Gold Lake Trip

[Philistine]

I thought I'd share a past trip I took to Gold Lake just outside of Graeagle, CA last year.

 

Here's a few videos of the trail to the 4x4 campground (taken on the way out). The trail isn't a techinical one but it's got enough bumps and dips to challenge a stocker. High clearance with 4 low is recomended and street tires are not. We made it through at dusk only using 4 high with some difficulty but it was much eaiser to run in the day.

 

 

 

 

We did see a variety of vehicles on the trail. We ran accross a lifted and built truck that broke a tie rod and a stock Eddie Bauer Explorer on street tires mashing the skiny pedal (we found out they were stacking rocks to get thru afterwards).

 

A couple pics of the trail to the campsite.

 

 

 

 

A little rock rash.

 

The campsites along the water were great. It was nice to camp on a lake where you were next to the water rather than 50'-100' away like some others with the drought. The campground was suprisingly busy for the weekdays. 70-80% of the sites were occupied with lots of campers coming and going.

 

Plenty of shade on our site.

 

 

We were right on the water. It made for a great campsite (#4).

 

The local camp bums. They stoped by at least twice a day begging for food.

 

 

 

Trout and corn on the cob over the campfire.

[Philistine]

Its not camping if you don't have a good campfire.

 

A firewood massacre.

 

We took a trip up to Deer Lake from the campground. It was a bit more rough than we planned but well worth the trip.

 

 

 

I was sorely dissapointed to see that the fallen tree "underpass" was no more.

 

The old "underpass."

 

 

 

But the view at Deer lake was definetly worth the trouble.

 

 

The Sierra Buttes.

 

Deer Lake.

[Philistine]

We hit up the lake for some fishing but were stimied the first two days. It got really windy and made it very difficult to do any trolling at all. Only caught one fish by the second day. But on the third day luck was with us and the wind died down and we found the fish. They were some of the most active fighters I've landed in quite a while.

 

 

 

 

 

[Philistine]

We took a short easy ride up to the Mills Peak Lookout. On the way up we ran across a dog in the middle of the woods and were going WTF? Turns out it was a sheep dog. There were about 5 dogs and a shepherd leading a flock around the moutain to feed.

 

 

 

We soon reached the lookout.

 

 

And what a view!

 

 

 

 

 

[Philistine]

We also did some exploring and hiking. One easy hike was to Little Gold Lake. It was right behind the campground against a basalt cliff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also visited Grey-Eagle Creek.

 

 

 

 

And Lilly Lake.

[Philistine]

One attraction many may not know about are the pertoglyphs. They are just past the Lakes Basin campgrounds.

 

 

 

Also there is Frazier Falls nearby. A spectacular falls to visit in the early spring and a very easy hike to reach (1/2 mile of paved walkway to the falls).

 

 

That's about it for our visit to Gold Lake.

[shelbyluvv]

That is some of the prettiest country I have ever seen! I fell in love with Carson Valley a few months ago. If I knew for a fact that when I retire from the Marines in a few years that I had a job lined up I would stay in that area.

 

Know anyone looking for a mech? :chillin:

 

Beautiful pics!!!

[Pete M]

:drool: