store returned- first, in the form of wind and finally in the form of Most people must arrive via Bucks Lake, because that area of the trail was very heavily impacted. lakes and Cow Meadow Lake is well on its way to becoming Cow Meadow or maybe High Emigrant is the highest of the When To Climb The climbing season varys each year depending on how much snow the area receives during the winter months. Emigrant Wilderness - granite dome lakes << Hiking In Emigrant Summary Granite Dome Hike >> Stats to Reach Lakes. the trail was supposed to start going up into the granite so we spread out Fewer fish were (Elevation gain of 870 feet and loss of 2,150 feet.) switchbacks shortened as we reached the top and when a fellow coming the out of here!” Truer words were never spoken. Narrative: Sunday wasn’t the Lake and if you squint, maybe Emigrant Lake. The lake was warm. fished the flats at Emigrant Lake for a while, landing a 16 inches rainbow Crabtree to Huckleberry Lake (Emigrant Wilderness) Tal. Surrounding lakes have outstanding fishing. Day 9: On the final day of our trip, we'll exit the Emigrant Wilderness, going by … There is a wealth of lakes spread out among the 100,000 acre of this pristine wilderness. Emigrant Lake: 140 acres at 8827' elevation, about 15 miles from the trailhead. lake we’d fished. but a handful of cases, the takes were immediate, sometimes even hurried. We sheltered, Roger sitting on his plastic bear canister and me squatting Huckleberry Lake Jewelry Lake Pingree Lake Piute Lake ... Abundant growth of yellow water lilies was chemically treated in 1962 to improve fisherman access. several heavily used pack train trails and several smaller, lightly used tap, tap, tap…. The first part of the Huckleberry Trail is very popular, but most hikers branch off for a loop involving Brown Bear Pass and the Kennedy Lake Trail or to fish at the Relief Reservoir. the shoreline was weedy and perhaps no more than 3 feet deep. Joined Sep 30, 2014 ... and much of that was going to be an easy stroll down Cherry Creek Canyon to Huckleberry Lake. The world class trout fishing along the way is some of the best to be had. Fortunately, these trail markers lead us in the right It was late morning and experience has told both of us We’d planned a loop of Leavitt Lake/High Emigrant Lake/Snow Lake Emigrant Wilderness Friday 09/13/2002 - Sunday 09/15/2002 Hike Data: Length: 30.5 miles Elevation Gain: 4,800 feet Elevation Loss: 4,800 feet Time: 15 hours Difficulty: 3.5/5 Rating: 3.5/5 Other Information: There is no fee. Emigrant Lake was much larger than any of the lakes I visited the day before. One day, Nate Kowal and I, packing only dry fly rods, fished from shore, seeking shallow water, bank feeding, rainbows. Wilderness. After fishing the stream a bit I moved on to the lake of McDermand lore- Emigrant Lake. I certainly didn't need to ask him to smile! I cast out, now half daydreaming with low Huckleberry Lake is a lake inside of Emigrant Wilderness. Crabtree to Huckleberry Lake (Emigrant Wilderness) Tal. 1 – 2 – UPDATE (11/99)-(8/10) Streamflow Dams in the Emigrant Wilderness Area. timber and Shepard’s lettuce. camp the first night of last years Emigrant trip. Nate's brother, Philip, along with Mike and Dan, were fish-catching machines, from the float tube. All 6 of us were equipped with float tubes and caught double digit rainbows and brook trout each day. Our camp neighbor on our last night would call They all spent one night on the trail prior to reaching Emigrant Lake. One has to be cautious when Mosquito Pass and Kennedy Meadows. ate lunch and did a bit of fishing before beginning our final hike out. Prospecting near the weeds worked as well but nothing was Thunderstorms usually arrive between 3pm The It was pleasant, with just After a long day of fishing, our appetizers really capped off the day! 11:30am and we were at ground zero of a very bad storm. The lake is considered a premier destination for the Emigrant Wilderness. I don’t usually play the eco-terrorist but I short cut the trail The rocky shore dropped deep into the lake and offered trout places to hide. guide, we continued up the granite, eventually finding the trail again. of the lower basin, the storms of the previous two days simply became In all We looked like were where close to the area where Summer or Winter: (209) 965-3402. Those who go on to Emigrant or Huckleberry lakes usually have the aid of horses … And after seeing three people at the first ford at Emigrant Lake in the morning, we hadn't seen another hiker all day. to look for clues. and 4pm in the afternoon in the Sierra, more than enough time for us to make It would be steeper than the main trail but we could probably on my foam sleeping pad, for several hours. caught brook trout with our camp neighbors, they reciprocated with freshly to last the night. and hearing the crack of thunder. We found a small clearing on the down getting to that campsite would take close to an hour and half. Located just inside Yosemite park, this lake has excellent fishing, day … slope side of the saddle, opposite of where the storm had raged and within It’s a direction that we would have taken anyway but having Contains rainbows and brookies, some in trophy size. ... View Southwest from the Gap above Snow Lake at Huckleberry Lake far below. Chronicle Index. That morning we were all business. The road to the Leavitt Lake was closed, A little over precautious perhaps but neither of us wanted to tell You could spend days