Re: Lake Eleanor questions

Hi, I've read the Eleanor posts so far. I'm thinking of dragging the kiddies there for a mini weekend easy backpacking trip (with a canoe). Have a few questions.

* Is it less than 1 miles from the roadend to the lake? Could I portage in a canoe?
* Would it be a decent place to canoe?
* How low (high) will the water level be in late July? Will it be bathtub ring city?
* Is it a good swimming lake?
* Are there really established campsites with bear boxes around the the lake? I cannot find a campsite map anywhere.
* Am I crazy for considering this?

Note: I've taken my kids on much more difficult trips (including Cherry Canyon via 2N05), but the canoe tempts me this time.

Thanks for the help. Love the info on this forum.

I've only been there in the winter (I'd feel OK portaging a kevlar canoe during summer, though I've done a 7 night solo trip in Boundary Waters/Quetico...YMMV), it's a few feet up then 350 feet down to the closest campsites, about a mile. I've no idea about the water level, though I can confirm there's an established site with bear boxes and outhouses near the northwest corner of the "lake" (right about here). I'm thinking confirming something about the water level would be the most critical part of the decision.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2013 06:31PM by ttilley.

Lots of peeps bring canoes to Eleanor.

Park here and portage away...
It's a road down to the dam. Get the boat over the gate... and you're good to go.

The other Trailhead is here. Don't go there with boat.
You'll be hating life and wondering why u didn't listen to a pink turkey.

Eleanor is very pretty in the spring. Dunno about now. Very interesting in fall and beyond.

Call Groveland Ranger district about water levels if you're worried.

You can canoe to the campground... or to the cabin and camp near there. I think there are boxes at the cabin.
You cannot camp In the cabin but we've seen ppl camp on the porch.

There is a campground with boxes and such here

The cabin is here

There is no trail to Flora any more. Consider it all xcountry.

I'll post a map of Eleanor area at is at Eleanor.. they may give you it too... I'll have to look.
There's some camping restrictions around the lake on it.

But no, you are not crazy.

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Quote
chick-on
The other Trailhead is here. Don't go there with boat.
You'll be hating life and wondering why u didn't listen to a pink turkey.

Ah, that's the "YMMV" portage I was thinking of in my comment (and I did specify a kevlar canoe, which is really pretty light...he carries the canoe, returns, then carries the gear while hiking with the kids - two RTs).

But a road where one could legally use wheels (not so on the "hating life" route) would improve matters, yes.

Yeah, they can use wheels... but ya... if peeps can carry their Kayucks 10 miles to do Cherry...

Here's the map taken from near the Eleanor Ranger Cabin:



hadn't noticed it had the old frog creek trail on it...

sorry it's not super clear...

here's the old one from the same location... I like the old one better



Go by the top one... the 2nd is just for the heck of it.

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Love the second map!

Thanks for the info

Forgot to put a couple of links that may be of interest:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,61986,61986#msg-61986

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,64407,64407#msg-64407

Since then I've driven 108 twice out from Eleanor/Cherry. I actually like it quite a bit.
I kinda think it's quicker than 120. Made it from the dam to Sonora in approx 1 hr.
I don't think I was trying to break any speed records...

Have fun

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2013 04:58PM by chick-on.

Quote
chick-on

Since then I've driven 108 twice out from Eleanor/Cherry. I actually like it quite a bit.
I kinda think it's quicker than 120. Made it from the dam to Sonora in approx 1 hr.
I don't think I was trying to break any speed records...

Was your wife in the car during those two trips?

.

You know you didn't need to ask that.

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This is a superb lake! I'm not a reservoir fan for recreation. They generally attract people I'm not so interested in hanging with in the outdoors. But it's amazing how effective a 1/4 mile hike is to reduce traffic. The lake is about 6 ft below peak and is beautiful. Water is warm enough for lounging on your thermarest with a cool beverage.

5 kids and 3 dads hiked to the peninsula mid-way on the south side and found a great site near a beach, rock outcroppings for jumping, and a nice fire ring with benches. There's also a site with a bear box (and a riviera-style beach!) on the east side of the peninsula, but it was occupied by a very nice woman who offered to give it up for us (wow, nice people around this lake!). We declined, knowing we could find a spot. There were 2-3 canoes/kayaks in total that we saw. (BTW the east-side beach isn't currently visible on Google Earth due to clouds and a seam in the images. But it's very visible on Apple maps!)

I wonder why this is such a quiet spot. I'm not sure if the NPS keeps it quiet on purpose or through benign neglect? It seems like a Yosemite Ranger Club Med site, so I assume they keep it quiet.

I'll return. It's also a good entry point to explore the lakes northwest of here, via Frog Creek, instead of coming up via Hetch Hetchy. I dream of a hike to Edith, Peninsula and other lakes in that region. Perhaps next year...

It used to be always pretty full but in the last few years it has gotten quiet. There is also a very unused stock camp further east along the north shore from the little penninsula where you stayed. There is also a single site about 100 yards toward the dam from the penninsula. Both have bear boxes. Two solar pit toilets near the junction leading to the sites on the penninsula but they are somewhat hidden by the shrubs.

During the flood of 1997 water was over the top of the rails that run across the dam.

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Old Dude

Time of year Billy. Once Tioga opens lots of peeps head higher.

It's a big lake. Even when we went there a lot I only thought it was crowded a few times.

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You and me both dream of Edith. It's eluded me for the last 3 seasons. As long as my Achilles is healed by mid-September, I'm gonna take another shot at it.