BC to California for a week

[Smokecreek1]

We're packed up and ready to roll tomorrow to Portland. Have decided to explore the Tahoe area when we get in to CA. Hoping to camp at Squaw Valley for a night or two as we've decided to bring our snowboards as well as mountain bikes. I hear that if you're polite they will let you park overnight. Won't be online much over the trip but I'll be eagerly awaiting any advice on here until departure tomorrow morning!

No idea if we're looking at winter or spring. I'm thinking a bit of both, hence the range of toys We usually do more planning than this, but this is how its happening.



GG-it's hot here in Suzieville, think about that drive down 139 past Eagle lake, much to hot for this time of year, wonder why I started a fire an hour ago, Reno News days could reach -ready-80-this week, this is not right , yep no climate change here-you got good weather to roam and have fun, may pass you going north to the Steens next week! Enjoy, when you leave send mess, and I'll give up an update-my God, they are saying 83, this weekend!

Smoke!

 

[Gormley Green]

GG-it's hot here in Suzieville, think about that drive down 139 past Eagle lake, much to hot for this time of year, wonder why I started a fire an hour ago, Reno News days could reach -ready-80-this week, this is not right , yep no climate change here-you got good weather to roam and have fun, may pass you going north to the Steens next week! Enjoy, when you leave send mess, and I'll give up an update-my God, they are saying 83, this weekend!

Smoke!


Nice news to us frigid Canucks. Would love some heat. We have all manner of clothes packed so whatever we are greeted with we'll take advantage. But 80 degrees makes biking or snowboarding a tough call.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Nice news to us frigid Canucks. Would love some heat. We have all manner of clothes packed so whatever we are greeted with we'll take advantage. But 80 degrees makes biking or snowboarding a tough call.


Enjoy!-typical spring here, but allot hotter than usual, be here for a while. so email me for weather updates, really think about going to Tahoe via I5-89-299-139-395-, then west to Tahoe on 70/49/89 or 80 from Reno! Better than going east from Sac on 80, get to see some country and play; but what ever enjoy!

Smoke

 

[Gormley Green]

Enjoy!-typical spring here, but allot hotter than usual, be here for a while. so email me for weather updates, really think about going to Tahoe via I5-89-299-139-395-, then west to Tahoe on 70/49/89 or 80 from Reno! Better than going east from Sac on 80, get to see some country and play; but what ever enjoy!

Smoke


Love the looks of the route! Thanks. Sounds like a great plan to me!

 

[Smokecreek1]

Love the looks of the route! Thanks. Sounds like a great plan to me!


If you get lost, just follow 89 all the way to Tahoe, a bit slow, but on both routes lots of places to camp-if the snow has melted, adventures are there, give a call if you hit problems, be watching the pc, have fun!

Smoke

 

[Lighthawk]

Cool choice, Gormley. We're having nicer spring weather now. Snow coverage is decent from all the March/April precip, but when the sun comes out it's warm. Have a great time!
I'd suggest riding the Flume Trail (east side of Tahoe), but it's probably got some snow blockage. You might get some info from Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City.

 

[Lighthawk]

Racking my brain for other 'Squaw local' suggestions . . .
If you're bored and want to get off the parking lot at Squaw, the hike up Shirley Canyon is worthwhile (also the finish of the uber-classic SugarBowl to Squaw ski tour). You can access Shirley Canyon from the north-west corner of the Squaw parking lot (it's a big place).
There's a bus line that I think is free that swings by there too for cheapo travel options.

Earlier in the season, there's good hiking and riding on Silver Peak, just north of Squaw.
I usually access it from Hwy 89, but many folks come from the Squaw approach to ride. Unfortunately the south facing side is probably bare of coverage, but the north side of Silver can be good.

If you're into hiking for riding, consider Rubicon Peak or just south of there. You can park along 89, just north of D.L. Bliss State Park. There's typically a boot/skin track heading up from there.

Lastly, in the hike to ride mode there's Mt. Tallac, just south of Emerald Bay (worth a visit).
The summit bowl is steepish at 40 degrees or so, but the bottom section of manzanita can be a bitch later in the season. I haven't been there this year, but imagine coverage ain't good.

If you want real mountain bike riding, come to Nevada City and we'll point you towards the South Yuba trails.

 

[Gormley Green]

Enjoy!-typical spring here, but allot hotter than usual, be here for a while. so email me for weather updates, really think about going to Tahoe via I5-89-299-139-395-, then west to Tahoe on 70/49/89 or 80 from Reno! Better than going east from Sac on 80, get to see some country and play; but what ever enjoy!

Smoke


In Tahoe! Followed your route exactly and we're so happy. Amazing scenery. Camped at Rocky Point on Eagle Lake last night had the whole place to ourselves. Amazing weather to be at Squaw Valley right now. At a parking lot with many other ski RVs. We owe you big for the advice, it's honestly been an amazing trip through Cali and my first time here too. Thank you!