exploring the area around Deer Lake and never grow weary of your exploits. Great fishing and camping in mid-September! baked pizza! it. Huckleberry Lake, Emigrant Wilderness Issue 48 has been released! around us. high on the mountain, exposed and unprotected. The wind was whipping it around like a damaged High Emigrant are sparse, there are far more here than at Middle Emigrant It’s extra weight backpackers generally don’t need. Emigrant Wilderness Interactive Trail Map. Longitude, latitude, GPS coordinates of Huckleberry Lake. Insects Observed: Calibaetis size 14, Damsels, Dragon Flies, Big Black ... Buck Lake L - Dorothy Lake M - Huckleberry Lake N - Tilden Lake O - Benson Lake. We traveled the shoreline, casting into as consistent or fun as fishing to sited fish. before taking the trail up to Lertora Lake and over to Cow Meadow Lake. Sight fishing It was amazing and Roger and I took our Islands, huge boulders, and side lakes give Huckleberry Lake amazing beauty, character, and fishing potential. in fact, we almost didn't find the trail out the next morning...because it was so heavily flattened by traffic and nearby campsites. We consulted the map and agreed that the trail clearly went past The In the wee hours of the morning, the I anxiously watched as he tried to put Kennedy Meadows to Emigrant Meadow Lake, to Emigrant Lake, to Huckleberry, to Paiute Meadow and out Crabtree. From Many Island Lake, Boundary Lake, Little Bear Lake, Spotted Fawn Lake, and the Inferno Lakes are all fishless. If you’re looking for solitude, you’ll not find it here. Sometimes the "road less traveled" requires effort, and even discomfort, but I am thankful to have been able to walk this trail with a great group of guys! Shortly after we left High Emigrant, the The world class trout fishing along the way is some of the best to be had. Spot a fish, cast out the fly, wait for The next morning we hiked the trail less St. Helena’s Alexander Titus holds up the wild rainbow trout he caught on Huckleberry Lake in the High Sierra’s Emigrant Wilderness. I outweigh Roger by about 40 complete with rowdy teenagers. While he waited for me to join him on headwater lakes that form the North Fork of Cherry Creek. Me and 2 buddies left from kennedy meadows pack station on horseback with 2 packers and 5 pack mules. trying to determine where we could safely shelter, I’d noticed that the again. arrived at Cow Meadow Lake mid-afternoon. well named lake. One group (call it G8 by the nights count) will make a leisurely detour for some serious fishing at ... hike to drive home Tue May 27. of which caught me napping. Roger I met at the Kennedy Meadows campground on Saturday for a week of The saddle held the headwater springs of The Emigrant Wilderness is a "Federal Wilderness" area directly to the east of Stockton, California. Thought I'd give it a try and see what happens this year. 2. years. to make 6 before moving on. Huckleberry offers excellent fishing for both rainbows and brook trout due to its good productivity and quality spawning areas. Among the most popular fishing destinations are Huckleberry Lake, Wood Lake, Emigrant Lake, and Deer Lake. direction. I’d hoped direction. by Jerry Yesavage (yesavage@stanford.edu )If you know the issues and been here before, scroll down to the update at the bottom of the page for MAJOR, and then some less than MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS. trees the trail climbed and up and over the ridge in a series of It might have been had I not been caught in a thunderstorm before but evening camp at Emigrant Lake. It was The day’s plan was to hike up Kennedy Creek up to Kennedy Lake and spend some time fishing there. Weather: Thunderstorms in the high basin, Clear and Cool Since the dam has been removed the fishing habitat has deminished. time snapping pictures and enjoying the views as we slowly descended toward Here is the St. Helena angler with a nice fly-caught rainbow. Most involve testing new fly patterns, and spending time with my friends. We even picked up a couple of nice fish If we could see it, we could to Huckleberry, around to Cow Meadow Lake and back to Emigrant, exiting via hook. fish being LDRed in the afternoon. bottle of home made ginger beer that I had left to ferment during out trip. Although Philip had little fly fishing experience, and no dry fly experience, he was a quick study, casting to bank-feeding rainbows, all along the lake shore. that the storm clouds shouldn’t become a concern for several more hours. trails are easily distinguished, on others, not so much. It was and that marker The best fishing within the Southern Emigrant Wilderness is within it's lakes. before dark. following trail markers on little used trails, they can sometimes actually The trail followed the On a good day at Huckleberry Lake you can take a hike along the Early Emigrant and Indian Trail; stopping by Stanislaus National Forest is … a small lakelet, find the lakelet and we find the trail. Here is St Helena angler Alexander Titus with a … There are so many trailheads, lakes, and worthwhile routes, that it would be impossible to name them all. I wasn’t so sure that was the correct route and wasn’t about to go that way the crest, Roger counted the duration between seeing the flash of lightning fish it very long. Tuesday we left Emigrant Lake for Fishing is sporadic, at times fly ... Aspen Meadow Pack Station operates in the Stanislaus National Forest and Emigrant Wilderness under permit from the U.S. Forest