Western Emigrant Wilderness

- Three trips with Pepper jumping into the Wilderness from the Pinecrest area.

Tips

• Lots of parking at Crabtree trailhead, but it gets very crowded during the summer months. My last trip I parked just down the road at the Pine Valley trailhead and no one else was there.
• Mosquitos swarm the area in the early season after the snow melts. Some locals wait until later summer to avoid the bugs.
• Wonderful places to stay all along Hwy 108 if you are coming from sea level and need a night beforehand. I've stayed at Long Barn Inn and the Mi Wuk Village Inn.
• I always stop at the Strawberry General Store either before or after to grab some food and fresh made fudge.
• So many lakes! You can explore the lakes and find your favorite. Mine was Gem Lake.

PINE VALLEY

Read about the trip

A one nighter because I was coming down with a flu like illness that hit full force at our first camp. I really hope I can redo this one in the future.

Pepper on the Trail

Highlights

• Easy start at the Pine Valley trailhead, right by Crabtree. Really nice way to start a hike - and less climbing than Crabtree.
• So many pack trains - clearly getting a ride with the Aspen Meadows pack station is the way to go.
• Weather was absolutely perfect and no bugs at all. I was really happy with the plan and would love to try this again.
• Great campsite right at the start of the trail to Rosasco! Big horse camp by the creek.

RECAP

• Location: Cherry Creek, Emigrant Wilderness via the Pine Valley trailhead.
• Date: July 2026.
• Stats: ~15 total mileage with ~1,500ft elevation gain.
• Maps: NatGeo 807 Carson-Iceberg, Emigrant and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas.

Route Map
Gaia GPS | © Mapbox | © OpenStreetMap Contributors

BIG DAY HIKE

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This was a Big Hike - a day hike from the Crabtree trailhead. I chose it because I wanted to process some stuff and reconnect with the happy memories of my first hike.

View above Camp Lake

Highlights

• The view from the ridge above Camp Lake.
• Hiking through the trees and sun with Pepper.
• Sitting at Camp Lake and enjoying a snack.
• Being the only one at the trailhead!

RECAP

• Location: Camp Lake, Emigrant Wilderness via the Crabtree trailhead.
• Date: December 2026.
• Stats: ~5 total mileage with ~780ft elevation gain.
• Maps: NatGeo 807 Carson-Iceberg, Emigrant and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas.

Route Map

FIRST TRIP TO EMIGRANT

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This was one of my prep trips for Humphreys Basin.

Taking a break

Finished!

Highlights

• Drove up and enjoyed beautiful Pinecrest Lake.
• Stayed at an inn in Long Barn.
• Shared my fuel with the other group at the lake - they were super nice and grateful.
• Bugs were overwhelming throughout the hike. Swarmed you and covered you in a blanket anytime you weren't moving. Glad I brought a mosquito net hat.
• Went cross country to a swimming hole we had seen from camp.
• Very steep climb at the end of the loop. Rested by a small pool by the trail before that final push.
• So many blowdowns! Trail needed a lot of work, and we did a lot of bushwhacking, due to all the downed trees.

RECAP

• Location: Piute Lake, Emigrant Wilderness via the Crabtree trailhead.
• Date: June 2021.
• Stats: ~20 total mileage with ~2,500ft elevation gain.
• Maps: NatGeo 807 Carson-Iceberg, Emigrant and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas. Emigrant Wilderness permit.
• It was a long dirt road drive to the trailhead and parking filled up fast. Very popular and many people choose to visit later in the season to avoid the bugs. Apparently excellent fishing.

Route Map
Gaia GPS | © Mapbox | © OpenStreetMap Contributors

Trailhead

Pepper did great!