Pics and tr will follow when we get back to BC.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Glad you enjoyed it-when people think of Calif, they think of beach bunnies and LA-not about up here. Geologically speaking, you drove south from the BC on the Columbia Plateau, past mt Shasta and Lassen to the most southern edge of it (called Modoc Plateau here, where you dropped into Susanville) which also marks the N/S intersection of the Sierra and Cascade Mountain ranges and the most western edge of the Northern Great Basin -from basalt to granite. And you drove from the 2nd largest natural lake in Ca to the biggest natural lake in Ca-lot's of neat stuff up here to see and enjoy! Think on Sunday will head over to Eagle Lake for a few days-where else can you live and have so many great places to play!-or maybe sky at Tahoe, or play in the desert-anyway, have fun and enjoy!

Smoke

 

[Gormley Green]

Squaw Valley is crazy nice! Going to save some $$ and ride bikes tomorrow. Going to begin the drive back to BC on Monday, giving us 3 days. Would like to go through NV as I haven't been. Any recommendations on a route home for that timeline that might be scenic and keep up the free camping?

On another note. Solar had 44 amp hours by lunch today. So the beer will remain cold and the ice won't melt. Great investment.

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Going to begin the drive back to BC on Monday, giving us 3 days. Would like to go through NV as I haven't been. Any recommendations on a route home for that timeline that might be scenic and keep up the free camping?



So, Mr Green have you been out to Black Rock Desert, Denio and Steen's Mnt yet? That would be on your way north through NV and OR. Lots of great country and camping out that way!

 

[MarkBC]

So, Mr Green have you been out to Black Rock Desert, Denio and Steen's Mnt yet? That would be on your way north through NV and OR. Lots of great country and camping out that way!

This was going to be my suggestion, too.

You might take I80 east from Reno to Fernley then north on NV447 past Pyramid Lake to Gerlach -- Gateway to the Black Rock Desert!
From Gerlach, if you didn't have time for dirt-road travel you could continue on the pavement NW and eventually up to Cedarville then west to US395 (or north from Cedarville to Adel, Oregon on some good gravel roads). Or at Gerlach you could head north or east to go along either the west side or the east side of the Black Rock (some rough dirt roads, but not actually requiring 4x4), eventually arriving back at pavement on NV140. From there you'd head either east or west (depending on what side you traveled the Black Rock) to arrive at Denio Jct and from there head north into Oregon, arriving at Fields -- Gateway to the Alvord Desert and the east side of Steens Mt!
From here you'd be advised to head north along the east side of Steens Mt, west side of the Alvord Desert on about 45 miles of graded gravel (used to be 65 miles, but the north and south end were paved a few years ago). You'd most-likely then head north/west to Burns. You could continue north on US395 from Burns...

See the first part of this trip report or see this trip report for some maps showing my routes through this country.

Most of this route (other than Reservation land around Pyramid Lake and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Burns) goes through BLM land, so there are lots of opportunities for unconstrained camping.

If you take this route or similar and want more detail and suggestions, let me know.

- Mark

 

[Gormley Green]

Sound like good suggestions fitting of my timeline. Thanks. Especially for the detail, Mark. Should give us lots to work with. If I need any direction on that I'll be back here!

Another crazy bluebird day at Squaw Valley! 8am and the solar is putting out 2 amps and climbing! Love California! They are blasting spring avalanches right up the mtn from the camper at the moment it's great music to go with my coffee.

 

[MarkBC]

Another crazy bluebird day at Squaw Valley! 8am and the solar is putting out 2 amps and climbing! Love California! They are blasting spring avalanches right up the mtn from the camper at the moment it's great music to go with my coffee.

Hope you're taking photos to share with us.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Sound like good suggestions fitting of my timeline. Thanks. Especially for the detail, Mark. Should give us lots to work with. If I need any direction on that I'll be back here!

Another crazy bluebird day at Squaw Valley! 8am and the solar is putting out 2 amps and climbing! Love California! They are blasting spring avalanches right up the mtn from the camper at the moment it's great music to go with my coffee.



Guys sound like you're having fun! Follow Mark's route north but I would to try to stick to the paved roads as much as you can-remember that "unstuck" thread we had a few mouths ago; getting stuck out there could sort of spoil a vacation-be a nice adventure story to tell tour friends about the wild west thou! Remember driving in that country isn't as civilized as your trip down, few gas stations and fewer places to eat. Make sure to hit Gerlach for the great really really good food (stuffed trout-or liver and onions-hmmmm) at Bruno's, great bar, and last gas before the desert and a quick dunk in the hot springs! It's great country-as you've heard us'en deserts rats say allot-to enjoy, not many people, wild horses, lot's of Pronghorns, big horn sheep! If you wanted to be real adventurous i might suggest a trip through High Rock Canyon NCA if you have a whole morning or afternoon to play with-depending on where your are, it's E from Cederville or NW from Gerlach-but while enjoying the big horn sheep-could loose an drive shaft in the wagon ruts, and have several flats to fix! Limited cell phone service out there, so getting stuck may mean a long wait-again paved roads unless you have a plan on where to go, I spent to many years working in that country, not to be prepared for the worst, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time! Will fix you people up, yep may never come back again-or come back all the time. Weather is supposed to move into that country at the end of the week, so your timing could be Okay, just play smart, carry lot's of water, have maps, think before you take an unplanned for side trip, and enjoy the country out there!

Smoke

 

[Gormley Green]

Home! Great trip, 3450km. There was some desert pics and WA state snowboarding. TR to follow when I get through my emails and deal with tax time insanity that I ignored for a week.