This last weekend I decided to run around the Western Sierras between Hwy 80 and Hwy 4. I took Strawberry Pass 4WD Trail over to 88, then south on Forestdale Rd to Lost Lakes. Due to a gate, I went back up Forestdale Rd, took 88 to 89, stopped for gas in Meyers, then headed west on 50 to Wrights Lake Rd to run around Crystal Basin (Ice House).
Strawberry Pass 4WD Trail
This used to be a difficult Jeep trail, but after the Caldor fire they bulldozed it into a passable route. 3-4 years ago, I could have run it in my stock RAV4, but erosion is a powerful force, and the pass is becoming a proper offroad trail again. You'll need to pick the right lines to avoid problems but if you choose wrong, I think it'll be pretty forgiving. I highly recommend rock sliders whenever going over rocks, however a 4x4 with 32's can make it through with making good decisions and any 4x4 on 35's with a 3" lift can make it through making bad decisions. My Tacoma is on skinny 33's with a TRD lift (2" front, 1" rear), and I only hit a rock slider once after doing a terrible job of stacking rocks that slid out from under my rear tire. It's currently a fun but forgiving trail for those of us without rock crawlers (it's probably boring for a Rubicon trail capable vehicle). I definitely recommend it to newer folks that want some rugged terrain with some manageable rock crawling obstacles. If you're newer to 4WD trails, I recommend bringing a friend with some light recovery gear. There are one or two spots where a bad decision could get you stuck (with easy recovery options if you have a friend), and there's no cell service. I'd rate this trail a hard 4 or easy 5, but next year it'll likely be a solid 5 at the rate of erosion.
Forestdale Rd - Hwy 88 to Lost Lakes
Unlike Strawberry Pass, Forestdale Rd is just like I remembered most of it from a few years ago. A stock 4x4 should make it through without issues with good decisions. You might want a lift and 32-33" tires if you make bad decisions. I'd rate this trail as a hard 3 or easy 4. Getting stuck shouldn't be an issue unless you make some really bad decisions. There was a washout I didn't recall being there before, and hopefully it doesn't continue growing because it's in a bad spot that will require significant effort to repair. Driving into it would be a really bad decision. If Forestdale from Red Lake to Lost Lakes is on your bucket list, you might want to front-load the trip, because it might not be passible in a few years. If anyone knows who to contact about trail repair out there, the washout is at 38.66379, -119.96773. It won't be an easy fix. I stopped at the NW Lost Lake to clean up and have lunch, which was empty. I didn't go to the SE lake. I did have cell phone service (4G) with Verizon periodically along the trail. The gate heading to Blue Lakes (lower) campground was locked on Saturday, so it was a round-trip for me. It's not a proper Forestry gate. It's a nonsensical gate that I guess is intended to block access to Upper Blue Lakes Campground from Blue Lakes Rd, even though the campsite is easily accessed if you came down Forestdale, so whoever put it there didn't think things through. Just FYI, and for no particular reason, I did notice the locking latch is only held on by a couple of nuts (maybe 9/16" or 5/8"?) that could be easily removed then put back into place.
I didn't have a wrench.
Crystal Basin (Ice House)
Ever since I was a kid, Crystal Basin (locally known as "Ice House") has been my stomping grounds. There were plenty of Iron Ranger (fee box) public campgrounds for the visitors and many hidden gems for the locals. Over the years, the Forest Service in coordination with SMUD (who operates the hydroelectric facilities throughout Crystal Basin), have been making "improvements", including changing free campgrounds to hosted campgrounds ($$$) and "improved" fee day use areas ($). Granite Springs Rd was a rough forest road connecting Wrights Lake Road to Ice House Road, which is now plowed and graveled for Honda Civics with traffic. For those of us who like to find nice places for dispersed camping that aren't well known, those days seem to be coming to an end. If you knew of the campsite off Junction Reservoir (38.8559, -120.44881), you'll be surprised to learn this spring they turned this locally known campsite into a boat ramp with a vault toilet structure. Most of the "locals only" dispersed camping locations have found their way online and were completely packed on Friday evening with people breaking the rules and trashing the area. Crystal Basin is turning into an uglier Yosemite. Sad times.
