My gf and I headed up to Tahoe this last weekend with our eyes set on Bear Lake/Ellis Peak which is above the East side of the Rubicon trail. We headed into the forest at the McKinney-Rubicon Springs staging area off 89 in Tahoma.
FYI, the Barker Pass entrance on 89, which is another way you can head into the area and towards Ellis Peak, is apparently closed. I read about this online and confirmed this with a local who lives close and wheels regularly.
I aired down and proceeded West along the trail. About 30 mins in, just after passing Miller Lake, I tried to cross a snow drift and promptly got stuck. I didn’t realize how deep the snow was and the heavy truck just sank into it, buried the axle’s and pumpkin; I wasn’t going nowhere ! After a 20 min fight using the winch and my max-tracks, we were moving again.
We proceeded along and then up the hill towards Ellis Peak. If you were following the Rubicon trail you’d turn left here...
We headed up to Ellis Peak, about a 30 min crawl, and made it as far as the snow line which was about 7627 ft, according to my Bad Elf gps. This was also coincidentally the intersection where if you go straight, you go to Ellis Peak, about 3 miles away, and if you turn left you head to Bear Lake, a 1/4 mile further on.
So, we turned around, headed back down, maybe 200ft, and found a flat, dry clearing and set up camp.
It rained a little Friday nite, typical Tahoe thunderstorms I guess, but we still managed to cook/bbq and enjoy the evening before the heavens opened at about 2345.
And then it rained, and rained and pretty much rained the entire Saturday. We tried to hike but weren’t prepared for the temps dropping and just endless water. That nite it went to below freezing but Sunday morning turned out to be gorgeous.
We managed to hike to Bear Lake which is where we have camped before and that was our goal this trip. I would say within a week, maybe two, the roads will be passable and open, maybe not all the way to Ellis Peak which is at 8740ft.
If one probably had a vehicle with a 4” plus lift and better mud tires, I think Bear Lake might have been doable but I wasn’t in a fighting mood again.
Sunday noon we crawled back down to the staging area with little drama. There was of course way more water, after all that rain and melting snow, but the deepest water crossing was maybe to the top of my tires.
I aired up at the staging area, grabbed a bit of a snack, chatted with a few locals, and then we headed home.
A fun trip, even considering the Saturday conditions, and hopefully I’ll be back in the general area for Rubithon in August.
FYI, the Barker Pass entrance on 89, which is another way you can head into the area and towards Ellis Peak, is apparently closed. I read about this online and confirmed this with a local who lives close and wheels regularly.
I aired down and proceeded West along the trail. About 30 mins in, just after passing Miller Lake, I tried to cross a snow drift and promptly got stuck. I didn’t realize how deep the snow was and the heavy truck just sank into it, buried the axle’s and pumpkin; I wasn’t going nowhere ! After a 20 min fight using the winch and my max-tracks, we were moving again.
We proceeded along and then up the hill towards Ellis Peak. If you were following the Rubicon trail you’d turn left here...
We headed up to Ellis Peak, about a 30 min crawl, and made it as far as the snow line which was about 7627 ft, according to my Bad Elf gps. This was also coincidentally the intersection where if you go straight, you go to Ellis Peak, about 3 miles away, and if you turn left you head to Bear Lake, a 1/4 mile further on.
So, we turned around, headed back down, maybe 200ft, and found a flat, dry clearing and set up camp.
It rained a little Friday nite, typical Tahoe thunderstorms I guess, but we still managed to cook/bbq and enjoy the evening before the heavens opened at about 2345.
And then it rained, and rained and pretty much rained the entire Saturday. We tried to hike but weren’t prepared for the temps dropping and just endless water. That nite it went to below freezing but Sunday morning turned out to be gorgeous.
We managed to hike to Bear Lake which is where we have camped before and that was our goal this trip. I would say within a week, maybe two, the roads will be passable and open, maybe not all the way to Ellis Peak which is at 8740ft.
If one probably had a vehicle with a 4” plus lift and better mud tires, I think Bear Lake might have been doable but I wasn’t in a fighting mood again.
Sunday noon we crawled back down to the staging area with little drama. There was of course way more water, after all that rain and melting snow, but the deepest water crossing was maybe to the top of my tires.
I aired up at the staging area, grabbed a bit of a snack, chatted with a few locals, and then we headed home.
A fun trip, even considering the Saturday conditions, and hopefully I’ll be back in the general area for Rubithon in August.
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