous evening and reminded me how the day’s end looks like. Dinner for the evening was a rehydrated bibimbap packet from Good To-Go followed by hot oshiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi). Mmmm…happy camper life.

Campfires in the distance
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Stars were out early because there was no moon to hide them. I set up my tripod and started my ritual night sky photos with slow shutter setting and self-timer. If you look at these photos closely, you can see some campfires and headlamps in the distance. They added some interesting mood to this quiet little sanctuary of a place.

Unfortunately, my sleeping pad had a hole and it was flat as tortilla when I finished the night photography and snuck inside the sleeping bag. I’ve tried inflating the pad every few hours but it reduced to a thin sheet of cold useless fabric before sleep catches up with my tired body. I was lying awake for majority of that night because of cold ground. I’ve noticed the bright glow of moon was highlighting the edges of tent at some point in the night like a big spotlight shining towards the tent. Perfect. Now I will definitely not going to get any sleep.

However, I did eventually caught a few hours of sleep before crawling out of tent to face the warm sunshine. The weather forecast that I’ve read on the way to the park suggested high 80 to 90F and the day was already on its way to a hot summer weather. Morning coffee and overnight oats that we prepared inside the bear canister the night before was a perfect starter to wire my sleep deprived brain. Day 2 has begun. Today we will make our ways to Kennedy Lake!

There are many horseback riders traveling from Kennedy Meadow Resorts
Manzanita flowers blooming along the creek on Kennedy Meadow trail
There are several parts on Kennedy Lake trail where cold creek crosses path with the trail. Icy cold water from these creeks provides a perfect opportunity to filtrate and replenish your water supply.

Backtracking Kennedy Meadow trail for about two miles, we turned on Kennedy Lake trail and continued up the switchbacks to reach the first sign of fresh water that flows and crosses over the trail. It was a hidden oasis perfect to drop our packs to refill water reservoirs and eat snacks and generally enjoy the moment.

Kennedy Lake trail is approximately 5 miles trail that follows gushing stream along the horse trail. The first part of this trail is mostly exposed and arid. You will tread on the rocky steps and wave pass the river, but as soon as the trail enters the forest the scenery switches to lush green meadows. The dramatic contrast of dusty horse trail and a beautiful green meadow makes the journey split to two very distinctive experiences.

The further you go on Kennedy Lake trail you will get the sense of entering the home of Leprechaun or unicorn or other mythical creatures. Once you enter the meadow zone you will suddenly start to feel cozy and wants to stay there for a while.

Once we entered the depth of meadow zone we bushwhacked our ways off the trail to find a peaceful green patch along the creek. We decided to pitch the tent and unload our gears and have a lunch break.

Tickling sounds of creek was very soothing and it was reinvigorating to wash our faces with icy cold snow water. It was a quiet little shelter untouched by human that we have been yearning for. Perching on a fallen log we had Tuna packet and spinach tortilla our favorite backpacking meal for lunch. It’s basically a tuna slammed into tortilla. A very easy to make and filling on-the-go meal.

After lunch we organized a daypack with snacks and water, and went back on the main trail. Marking the trail with acorns and “branch art” so we can find the way back to the campsite. The sun was still high above our heads. We continued our ways on the main trail to Kennedy Lake that supposedly awaits us at the end of the remaining 3 miles.

The final few miles on Kennedy Lake trail was something to be described as heavenly, breathtaking, and dreamlike. Suddenly, forests opened up and we were standing in the middle of lush green fields surrounded by the arms of snow peaked mountains. It was like we passed through the tunnel of reality and came out on the other side of dream. There was few other hikers enjoying fishing in the creek and taking in the scenery of this best kept secret of a place.

We continued on the trail, which at that point was a barely visible path for a mankind, and dodged many puddles to reach the point where trail completely dissolved into the bog. Kennedy Lake was still a couple hundreds of feet away but we were satisfied to see the amazing beauty of this quiet little heaven. We spent some time to enjoy the moment before heading back to the campsite.

Kennedy Lake trail and Kennedy Meadow trail were both perfect backpacking trails for moderate to experienced hikers. Kennedy Meadow to Relief Reservoir journey was slightly less exciting towards the end when compared to the dramatic shift of environment that you can experience on Kennedy Lake trail, but the scenic camping spots overlooking the reservoir was quite impressive and it was well worth the effort. I’d love to go back to Kennedy Lake and camp at the heavenly meadows to do night sky photography there.

Stanislaus National Forest/Emigrant Wilderness are a certain gift of nature that you just have to hike in to immerse yourself to appreciate. It may not be as grandiose as neighboring Yosemite National Park but it provides definite sense of solitude and peace that you cannot experience from the popular parks. This was the trail I will not be tired of trying again and again in the future.

America, Bay Area Hiking Trails, Hiking and Camping Stories

Extended Weekend in Loon Lake (Eldorado National Forest, CA)

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August is the high season for leisurely lakeside getaways in California. Naturally, Labor Day weekend, which hops over the end of August and into September, is the most desirable weekend for avid outdoor lovers – a last farewell to the summer months. This is the weekend that all of the major attractions throughout the Sierras experience their busiest and greatest influx of city escapists.

Good news is that the world famous Lake Tahoe is quite accessible from the Bay Area and warm weather is guaranteed. The bad news is that everyone else is also staring at the same itinerary. Thankfully, there are many other lakes in the Sierras that are equally beautiful but, are a less crowded destination than their famous brother. On Labor Day weekend, our good friends James and Carline gave us a campsite reservation to spend a fantastic time in Loon Lake in Eldorado National Forest.

We packed the VW Tiguan with gear, including four flimsy filaments of buoyant noodles courtesy of Grocery Outlet, and pulled up to the auditorium of Jefferson pines that we would call home for the next two nights. It felt refreshing to step out from the vehicle to breathe in the air accented by the whiff of afternoon campfire and sun drenched grove. Loon Lake campground is tucked in the depths of the Californian wilderness just far enough to escape city light pollution and service signals (i.e., bye bye work emails).

The first day at a campsite is always exciting; it’s like moving into a new, bigger apartment, and trying to get used to the new space. We unfolded the tarps, still dusty from the last camping trip, and assembled the frameworks of tents. Late August sun was pouring down between the branches of the trees and illuminating the tiny particles of dust dancing in the air. We found home.

After securing the homestead with stakes and an abundant supply of fire wood, we strolled around the campground to familiarize ourselves with our new home. 

Loon Lake campground was a perfect size for quiet group camping. The loop C that we stayed at had around 20 campsites with each campsite spacious enough for trailer parking and privacy from other campers. Even a car like the Tiguan felt small in the generously allotted campsite.

Loon Lake was within ample distance from the campsite and shockingly blue. We stepped on the wet pebbles by the shore and found tiny specks of what appear to be water bugs popping above the washing tide. Upon closer look, the specks revealed themselves to be baby frogs – a small sign of life in the eco system of Loon Lake. 

Despite having brought the noodles, they laid unused at the campsite as the water was too cold for swimming. We toured around the vicinity of the lake to the boat launching dock and returned to our new nature home to prepare dinner.

Building a fire is an affirmation of survival. It is the single most important activity in camping. There’s really nothing more secure and satisfactory than building a successful campfire from tiny twigs and wood. Camping without campfire is worse than the one without a flask of whiskey (though the latter is also pretty sad). We were fortunate Eldorado National Forest was not under the fire restriction the weekend we were there. We cooked canned chili and bratwurst over the open flame and sit to watch the day turn to night.

After dinner, we gazed over the canopy of trees to remember the presence of galaxies. Jupiter and Saturn were close to us, but not quite visible with the naked eye. Nonetheless, the dark night in the depth of forest treated us with a gorgeous light show. The sky was so clear and cold, and there was nothing between us and the atmosphere to interfere. 

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Later that night we decided to head to the boat launching dock for star gazing by the lake. Using the headlamps to beam light onto our path, we pushed back the thick layer of black towards the direction of the lake. It felt like a totally different experience in the darkness even though we had walked on the same road earlier that day. Heavy darkness made the walk eerie, especially with the looming probability of bear.  

Finally, we made it to the beach with no bear encounter.  
A metallic, creaky dock was standing silently over the lake as if it was surprised to see the late night visitors disturb the quiet. We sat near the edge of the dock and looked at the starlight reflected on the lake. We could see the artificial lights gleaming on the other side of Loon Lake and an even brighter glow in the distance – probably from the town of South Lake Tahoe. Other than that, it was peaceful.

The next morning, I woke up before Becca and wiggled my body out of the sleeping bag and unzipped the tent window. It felt nice to wake up to the fresh forest air; I felt the cool morning breeze on my skin still slightly moist from sleep sweat. David was already up and reading a book by the table. He was ready to build the fire for breakfast. I prepped some potatoes, sausage, green onions, and eggs for a power meal before the hike on Loon Lake Trail to Spider Lake.

Loon Lake trailhead was located near the campground, and it was not too hard to find. This moderate lakeside hiking trail starts from the southeast part of Loon Lake and takes the hikers all the way to the Desolation Wilderness through panoramic views of the navy blue lake. We took the trail out and back to Spider Lake, approximately a 9 mile trip.

At about 3.5 miles into the trail, we came across the junction that split into Pleasant Campground and Buck Island Lake. We continued on the right fork towards Buck Island Lake’s direction, slightly lost and confused by the absence of clear markings, and eventually found the unestablished trail down to Spider Lake that was claimed by pebble towers laid by previous explorers. After some bushwhacking through dusty hills and scarcely vegetated woods, we found the peaceful lake garnished with water lilies.

Spider Lake was a neat little oasis perfect for lunch and a swimming break. We spotted two other small groups relaxing and enjoying the early afternoon in the Sierra Nevada. Soaking into the cool lake water in nature was both refreshing and therapeutic for tired feet, legs, and busy brains. It really made me feel relaxed and unwound the entangled parts of my muscles floating on the water. After the relaxing hour at Spider Lake, we hiked back on the trail to the junction to Pleasant Campground for another soaking activity in the clear blue water.

Pleasant Campground was definitely more suitable for backpackers, and it was a world away from glamping (judging from one side of the campground seen from Loon Lake trail). Strangely, I had to say the toilet equipped here was one of the cleanest, and scenic on top of rugged rock compared to the other ones near our campsite. We traversed through the pine forest to exit at the lake. Oh, how nice to see you again Loon Lake.

The water in Loon Lake was colder than Spider Lake and the bottom was sandy like the ocean. It always amazes me to see how clear some of the lakes in this part of the Sierra Nevadas are. The lake looks deep navy blue from the distance, and so clear and transparent when you are inside of it. The afternoon sun was right above our heads and telling us the day is now reclining to the golden hour. It was time to go back.

All in all, our hiking distance totaled 10 miles including the extra bushwhacking business to Pleasant Campground. Although it was not necessarily the longest day hike, it felt so nice to come home and collapse into the camping chair with an ice cold can of beer pulled from the bottom of the ice chest. Labor Day weekend in Loon Lake Campground was the beautiful getaway that I needed. I was thankful to have spent it with great people.

Written by: Kosuke Haga
Edited by: Rebecca Hoover

America, Bay Area Hiking Trails, Hiking and Camping Stories

Visiting Local Parks (#6): Big Basin Redwoods State Park

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Big Basin hike is a magic if you do it for the first time, and it’s a real treat whenever you get a chance to do it again.

Great thing about living in Bay Area is your closeness to giant nature. There are endless options to explore beautiful redwoods forests, waterfalls, and seaside cliffs. Here today I would like to share one of my favorite hiking destinations in Northern California that offers wide variety of natural appeals in one hike. Big Basin hike is a magic if you do it for the first time, and it’s a real treat whenever you get a chance to do it again.

008Big Basin Redwoods State Park
(Sunset Trail to Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail loop – 10 mi.)

GPS Coordination to trail head: 37.1721760, -122.2223220
Parking/Entrance = $10 per vehicle.
Hiking distance/Time: 10 mi./5-6 Hours.
Difficulty: Moderate~Strenuous.
Best season to hike: Great hike year around.
Things to bring: 2L of water and packed lunch/light snack, majority of trail is shaded but recommended to bring sunscreen and hat.

If you are starting from San Francisco you can get to the park in about 1 hour and 40 minute drive. Majority of time you will be driving through the winding mountain roads on 35 and 9 and 236. You will lose mobile service once you enter the mountain so be sure to set the GPS coordination on your satellite navigator (e.g., Google Maps) to reach the Park Headquarters.

001

  1. Sunset Trail (5 mi.)

From Park Headquarters keep walking towards the second parking area located about 0.2 mi. north of the fee pay area (follow the red line below).CaptureTurn left to cross the wooden bridge where you will see the sign to Dool Trail. Take Dool Trail which split to Sunset Trail at the junction. You will be on Sunset Trail for the first half part of hike.
Here’s how hiking on Sunset Trail is like:

Stay on Sunset Trail for the first half of hike.
Air is chill in the redwoods forest especially during the morning.
Occasionally, fallen redwoods obstract the manmade trail.
Giant redwoods with gaping hollow.
Taking in the beautiful shapes and forms of nature.
Curving through giant redwoods forests on Sunset Trail.

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About 3 miles into the hike, you will come across the junction that branches out to Timms Creek Trail (forward) and Sunset Trail (to the right). This is the part where you may rally up your hikemates to decide whether to continue on Sunset Trail (steeper – 3 miles) or take Timms Creek Trail to Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail (mild – 2 miles) to reach the beautiful Berry Creek Falls. Either trail will end at Berry Creek Falls so it is totally up to the hikers’ mood. However, the latter trail excludes additional enticement of two pretty falls: Golden Cascade and Silver Falls.

021 2. Berry Creek Falls Trail (1 mi.)

Once you pass 2 miles of another scenic woodsy trail (if you continued on Sunset Trail) you will reach Golden Cascade which is just an ample down from Sunset Camp (lucky if you are camping there). This is the beginning of Berry Creek Trail and the sign of relaxing downward hike to Berry Creek Falls.

Golden Cascade
Hikers along the Berry Creek Falls Trail to Silver Falls.
Silver Falls
Lunch break on top of Berry Creek Falls.
Hikers resting on top of Berry Creek Falls.
Berry Creek Falls
High noon daylight shines on Berry Creek Falls from right above. Perfect time of day to visit this beautiful waterfall.

Berry Creek Falls is a gorgeous waterfall tucked deep inside the redwoods forest. Best time to visit this waterfall is at high noon when the sun is directly above and the ray of sunshine is illuminating the velvety glow perfectly. While the viewing platform is way too tiny for group to stay for eternity, you may find good lunch spot above the waterfall by the creek.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park - Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail3. Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail (4 mi.)

After Berry Creek Falls, follow the creek to continue on Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail that takes you back to Park Headquarters. Although you have already seen the most exciting part of the hike, this return route features impressive ancient redwoods and siblings of Sequoia giants. The last part of this trail becomes quite hilly to the peak of Middle Ridge and offers reasonable finale to epic 10 miler!

Fallen trees over the creek near Timms Creek Trail junction.
A lady on the trail told me this tree is sibling of giant Sequoia.
A final glance at Berry Creek Falls as we diverge into the hilly trail.

Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail will bring you right back to the Park Headquarters. If the sun is still high, go drive to Santa Cruz and take advantage of daylight in the seaside town. Alternatively, you can also drive back to San Francisco and have a perfect pint of beer at local brewery (what we did).

Questions? Feel free to leave in the comments.
Have fun out there!

 

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