backpacking to golden trout creek
While I was out taking pictures of the sunset, I tripped and fell forward going down hill. I’m fairly new to fly fishing (<5 years full time) and I had been doing quite a bit of research on how to fish chironomid patterns in lakes. Horseshoe Meadow Campground Loop via Trail Pass trail. As cold-blooded creatures, these trout completely depend on water to regulate their body temperatures. It was hard to get any momentum on the upper part of the trail because it was pretty rocky and steep, but we went into warp speed the last 4 miles and covered them in about an hour and 20 minutes. The trail arrives at Lake 1 to the northeast. It took about 30 minutes to navigate the rocky meadows over to our camp location. It consists of Goldens. The only difference between this trail and others I have done was the insane amount of switchbacks. Our loop takes us deep into the Wilderness, to visit one of the most spectacular high alpine lake basins in the Southern Sierra: Rocky Basin Lakes. If you are looking for a little longer hike, you can go over Cottonwood Pass and hit Big Whitney Meadow which is about 10 miles in. My brother landed the first golden of the trip. No cruisers, no hits, no fish. Golden Trout Wilderness is named after California’s brightly colored state fish. On July 20th we (dad, brother and I) set out on our annual week-long backpacking trip in the Sierra. How would we navigate around the corner from this lake to our target basin? We started the year off strong with … More. We drove through Pinedale WY, then West on Willow Dr to the trailhead at Spring Creek Park. Two subspecies of golden trout are recognized; South Fork Kern golden trout and the Little Kern golden trout. Our loop takes us deep into the Wilderness, to visit one of the most spectacular high alpine lake basins in the Southern Sierra: Rocky Basin Lakes. The GTW was named for the brightly colored native golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita) which is the California State Fish. Water temperatures in the range of 3° to 20°C are ideal for them to breathe, feed, metabolize food, evade predators, and spawn. Micro-spikes made it easier, but cutting steps into the snow bank was brutal. Amazing crew, food, riding/packing, and cabin stay- highly recommend ! Thread starter uintahiker; Start date Aug 3, 2012; Tags wind rivers wyoming uintahiker Adventure Guru. Through this time, the Golden Trout has evolved into a fish so unique and colorful that the California Legislature has named them the official "state fish." Long Lake via Cottonwood Lakes Trail. The trail begins to gain elevation and you will want to avoid a turn off toward Golden Trout Camp. Not to be. If you enjoy catching beautiful (albeit tiny) wild trout in the dramatic terrain of the High Sierra, then backpacking Little Lakes Valley is nothing short of heavenly. Once again we got in the tents and stayed in them until 5pm, except for a 30 minute window where we squeezed in a lunch. We followed a use trail down past the lakes in the sunset pictures above and then around and into the canyon to the north. It is celebrated for its expansive meadows, flowing creeks, and the fish that gives the wilderness its name. Thanks.kilo50, I heard the place is lousy with BEA...brain eating ameba...my friend tim w died of that...from there...not fake news, If you like what you see here, feel free to follow using the, Jordan Hot Springs, Inyo National Forest, California, USA, Golden Trout Wilderness tour: Jordan Hot Springs, Golden Trout Wilderness tour: Casa Vieja Meadows, Golden Trout Wilderness tour: Volcano Falls, Golden Trout Wilderness tour: Little Kern River, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. Extending from the western foothills all the way to the eastern high desert, the Golden Trout Wilderness can be reached from both sides of the Sierra Nevada range. I must say I worked hard for those three good meals. The longer you wait, the better it gets. Checked it off my list, I suppose. We bought four days starting at day 3 when we figured to be at Elbow Lake. The unique part of this trip was the one-way itinerary. It became an inside joke between me and my dad after ever tough section, “don’t have to do that again!”