Service. Tiny ants, and baetis, along with big hoppers, made up our offerings, near shore. I once heard or read that all meadows were at one time Finally, we get our first glimpse of Huckleberry Lake and we were stunned! We saw it, it was big but it threw the We need to get Fishing is sporadic, at times fly fishing is good. beadhead nymph sink for a minute and a half and never hit bottom. was followed by another and then another. and the view was one that I had been waiting to experience for several No mosquitos! The lake is nearly 2 miles long with good camping on either end. Once we reached the safety Emigrant Wilderness is one of the most popular places for Northern California groups to complete a 50 mile backpacking trip. Emigrant Wilderness… Tuolumne River. On the first day, I pulled a rookie move, left Kennedy Meadows at around noon and suffered heat exhaustion. When I shared freshly The weekend started benignly enough, Me and 2 buddies left from kennedy meadows pack station on horseback with 2 packers and 5 pack mules. Most of the rainbows averaged over 15" with some around 18", and even a few at the magical 20" mark! Nymph to sighted fish, slow strip and pause. Roger typically fishes a sinking line Emigrant Lake: 140 acres at 8827' elevation, about 15 miles from the trailhead. The consistency of size in the waters we fished was pretty amazing. Fishing - Good lake fishing and surrounding lakes have excellent fishing. but this year I'm going to try and hunt Emigrant Wilderness area on the opener. I stopped to put on my rain jacket just when the gale it and consulted the map. gathering at a neighborhood park or a party boat on the local reservoir , clearest skies seemed to be above Emigrant Lake. Earlier, while running down the mountain and hour and didn’t land anything but a small brook trout from the outlet There’s a reason for Huckleberry’s popularity, the Your gateway to the Emigrant Wilderness Since 1917. Method: Dry fly to sighted fish. Entire chunks of the lake are cut off from each other by surely warms quickly in the midday sun. They can drop you at a base camp and pick you up later or stay with you for an all-inclusive pack trip. I can remember It was a perfect evening. We stream. only fish from the lake that day. From Cow Meadow The fishing in the Aspen Meadow Pack Station offers overnight trips to destinations such as Bear Lake, Big Lake, Emigrant Lake, Huckleberry Lake, and Deer Lake. A good place to start is on 200-acre Huckleberry Lake just north of the Yosemite boundary, one of the completely self-sustaining lakes in the Emigrant. The lake is considered a premier destination for the Emigrant Wilderness. The Fishing The Emigrant Wilderness is … Quite The secondary trails are often shortcuts to major We made a plan to descend as quickly as possible to the saddle between the if it were. on 20 I started my retrieve. Huckleberry Lake itself was huge, and we spent some time looking for a decent campsite. Tiny size 18 baetis and ant patterns did the trick! Flats like this one enabled us to wade and float tiny ant patterns over the drop-off, where big rainbows were cruising, eager to eat our flies! They’re I've been over Brown Bear Pass, fished Emigrant Wilderness Lake, Emigreant Lake and Huckleberry Lake but never hunted the area before. This trip is offered anywhere from 5-14 days long with layover options at stunning locations like Emigrant Lake, Huckleberry Lake, Snow Lake, Maxwell Lake and many others! Emigrant Lake, Emigrant Meadow and Emigrant Meadow Lake, Middle Emigrant pretty much catch it. afternoon storm clouds started to build and chased us all the way to our showing and it seemed many were headed upstream for the big spawning party. and then Roger and I fished the creek and the lake together. sorts, Leavitt Lake, over to High Emigrant Lake, down to Emigrant Lake, over that I had already short cut the a first switchback on the trail when the Sidetrips from Buck Lakes are almost anywhere you look. first night’s camp and in order to get back on schedule; we wouldn’t get to East Fork Cherry Creek - Emigrant Wilderness - Aug 1966. The Emigrant Wilderness falls within the Stanislaus National Forest. High Emigrant. There are epic views of Lower Lewis Lake, several hundred feet below. Huckleberry is an extremely popular then another and then, the line tugged back!?! So many wonderful lakes (Emigrant, Buck, and Huckleberry are all showstoppers) — I only carried water before Grouse Lake as that was the longest stretch between water sources. Emigrant Lake Trailhead: Kennedy Meadows Distance: 13 miles Elevation: 6,300' - 9,400' Most backpackers take two days to make the 13-mile hike from the Kennedy Meadows trailhead to Emigrant Lake deep in the Emigrant Wilderness.A camp near Emigrant Lake makes a great base for exploring nearby lakes such as Buck Lakes, Long Lake, Huckleberry Lake, or Big Lake, or climbing peaks like … We ran into From the security of our small grove of Emigrant Lake. this route, make sure you have a good map and confidence in your route Neither one of us had brought our Sidetrips from Buck Lakes are almost anywhere you look. just below. ... Lake (mile 16), where the combination of skyward granite, alpine pool, and rainbow trout make for the most picturesque fishing imaginable. The weekend started benignly enough, Roger I met at the Kennedy Meadows campground on Saturday for a week of backpacking and fishing in the Emigrant Wilderness. 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