Elevated Exploring

As I sit here about to type away my favorite things of Apple Hill, there is one thing that was so delicious that I am contemplating driving back up the hill for.

Since having children I have come to appreciate the importance of having options .... "just in case". Packing 2 pairs of socks .... just in case.
Bringing extra diapers ... just in case.
Planning a hike with a short and a long route ... just in case.

Though I may give a weary sigh as I make these "just in case" preparations, I never regret having them should I need the option.

So was the case with the hike to Lake Winnemucca. The entire hike,  ending at the lake at the bottom of Round Top Peak and back, is 5.1 miles round trip. After researching the trail it seemed moderately flat and, though the mileage was longer than we normally do with our 4-year old, we thought we could maybe pull of it off. But, just in case, we saw that Frog Lake was only a 1 mile hike from the parking lot, making that trip a 2 mile hike round trip. Options are good.



To begin the hike, park in the parking lot for the Carson Pass information center. There is a $5 use fee to park here. There are restrooms, not the kind that smell good, in the parking lot.  We arrived around 10 AM and by the time we got going the lot was getting close to being full. We picked up a great map of the Mokelumne Wilderness inside the information center and I would recommend doing the same if you don't already have a map. The trailhead starts behind the center.

You begin your hike on part of the PCT. My husband's and my dream is to one day hike the PCT in its entirety. Whenever we get a chance to walk part of it, I always admirably imagine the long journey of the through hikers who walked before us.

The hike starts at over 8,000 ft. so you may feel the altitude as you get going. Make sure to layer your clothing! It was in the 40's when we started the hike at 10AM (first of September).

The total elevation gain for the hike is 600 feet  and most of it occurs before you reach Frog Lake. It is 2.5 miles one way to lake Winnemucca and is relatively flat the entire way. We saw many children hiking this trail and with the relative levelness of the hike, I would say it is accessible to all hiking abilities.

Around mile 1 you will reach a barren lake called Frog Lake. This is where you can reach into your "just in case" bag and say, "we are done." And you would be no worse off if you chose to do so. At the lake you can happily explore the gorgeous views as you walk around it, picnic on a boulder near the lake, throw rocks in the water and then return back when ready satisfied and with happy kids. There are views of Elephant's Back, Red Lake Peak, and Round Top Peak from Frog Lake and if we had stopped here, my son would have been perfectly content.








We chose to push on, which in our case, worked perfectly fine on the hike there, but left us with one tired kid for the hike back. Always keep in mind however far in you hike, you'll have to hike back out!




You will reach a point in the trail where the PCT turns off to the left and the trail to Lake Winnemucca continues straight towards Round Top Peak. For very little work you get breathtaking views of mountain peaks and wild flower filled meadows.





The rest of the hike to the lake you are walking straight towards Round Top, a 10,381 ft peak high above Lake Winnemucca.  There were still patches of snow on it in the beginning of September.







Your hike will bring you to the base of this  mountain where the lake rests and it is the perfect place to dip your tired feet in the freezing cold water, have a picnic, and enjoy feeling small as you look up to the top of Round Top, another 1300 feet above you.





Our tummies full, we started our trek back to the car. If you happened to be on that same trail the day we were, you may have noticed a Dad carrying a way too big of boy on his shoulders, and a mom practically sprinting down the mountain with the Kelty Pathfinder and baby on her back. Yes, that was us. 5.1 miles, even if it is flat, is a lot to ask of a 4 year old. So if you go this far with someone this small, be prepared to haul them back part of the way.

Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to use your "just in case" option.

Happy Trails.




DETAILS:

LOCATION: Near Kirkwood and Carson Pass 

LENGTH: 5.1 miles round trip to Winnemucca Lake or 2 miles round trip to Frog Lake 

DIFFICULTY: Moderately strenuous only because of the length of the hike (from a 4 year old's perspective)

PARKING: Park at the Carson Pass Information Center parking lot $5

It was nearing the end of summer by the time we decided to attempt a greater elevation gain like Donner Peak with our kids. Our son Wyatt, four years old, had hiked almost every weekend the summer leading up to Donner. This summer was his first season that he has hiked entirely on his own two feet versus riding in the pack. This hike was harder for him than others we have done. I say this not to discourage you from trying it, but just to let you know, that with his age, we had to build up his endurance over a period of time.  I would not suggest this as a first hike for your small children unless you are heading up with a flexible mind to turn around whenever your little people are tired. 

 With that said, this hike has gorgeous views of Donner Lake, Lake Mary, Van Norden and the railroad tunnels. You have two options, an out and back to Donner Peak (3.7 miles out and back) or you can continue on to include a round trip loop to Mt. Judah (5 miles round trip). With our son we chose the out and back, but had we been able to hike with both kids in a carrier, we would have included Mt. Judah as well.

My husband carried our one year old daughter in our Kelty Pathfinder 3.0. The trail has exposed areas so be sure to have a sun shade if you are using a carrier and lot of sunscreen. I don't know what the Mt. Judah hike is like, but for the Donner Peak my husband felt sure of his footing on the start while having our daughter on his back.


We were a bit confused about where the trailhead started at first. The trail for Donner is the same as the trail for PCT and Mt. Judah.

From the start this trail has short rocky switchbacks but once at the top the trail stretches out into a gentle uphill walk.  We were there around 9AM on a weekend morning and it was busy with people and dogs.  I would suggest getting there as early as possible.



We went in July and as we got closer to the peak there was a huge patch of snow! I was surprised to see it. It served as a great place to cool off and was not in the way of the trail at all.




We took our time on the hike and rested often. The last stretch of the hike, though steep and exposed, was actually the part my son liked the most. He ran ahead of me and kept yelling back,  "Come on Mom!" At this point hikers coming down were giving him high-fives and words of praise. He was proud of himself and so were we.

We scrambled up a few rocks at the top and were rewarded with amazing views. We found the summit log and our son happily signed his name.




The drop offs are pretty severe and they made me nervous with my kids with me, so quickly we snapped a few picks before climbing back down and finding a place to picnic.




The chipmunks were back again on this hike and Wyatt fed them quite a few Trader Joe's Rocket crackers.


We allow for long picnics at the middle point of our hike. We have found them essential to Wyatt's happiness on the way back down and try not to rush them. He enjoyed exploring and munching at the top and we enjoyed watching him.



This is a great hike. We met a couple along the way who were hiking with their grown daughters. The woman told me she had started hiking this same trail with them when they were Wyatt's age. To me, hiking and being outdoors with your kids, the whole experience from car ride there to summit, is the best quality family time there is. I hope to be hiking with my children when they are grown adults too.


LOCATION: Near Truckee, CA off Old Donner Pass Rd. 

LENGTH: 3.7 miles round trip 

DIFFICULTY: For my son, I would say strenuous.  For the adults I would say moderate because of the rocky trail in places. 

PARKING: We found a parking lot off Old Donner Pass Rd and walked to trailhead.