Heading out to Eleanor next weekend. What should I know.

Im finally doing it. Heading out to Eleanor next weekend for 4 days 3 nights. Originally we did not think that they were going to open the roads out there so we were going to walk in from Hetch Hetchy and camp somewhere around Eleanor for all 4 days and take day hikes into the surrounding areas. With the roads looking to be open I am half tempted to just shoot up to Kibbie lake and Spend all 3 nights there. We are looking to do some hammock camping this trip as well as have a nice fire to sit around. I know the area around Eleanor is thickly forested enough to provided plenty of hammock hanging opportunities as well as enough dead and down to have a small fire to cook/sit around each night. I have never been up to Kibbie though so im wondering hows the "forest" around that lake? I know once you get out on that granite around Cherry canyon the trees get pretty scarce as does any kind of downed wood.

Looking at the map it would seem the south side of the lake may have some trees?


Anyway we will be heading out there next saturday to walk around and expore for a few days, We are looking to make this a kinda simple and easy trip by finding 1 place to camp and staying there for the entire time and just take day hikes around. If any of you guys know of some spots that would make good hammock camping please let me know.


Edit: Just thinking about it, I have never actually driven out to Cherry after early september, theres no gate or anything that they close from the 120 side to keep people from driving out towards Eleanor is there?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2014 10:09PM by randomsteve95370.

Threee things to consider:

1. No fires within 1/4 mile of Kibbie Lake
2. Rain is predicted for all day Saturday
3. The gate at Cherry Lake dam may be closed. Verify the road is open to the Shingle Spring trailhead.

You must get your wilderness permit at the Groveland District Office of the Forrest Service on Hwy 120 near Buck Meadow. The office starts weekend closing sometime around now so you may need to call on Friday and have them put your permit in the mailbox so you can pick it up Saturday.

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Old Dude

Ooh didn't know about the fire regs at Kibbie. Cool cool. Thanks for the info!

Yeah weather doesn't look like its gonna be amazing but whatever, what I do know from living up in twain harte for 19 years is that generally the weather forecasts are crapshoots anyway. 6 to 1 half dozen to the other as to whether or not the clouds hit the canyon just right. Either waythough im getting out there and having some fun.


We've been talking and it sounds like we have decided that we will probably just kick it at Eleanor and day hike up to kibbie and such from there to keep things simple as possible this trip. I appreciate the info and things to keep in mind. Sometime either Monday or Wednessday im gonna run up to the rangers station by my house in Twain Harte and get my permits and ask them if they have any ideas as to what things will be like out there. For the last 5yrs or more taking the boats and spending 3-4 days out at cherry has been a yearly thing for us but for some reason I never have hiked anywhere around the area other then up the cherry inlet a few miles. I have been to Eleanor once, though it was a few years ago and I never did go to the side of the lake where the backpackers campground is. We just hiked the Eastern side of the lake while fishing and then went back to cherry that afternoon. I'm really hoping that no one is out there but I guess we will see. We are going to try and get out there early saturday morning and grab a camp site and then maybe hike up over the ridge to cherry to check it out as I haven't seen it since the burn.


Between Chick-on and Cron it seems there isn't a place out there I can't ask about without getting at least some info. I love it! As far as that TR out to long lake. It just never happened, I never even made it out the Crabtree trail head at all this year. You ever make it out there this year? I did however manage to get out and spend three days out the gianelli trailhead and check out Y meadows Lake but that wasn't anything super special or anything, just about 8 miles of trail walking and a few good nights sleep in a hammock. I did however do a day hike out to Lundy Canyon and 20 lakes basin the friday before last that I thought was rather unique being that the falls there had nearly frozen with ice and snow littering the landscape. I am just now getting those pictures on my computer and cleaning them up (Though they are just smartphone pictures so they pale in comparison to most of the pictures posted on here) and sorting through them. Hopefully tomorrow after work or Tuesday before work I can write up a little TR and throw some of those pictures up.


edit- Interesting not sure why it threw this post up there where it did. Guess I have to actively choose someone to reply to or something.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2014 09:56PM by randomsteve95370.

Quote
randomsteve95370
As far as that TR out to long lake. It just never happened, I never even made it out the Crabtree trail head at all this year. You ever make it out there this year?

You responded here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,75510,75510#msg-75510

(answer is yes... it's was a nice lake)
(was expecting Deer to not be so... but it was really really nice)
(honestly... Leopold was ho hum... we didn't even camp there after getting
there and hearing ppl there... ended up pond little ways away) (hammockable)

Anywho... here's set of Kibbie trip... you can see some Eleanor in it and some burn...
https://picasaweb.google.com/103089501068510688008/Kibbie02

O.. I dunno you been to Eleanor late in the year... but... either you will go "wth" or
"wow... this is pretty interesting... " There were some sets in the links above...
But here they are:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103089501068510688008/Inferno
and
https://picasaweb.google.com/103089501068510688008/KibbieXmas

You can find more on this site.. I know Hetchy Connection posted a bunch too..
Anywayy.... I'd rec. parking at the Dam TH if you can... and hiking the south side...
camp at the cabin or at #9... and hike up to Miguel Meadow and see
what the Rim Fire did.. (although you may have seen quite a bit driving in)
(gotta get up there myself... v. interested in the drive in from 120)

Have fun n be safe and WARM

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Doh, im an idiot. Lol! Thats right I remeber looking at those pictures you took of long lake and really wanting to get out there even more. Its still on my list thats for sure.



