I haven’t adventured much off of Sonora Pass, so I immediately said yes! Entering the Emigrant Wilderness, near Pinecrest at the Crabtree trailhead, we will be hiking past many beautiful lakes and volcanic, granite peaks and domes within the Central California Sierra Nevada. A Wilderness Permit is required for all overnight trips into the Emigrant Wilderness, April 1 through November 30 each year, ) however, there are no quotas or fees within the Emigrant. Looking south toward Granite Dome, the off trail route to the lakes around Granite Dome is hidden behind the peak on the left. Emigrant Lake is considered one of the premier destinations in the Emigrant Wilderness. Those times I've went, I can count the number of people I've run into on two hands. Headed to Crabtree Trail, and took the trail to Camp Lake. The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada.It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. There is a variety of trailheads the angler can use as departure points. Old-growth trees, crystalline streams, and granite domes dot the western Sierra, and when I walk through the area I experience the full breadth of its fluid stillness—if I can be alone for a sec. Emigrant Wilderness, Iceland Lake. Canyon Creek 2019. The wide vistas above our wilderness camps will afford us marvelous views of nighttime sky. Granite Dome in Emigrant Wilderness The views from the top of Granite Dome look out across the entire Emigrant Wilderness and there are many pristine mountain lakes nestled in the expansive and gently sloping granite slopes, polished smooth by glaciers. There were cow patties in all the meadows, and some of the trails in the meadow were likely from the cows. This part of the Sierra, the Emigrant Wilderness, which lines the northern border of Yosemite, is renowned for its many lakes and endless granite basins, domes, and volcanic peaks. One of the best-kept secrets of the Western Sierra Nevada wonderland is the Emigrant Wilderness, with its impressive granite landscape that rivals Yosemite National Park, but sees no tourists. The rounded domes and glacier-polished granite creates stark contrasts, often making it seem high above tree line even though we barely climbed above 7900 feet (2400m) and camped below 6000 ft. Heading east around the cliffs of Granite Dome’s north face. Backpacking Emigrant Wilderness, hiking Tahoe to Yosemite Trail South of Kennedy Meadows Relief Reservoir up Summit Creek under Granite Dome via Saucer Meadow, Sheep Camp, and Lunch Meadow past Mosquito Pass to Brown Bear Pass. NEXT TRIP: Granite Dome and the fine lakes just to […] Like Yosemite, it has towering granite mountains and spectacular alpine lakes. Granite Dome is the signature peak in the Emigrant Wilderness, with fantastic views north to the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, east to the Hoover Wilderness (Sawtooth Ridge), and south to Yosemite including, on a clear day, Cathedral Peak and the Cathedral Range. I had time for one last weekend trip to … The Emigrant Wilderness is over 100,000 acres with over 80 lakes within a granite basin filled with granitic domes, ridges, and small hills. Vegetation is characterized by pinyon-juniper pine on the highlands of the plateau, grading to sagebrush scrub in the desert below. The Emigrant Wilderness is a glaciated landscape of great scenic beauty featuring broad expanses of granite peaks and domes, lava-capped peaks, alpine lakes, mountain streams, and deep canyons. Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, Leopold Lake, Deer Lake and Gem Lake. This backpack trip will travel through Emigrant Wilderness and … 108, the Sonora Pass, is about 30 miles out of the town of Sonora. The Emigrant Wilderness is usually reached from highway 108, about 4 hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area, ... You can obviously follow any other cross-country route to Granite Dome: your destination is approximately at N38.21538/W119.74524 but there are intimidating ranges all around Granite Dome if you don't go up from the Lewis Lakes. By 7am we were up making breakfast. With recent rain the peak was covered in large puddles resembling tide pools. The Three Chimneys from the top of Granite Dome in the Emigrant Wilderness. Tells Peak and Forni Lake. Kennedy Meadows to Granite Dome. This trip would start out at the Crabtree trailhead close to the site of my first outing of the FY08 backpacking season. 12 reviews of Emigrant Wilderness "Emigrants Wilderness is a great place for backpacking and/or day hikes. The northeastern third of the Wilderness is dominated by volcanic ridges and peaks; the remaining areas consist of many sparsely vegetated, granitic ridges interspersed with numerous lakes and meadows. Elevations range from 5,000 to 11,570 feet. But it’s much less crowded than its neighbor to the South, offering more solitude for backpacking. Anglers often spend a week there, working around its long shoreline. Stanislaus National Forest. Granite Domes, beautiful meadows, lakes, rivers, flowers, and lots of nice runnable trails made for efficient movement through the wilderness. It's just as far as Yosemite minus the ridiculous crowds. I've been here twice and have couldn't have been happier with my experiences. Loon Lake to Buck Island Lake. We had decided to take day packs to the summit and grab the tent on the way out. https://trailspress.com/2014/05/15/emigrant-wilderness-granite-dome It was also hunting season -- Emigrant is a Wilderness Area and plays