Re: sunrise lake

I know there is a high sierra camp at sunrise lake, but can anyone camp there to. Or do you have to make reservation for the high sierra camp. Also does anyone know when the tioga road sould be plowed to get to sunrise lake trailhead.

Most if not all HSCs have an area for backpackers use. You might get to use the toilet facilities and maybe even buy a dinner. You can also camp anywhere nearby that meets the requirements of being away from the trail and water.

Hard to say when 120 will be open. After the actual plowing in done there may be repairs to be made, some trees to topple, and waiting for all avalanche danger to melt away.

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Old Dude

so there is no over way to get to tanaya lake or toulome meadows

I don't know your plan but you can get to Sunrise Lakes via the John Muir Trail starting in the valley. They can be can be reached in one hard day or two easier days. Snow on the trails should not be a problem in two weeks at the most. I drove over Hwy 88 Monday and the snow was getting very thin even at 8K'. It was nearly gone at 7K'. It's melting fast. Silver Lake is nearly thawed and Caples Lake is getting there.

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Old Dude

The Sunrise High Sierra Camp is actually about a mile from the Sunrise Lakes cluster; so if you camp at one of the lakes, you will be sufficiently removed from the HSC to actually have a wilderness experience. The HSCs generally have a backpackers campground adjacent to the HSC proper and Sunrise is probably no exception (anyone know for sure?); no special permission/reservation is needed for these backpacker campgrounds, but you really don't want to stay at one unless you're frightened of the dark.

Since Memorial Day is "early" this year (26 May) and looking at the current progress on the plowing/road prep. front, my guess on the total opening of Tioga (so that you can get to the Tenaya trailhead from the west - the Olmsted Point avalanche zone is usually a hangup) is that it won't occur until that Memorial Day weekend.

szalkowski wrote:

> The HSCs generally have a backpackers
> campground adjacent to the HSC proper and Sunrise is probably
> no exception (anyone know for sure?); no special
> permission/reservation is needed for these backpacker
> campgrounds, but you really don't want to stay at one unless
> you're frightened of the dark.


I hiked the High Sierra Loop last Aug. There is a backpacker's campground overlooking the Sunrise HSC with a pit toilet. Showers are located in HSC. But during my visit there was not water.

Though you don't need permission to camp but you do need a wilderness permit.

i've day-hiked sunrise lake from the valley . i don't know the actual mileage tho . ..