Those pictures are pretty amazing, I love the few you got of that bald Eagle! Its gonna be something to see the area out there again that much I can tell.
I have never made it all the way out to campsite #9 before so that will be our first stop once we get in. A day hike to Kibbie is going to be number 1 on the list while out there for sure, we will probably make a day out of going to Miguels meadow and Gravel pit lake. We should have time for at least 1 more full day hike while out there. Any suggestions? 10miles out from camp will probably be our limit but if there is a certain lake, ridge, or canyon that we shouldn't miss while out there let me know.

There were a LOT of Bald Eagles at Cherry Lake that xmas. Even earlier this year
when the wife and I went to Eleanor and Kibbie... on the way back to Kibbie
she said "wanna go back and see the Bald Eagles" ... it's a crap shoot ... but
sometimes you come up aces. (ur sumtim like that)

Anywho... my rec. is to park at Z Dam TH lot if you can... hike to Z cabin... check
that out (you may like that better) (some ppl actually sleep on the porch in there)
(that is a trip that boils my blood tho) (note to jackbooties who came in canoe
in middle of night and proceeded to setup shop while OD and I were sleeping
nearby ... and the proceeded to play guitar... !!! have some common courtesy/sense!!!)
(hey, but I'm not bitter)
You can hike from the cabin area up the Frog Creek trail ... and if desired up to
Laurel... or down to Miguel and back around...
you MAY need a track / push in right direction to find it ... but it's there....
took it twice this year and it's in v. good shape..
I'd rec for Kibbie... if rd open and u parked at dam hike back to car...
get in car... drive to Shingle... then dayhike to Kibbie...
or just sans z old fire... and take all ur stuff there and spend the night.

Have fun

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Not great weather predicted next weekend so watch the forecast. Hopefully it gets better.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2014 08:22PM by KC.

Wutt de old dood said... and then read this stuff:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,68503,68503#msg-68503

Look at the maps I posted. #9 is da bomb.

w/r to Hamhocks... z wifie uses hammock exclusively... rule o thumb...
anything below 10K in The Sierra... it don't take much to find trees to
hammock in... but ... with > 1 hammock... at some locales... good luck.
Plenty of times we are searching for a spot for her... and I might
sleep quite a bit aways... but ... in the Sierra... lodgepoles grow
high ... and .. well anyway... Kibbie and Eleanor have spots at #9
and at the campground (we've done both... ) (but > 1 hammock...
and you'll be searching from what I recall)
Lots of fire damage on the trail from the dam to the campground
area... plenty of downed trees back in ... I'd have to look...
but there may be more.. it was "fun" working around them...
not sure about the Kibbie Creek trail... we took the trail to Shingle.
Which was in stellar condition.
Anywho. Ask more if you like. I thought I posted some pix.
Just walked thru the Meadow Fire... depressing.. worse than
the Rim imo... since what got blast furnaced is world class
... whereas what got blasted in Rim fire... I wouldn't consider so.
Your opinion may vary..

Have fun.. (and where's that Long Lake trip report?)

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bzw ... if you search on this forum for
"eleanor map" w/ chick-on poster....
you may find more inseresting info...

This prob. has some stuff of interest:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,55268,55396#msg-55396

???

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Alright. Just got off the phone with the Groveland ranger station. Permit is filled out and in the box for Saturday through Tuesday. I asked and both the Damn and Shingle springs trail heads are open all the way out, the gate on the damn does not close until Dec. 15 like usual. I am going to be running in to town today to buy my last few things (Danishes mainly, can't go without those :p but also a new pair of Thermal underwear) and then I will packing up my backpack this evening. Looks like there is a decent chance of rain/hail Tomorrow morning through the mid afternoon out there but then after that Sunday, Monday, Tuesday look to be beautiful. I am going to be taking Chick-ons recommendation about parking at the Damn TH and walking in and then driving out the the Shingle springs trail head when we do that hike. We will check out the cabin and stuff on the way out but looking at your map I'm thinking that we might just end up going over the #9. Just double checking but is it still true that 9 10 and 11 have Bear boxes at camp?


Anyway sounds like everything is going to go as was hoped. Little rain on saturday isn't the best thing in the world but maybe it will keep some dayhikers and stuff away for the weekend. Gonna take lots of pictures and hopefully right up a TR before I take off on the 27th for a 2 week trip up to Seattle. If I don't have the time before I leave I will get to it after I get back.

Yes there are still bear boxes at #9 (the beach) and at the Frog Creek Cabin.

Have fun. I doubt many will be there beyond Sunday... the nights are long...
and Lake Eleanor will in-dooob-a-dib-leee be devoid of water except in it's
"original" form.... which puts off many...

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