Strawberry Pass 4WD Trail
This used to be a difficult Jeep trail, but after the Caldor fire they bulldozed it into a passable route. 3-4 years ago, I could have run it in my stock RAV4, but erosion is a powerful force, and the pass is becoming a proper offroad trail again. You'll need to pick the right lines to avoid problems but if you choose wrong, I think it'll be pretty forgiving. I highly recommend rock sliders whenever going over rocks, however a 4x4 with 32's can make it through with making good decisions and any 4x4 on 35's with a 3" lift can make it through making bad decisions. My Tacoma is on skinny 33's with a TRD lift (2" front, 1" rear), and I only hit a rock slider once after doing a terrible job of stacking rocks that slid out from under my rear tire. It's currently a fun but forgiving trail for those of us without rock crawlers (it's probably boring for a Rubicon trail capable vehicle). I definitely recommend it to newer folks that want some rugged terrain with some manageable rock crawling obstacles. If you're newer to 4WD trails, I recommend bringing a friend with some light recovery gear. There are one or two spots where a bad decision could get you stuck (with easy recovery options if you have a friend), and there's no cell service. I'd rate this trail a hard 4 or easy 5, but next year it'll likely be a solid 5 at the rate of erosion.
Forestdale Rd - Hwy 88 to Lost Lakes
Unlike Strawberry Pass, Forestdale Rd is just like I remembered most of it from a few years ago. A stock 4x4 should make it through without issues with good decisions. You might want a lift and 32-33" tires if you make bad decisions. I'd rate this trail as a hard 3 or easy 4. Getting stuck shouldn't be an issue unless you make some really bad decisions. There was a washout I didn't recall being there before, and hopefully it doesn't continue growing because it's in a bad spot that will require significant effort to repair. Driving into it would be a really bad decision. If Forestdale from Red Lake to Lost Lakes is on your bucket list, you might want to front-load the trip, because it might not be passible in a few years. If anyone knows who to contact about trail repair out there, the washout is at 38.66379, -119.96773. It won't be an easy fix. I stopped at the NW Lost Lake to clean up and have lunch, which was empty. I didn't go to the SE lake. I did have cell phone service (4G) with Verizon periodically along the trail. The gate heading to Blue Lakes (lower) campground was locked on Saturday, so it was a round-trip for me. It's not a proper Forestry gate. It's a nonsensical gate that I guess is intended to block access to Upper Blue Lakes Campground from Blue Lakes Rd, even though the campsite is easily accessed if you came down Forestdale, so whoever put it there didn't think things through. Just FYI, and for no particular reason, I did notice the locking latch is only held on by a couple of nuts (maybe 9/16" or 5/8"?) that could be easily removed then put back into place.
I didn't have a wrench.
Crystal Basin (Ice House)
Ever since I was a kid, Crystal Basin (locally known as "Ice House") has been my stomping grounds. There were plenty of Iron Ranger (fee box) public campgrounds for the visitors and many hidden gems for the locals. Over the years, the Forest Service in coordination with SMUD (who operates the hydroelectric facilities throughout Crystal Basin), have been making "improvements", including changing free campgrounds to hosted campgrounds ($$$) and "improved" fee day use areas ($). Granite Springs Rd was a rough forest road connecting Wrights Lake Road to Ice House Road, which is now plowed and graveled for Honda Civics with traffic. For those of us who like to find nice places for dispersed camping that aren't well known, those days seem to be coming to an end. If you knew of the campsite off Junction Reservoir (38.8559, -120.44881), you'll be surprised to learn this spring they turned this locally known campsite into a boat ramp with a vault toilet structure. Most of the "locals only" dispersed camping locations have found their way online and were completely packed on Friday evening with people breaking the rules and trashing the area. Crystal Basin is turning into an uglier Yosemite. Sad times.
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I'll be down that way in September. I'd go earlier but I have to wait for Bishop to cool off, which is also on the same trip.