2021 Lunchtable Meet SHAVER LAKE, CA

First time I ran it was mid Dec 2017, perfect temps during the day (60s-70s), but at night it got well below freezing with soul crushing, freezing wind. I remember the first night was down to 12° and I woke up with a killer hangover and frozen solid water lol

 

oceano dunes just reopened south of me, need reservations but its an option now.

 

I can't stand that place lol. Maybe if it's in the off-season and hardly anyone else is there. But it's usually way too crowded with drunk aholes on SxS's and atvs

 

I did sign the petition to keep it open for camping and offroading, but only because I believe if we start letting the gov shut down parks and trails it makes it easier for them to shut down the next one. But I've been there a few times and every time it wasn't all that enjoyable due to the crowds and people making a ton of noise all night long

 

or la panza if you gotta have OHV
https://campone.com/campground-finder/campground/california/la-panza-campground/

 

Eh

I'd venture to say a lot of us are more into primitive camping, blm, less people, etc.

But if we were to go to an area that requires reservation+pay to park/camp, plus side is State parks are free if under my name, and over half off if they're National.

 

There's a lot of good roads and trails up by Mammoth.

 

Very true.

Guess it just comes down to, what seems more appealing?

Moab offered -

Great camping

Technical trails

Scenic trails

California has several areas with technical trails, depending where you go, and offers an even wider variety of scenic trails.

Do we want to take a long nice drive and camp in different areas while enjoying scenery?

All depends on what everyone wants.

 

Not to sure how technical the trails are. Scenic fore sure. And off-season camping is always great. Middle of summer not so much, way to many people.

 

The trail that goes from Coyote Flats by Mammoth down to Big Pine is a very technical one, I wish I could remember it's exact name. But Coyote Flats though is a remarkably beautiful area at around 10k feet up near Mammoth and a lot of trails up there. I camped/wheeled up there a couple years ago

 

Sounds like a few areas I need to look up

 

There's also Laurel Lakes in that area, not a very long trail maybe 1hr but leads to a really beautiful lake for camping at around 10k ft.

However that area has become an Instagram offroad hotspot in recent years and is usually crowded especially because it's not very big. I would prefer Coyote Flats instead

 

Mammoth has Laurel Lakes. A cool, but short trail I’ve done on the drz.

Super scenic, high altitude, alpine lake at top. Not very technical tho

 

That trail is unfortunately always crowded these days though, the limited camping areas at the end are always packed. One too many IG influencers found their way there.

First time I went we couldn't get all the way to the lakes because there was still so much snow pack in the Sierras (was around April, 2017). Went again in Sept., 2019 and got to the lakes, but was met with huge groups already there. There's a TW group that does an annual trip up there now in the summer, if you look up Laurel Lakes on social media now there's a bunch of content. For such a short trail and small area it's gotten way popular

 

Yeah, when I went there on the bike, it was like 2010, basically no one was there. We camped near June Lake iirc. Did ~200 miles on the dirtbikes over the 2.5 days we were there. An epic ride.

A cool trail, but probably not worth making a whole trip just for it. If in the area, hit it up for sure, though.
This is on the way back down from Laurel Lakes.

 

That first pic where you guys are standing is where my wife and I camped last year lol

There was a damn Jeep congregation below at the camp area where all the trees and shade are, they were making a ton of noise partying and shooting off guns (fairly certain thats not allowed there) all weekend which sucked.

 

@jbrandt

How you healing up?

Will you make it next year

 

go a bit further east on I-80 and it will get worse, much worse! promise promise
welcome to my area
i think it all starts in Wyoming

 

i am in the middle, smack dab in the middle