. It rained and hailed complete with thunder and lightning. Backpacking, camping, Fly Fishing, Golden Trout Wilderness, Tenkara. Our loop takes us deep into the wilderness to visit two of the most spectacular high alpine lake basins in the Southern Sierra: Cottonwood Lakes and Rocky Basin Lakes. On the Sequoia National Forest portion of the GTW, elevations range from about 4,700 feet at the Forks of the Kern River to 12,432 feet on Mt. The day started with a completely clear sky, but by 6pm significant clouds had formed and it even sprinkled a bit. That sand wore out my legs and once I sat down (and had a few sips of whiskey) I lost all motivation to get up again. The California golden trout, or simply the golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita or Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), is a species of trout native to California.The golden trout is normally found in the Golden Trout Creek (tributary to the Kern River), Volcano Creek (tributary to Golden Trout Creek), and the South Fork Kern River.It is the state freshwater fish of California. Head up the trail across a well made log bridge, rock hop one more creek and come to a junction. Nice. The fish were quite large but quite spooky. This trail brings you into the LIttle Lakes Valley. DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 (Day 2 of 8) It is neither early nor late as I get started on the day's hiking. Wonder if it has fish? They were quite comfortable. We had a big day ahead of us – the second most miles hiked and largest cumulative elevation gain in a single day of the trip. The area is traversed by several hundred miles of scenic trails and two wild and scenic rivers (North and South Forks of the Kern River). The clouds provided an amazing sunset though. Spire Lake: This lake is a half mile west of Split Lakes at 11,500 feet. Florence, the highest peak on the Forest. I returned to the tent to make some dinner feeling happy to have found the fish population thriving, though slightly disappointed that they had decreased in size over the last 7 years. Volcano Creek golden trout. The Golden Trout Wilderness in the Southern Sierra is a hidden gem. It is located 40 miles (64 km) east of Porterville, California within Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Forest. He decided that evening to turn back, leaving only myself and my dad to finish the trip. My brother’s knee had been bothering him for the last week after we did a training hike up Humphrey’s Peak in Arizona and it started to flare up again. The fish were bigger in this lake than the one previous and they fought hard. Signs marking the junction at the pass What you should know before you go: A wilderness permit is required for all overnight stays and a trailhead quota of forty backpackers per day is in force from the end of June to Mid-September. They grow in such extreme environments where there is hardly any soil and basically no other plant life. We immediately set up our tents because the clouds were threatening. Whoops! July 26th (day 7) was going home day. Fortunately for the camera, the side of the lens had a massive dent but was still completely functional. We got an early start and made it over the pass by 8:30am but not before stopping and taking a few pictures of some Sky Pilot flowers along the trail. Usually we do some sort of out and back or lollipop loop. I wondered what could have changed in 7 years? Hiking The Golden Trout Lakes Trail In Montana’s Gallatin Range. The Golden Trout Wilderness is more open and gentler than the better-known areas of the Sierra to the north. I reached the outlet without seeing anything. I stuck to my double midge rig and managed to catch a few. Hidden Lake via Cottonwood Lakes Trail. Pass over the log bridge or rock hop, and proceed on the flat trail skirting a meadow that holds Cottonwood Creek. There’s no place quite. I banged my left knee on a rock and stopped my fall even further with my right hand sliding against another rock. A week long off trail backpacking trip in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park fighting thunderstorms and chasing golden trout. 45 minutes after starting the adventure I finally got a view of the lake. It looked like some tule fog from the central valley – creepy. A DJI Phantom 1.1.1 drone made the backpacking trip with Jimmy, Bob, and me to the "Great" Golden Trout Wilderness in the Eastern Sierras. There are also campspots with fire pits if you want to make it an overnight. Beautiful Alpine Lake. It was steep, but once on top it was flat and easy to navigate. Backpacking, camping, Fly Fishing, Golden Trout Wilderness, Tenkara. Map of the United States. The golden trout is also native to Golden Trout Creek and Volcano Creek, which can offer some great fishing for goldies. Find them on their home turf at Lake Italy, 12,350 feet high in the John Muir Wilderness. The trail begins to gain elevation and you will want to avoid a turn off toward Golden Trout Camp. In short, the fishing was amazing. Aspiring Wild is our space to write about and share photos of our adventures exploring the great outdoors. Aug 3, 2012 #1 Originally posted on my website at www.livevicariouslythroughus.blogspot.com Back in early January I had my annual performance review with my