by different rules than a National Park. August 6: Today turned out to be a ... so I stayed in camp for the day while Dan and Ed headed off to Granite Dome. To celebrate, we added bits of blaze orange to our already fashion forward hiking clothes. View Large On Black to see things better. There’s nothing like a relaxing weekend in the Sierra backcountry. Lucky for me I missed the cow season, even though I saw lots of evidence of cattle, even a thousand feet up my ascent of Granite Dome. We drove an hour from Sonora, CA to enter the Emigrant Wilderness, part of Stanislaus National Forest. After the standard pre-dawn departure, ... We followed the conga line of lakes towards Granite Dome -- Iceland, Ridge, Sardella, Lewis. Sure, it doesn't have the falls like Yosemite, but it's got the solitude. With easy walking distance are a number other great lakes. Cool contact between granite and what I believe are lahars. This path was more boulder … Over the 4th of July weekend, my friend Blair invited me out on a girls’ only trip out to Granite Lake in Emigrant Wilderness. Spend the days exploring all this incrediable wilderness … Also … The Emigrant Wilderness is the most overly-ducked areas I've ever been in in the Sierra. The problem with ducks, of course, is that one can't be sure if the people who made them knew what they were doing. The streams are subject to heavy runoff from the winter snows and the streambeds are scoured leaving little habitat for much insect activity. The actual summit of Granite Dome is on the far west side. The area, the lakes, everything was beautiful and certainly worthy multiple visits. BACKGROUND: Earlier in the year I did a 4 day backpacking trip to the Emigrant Wilderness. Emigrant Wilderness Emigrant Wilderness. Started at Crabtree TH trail 20E16 and visited Camp, no name, Piute, Gem, Jewelry and Deer Lakes. Terrain varies from rolling hills to ridges and granite domes, with many lakes surrounded by stands of lodgepole pine. Granite Dome in Emigrant Wilderness by belowi » Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:47 pm I am planning a 3 night backpacking trip in August using the Crabtree trailhead in the Emigrant Wilderness. The trail weaves through the high alpine basin, crossing High Emigrant Lake, then to Emigrant Meadow Lake and continues to contour west moving through all the lakes and rivers. Only 2.6 miles, with a net gain in elevation of about 500 feet (although you climb almost 1000 and drop back by half), it took us just about 1 hr and 20 minutes to hike in with day packs, and about 45 minutes to hike out. Granite Dome (October 21, 2012) Morning came quickly. U.S. Bureau of Land Management/American Conservation Experience: October 2012 - March 2013 Following my internship with the Forest Service, I completed a 900-hour AmeriCorps Recreation/Wilderness internship with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), through the American Conservation Experience (ACE). Took a 3 day 2 night trip to Emigrant this past weekend with 5 other friends. Affordable Pack Station to carry your gear in the first 10+ miles... Getting to the Trailhead Planning and Permits This trip is located in the Emigrant Wilderness on the Stanislas National Forest. According to Larry, the ranchers drive the cattle into the Wilderness … Originally planned for granite Dome but we had a couple first timers who were smoked day 1 so we made a short out and back trip stopping by some lakes. Emigrant Wilderness, located south of Hwy. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 km) in width. Emigrant Wilderness is in Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. Emigrant Wilderness area is a 25 by 15 mile expanse of Sierra landscapes on the western flank of this mountain range. The southern end of the Kern Plateau is home to numerous granite domes, including the notable Church Dome, that host scenic views of the surrounding semi-arid, lightly wooded landscape. The region includes volcanic peaks, granite domes, barren basins, and over 100 lakes! Started at Gianelli trailgead. Iceland Lake and Granite Dome, Emigrant Wilderness, at sunrise; taken on a solo patrol tour. The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA. Rounded granite domes, alpine meadows, cascading streams, and stately forests greet backpackers on the 14-mile journey to the lake. Wilderness Permits are required and can be picked… Check out the links in the side bar for more info from the Stanislaus National Forest. We had complete panoramic views of Emigrant Wilderness. I did not try it, because there were still patches of deep snow. Desolation Wilderness. Are you looking for amazing river pools, granite domes, giant trees, spectacular views, historic sites, bridges, wetlands, and plenty of camping sites… with very few other visitors? So I’m learning to look north, past Yosemite, to the quiet paths of the Emigrant Wilderness … July 26 & 27, 2008 - Emigrant Wilderness - Crabtree to Granite Lake Another attempt at a partial off-trail trip and in a place that is becoming very familiar....Emigrant Wilderness. Cassidy Crossing on the San Joaquin River… a big watershed on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite Valley in the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area… is California’s best kept secret! Dark clouds were gathering overhead so we hiked quickly across the ridge and found the summit marker. Most of the lakes are surrounded by lodgepole pine. 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