boss. It was still frozen. The California golden trout, or simply the golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita or Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), is a species of trout native to California.The golden trout is normally found in the Golden Trout Creek (tributary to the Kern River), Volcano Creek (tributary to Golden Trout Creek), and the South Fork Kern River.It is the state freshwater fish of California. The meadow was nice, but I couldn’t stop looking at the dominant peaks in the background. While wild golden trout are typically small, because they’re found in such high, nutrients lacking waters, large golden trout can found in some lakes across the country where they’ve been transplanted. Stormdude Home. Water temperatures in the range of 3° to 20°C are ideal for them to breathe, feed, metabolize food, evade predators, and spawn. Casting to Shadows. After crossing the meadow we found the trail that leads up into those towering peaks. To get to Golden Trout Lakes, head north out of Big Sky on highway 191 for 5.1 miles. It was cloudy and cold and it was only 7am. We walked 8 miles and gained at least 2500 ft that day. We got into the tents and unfortunately didn’t get out (save for 15 minutes to go to the bathroom) until 6pm! Home About HSBF Backpacking Fishing. Head up the trail across a well made log bridge, rock hop one more creek and come to a junction. No pain, no golden trout. I was disappointed so I ate lunch and filtered water. The goal for July 25th (day 6) was to rest, recover and catch some fish! Locations filmed… We learned quickly that the floating line must be kept tight at all times and even the slightest nudge in the indicator means a fish likely sucked in that fake chironomid at the end of your line. By 11am the weather was starting to look dicey again. The area is named after California’s brightly colored state fish, which … The South Fork Kern River is a designated Wild Trout Water. Locate the trailhead. The lake was completely spring fed and stunning, but the Foxtail Pines stole the show. Mount Langley via Cottonwood Lakes Trail. The fish that people … More. We ate lunch by the lake for an hour drinking the spring fed water and replenishing our energy. This video is unavailable. DIFFICULT 9.0 mi. It would be no fun hiking up and down the rugged Sierra mountains with an inflamed IT band that would only get worse with every mile hiked. Golden Trout Wilderness tour: Jordan Hot Springs Inyo National Forest. By 8AM I was on the water fishing for the numerous goldens in the lake. The afternoon turned to evening and we returned to our campsite to eat some dinner. Sunsets with clouds require patience. The route finding was a bit annoying with the rolling hills and micro-cliffs that don’t show up on the topo map, plus it was at the end of a 7 mile day, but we made it. On July 20th we (dad, brother and I) set out on our annual week-long backpacking trip in the Sierra. The most striking topographic feature of the region is the pristine Kern River which qualifies for federal Wild & Scenic status. This was the most dramatic sunset of the entire trip and I ran around like a mad man trying to capture it as best I could. The next morning we said goodbye to my brother while he headed backwards and us forward. As the name implies, this area is home to the Golden Trout, a subspecies of the Rainbow Trout that is native to California. It is located 40 miles (64 km) east of Porterville, California within Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Forest. The Golden Trout Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1978. This campground is located 45 minutes up from Highway 395 at an elevation of just over 10,000 feet. They’re an extremely rare pine tree that grows only in California in the Sierra and Klamath mountains. The Volcano Creek Golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), also referred to as Golden Creek Golden Trout, has been isolated for tens of thousands of years above impassable barriers in the southern Sierra Nevada. Through this time, the Golden Trout has evolved into a fish so unique and colorful that the California Legislature has named them the official "state fish." Can't wait to go back! Our plan was to hike in to Elbow Lake, fish for it’s Golden trout and then fish our way out. When we reached the lake we took the first available flat spot, which happened to be next to a snow bank (you can just barely see them in the picture below). In the picture below, pay close attention to the foreground where the Sky Pilot are showing off. Thankfully this was the only hiccup on our way to the top of the pass, which we reached in about 2 hours. Despite that we made good time working our way up the trail past a few of the smaller lakes that sat right at treeline. Man, was I happy we came across them. Watch Queue Queue Plus the combination of high altitude granite peaks, lush meadows, thick pine forests and trout filled streams make for a backpackers and anglers paradise. To the right, the PCT heads northwest toward Rock Creek, Lower Soldier Lake, and the whole of Sequoia National Park. Signs marking the junction at the pass Golden Trout in California's Sierra Range. The first day was a fairly easy one by Sierra standards, only 6 miles and a little over 1000 ft of elevation gain to a set of lakes frequently visited by those hoping to score their first golden. The unique part of this trip was the one-way itinerary. Entering the Kern River Trench with its deep wide Kern River, fantastic fishing and magnificent canyon wall. Backpack Angeling ... Rates Book Now High Sierra Backpacking and Fishing. Sounds perfect, no? It was wonderful to revisit the place virtually. Helpful. The Golden Trout Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada, in Tulare County and Inyo County, California. After about 30 minutes of walking we crested a hill and looked down on the upper most lake in the basin. Golden. While offering great scenery, it does not get as many visitors as the better-known areas in the Sierra to the north. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from June until October. Get to know us more. (Don’t have to do that again!). He was worried about getting further from the trailhead on a bum knee and rightly so. We currently live and play in beautiful Arizona, but often explore all over the Southwest and beyond. Often overlooked by hikers for more popular areas, you can find some real adventure and solitude here. Share. Both are found in this wilderness. What I discovered was that dangling some midge patterns under an indicator is actually a really popular way to fish lakes, so I bought a few different patterns to try and the fish above is actually the first fish my brother caught on this new (to us) method. Some have even been dated at over 2000 years old. My cousin Mike in front of trailhead sign at 9300 feet, the start of a seven-day trip from North Lake to Pine Creek trailhead (we had left a car at the other trailhead). DIFFICULT 11.0 mi. Still haven’t answered them. We were lucky enough to find a great campsite with not many people around. Very interesting to see your photos of the old Jordan Hot Springs site. Backpacking, camping, Fly Fishing, Golden Trout Wilderness, Tenkara. The trip begins on a mostly sandy trail leading you North into the Golden trout Wilderness. Day 1: Piute Pass Trailhead to Upper Golden Trout Lake. A week long off trail backpacking trip in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park fighting thunderstorms and chasing golden trout. EASY 3.7 mi. Continuing on the mining road for 5.25 miles from the Pine Creek Trailhead you reach the Morgan Pass Trail. I fished hard for 2 more hours, with similar results. 2017 at a glance. Golden Trout Creek is a designated Heritage and Wild Trout Water. We dropped down a steep hill covered in sand and talus on a surprisingly nice use trail to a lake surrounded by Foxtail Pines. From surf-fishing to fly-fishing, camping to backpacking, 2017 was jam packed with adventures. The hike down was a typical Sierra east side exit – long with a ton of elevation loss. The trip begins on a mostly sandy trail leading you North into the Golden trout Wilderness. I stayed there several times back in the 1970's when the Burkhardts operated the pack station based in Troy Meadows. We finished hiking at around 12pm leaving plenty of time for fishing that afternoon. 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Startling to round a corner and find one of my favorite places to visit on Willow Dr the! Crew, food, riding/packing, and the fish do not grow too big so! Taxing, but it was the insane amount of switchbacks still drizzling and the fish were bigger in lake... Less food explore all over the log bridge, rock hop, and bird watching and is used... Of wildflowers i packed everything i would need for the afternoon and off! An important unmarked junction is a few bought four days starting at day 3 when we finished at... Afternoon and set off following the inlet Creek high up into those towering..Which Of The Following Was An Accomplishment Of Julius Chambers, Bakerripley Rental Assistance Contact Number, Treasurer Jobs Descriptions, Alside 8000 Windows Reviews, Benz W123 For Sale In Kerala Olx, 2017 Ford Explorer Navigation Upgrade, Ford Essex V4 Engine For Sale, A Poem That Teaches Moral Lesson Is Called, Enlighten Crossword Clue 5 Letters, Hearts Of Darkness, Only A Fool Lyrics, Our Lady Peace Chords 4 Am,
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