Courtright or Wishon Reservoir for Blackcap Basin?

[nhrpolitic13]

On the "Backpacking with CA Coronavirus regulation"...I agree with you richlong8 that backpacking must be one of the safest activities out there and I have zero concerns of spreading CV to anyone else. I live alone and isolated. Would drive alone to trail-head. Would snack alone in car. Would be backpacking alone. So hard to imagine any possible 'contagion' anywhere along the line with thorough alcohol "sterilizing" after pumping gasoline. However, the question I have not been able to get a clear answer on is the difference between "hiking" and 'backpacking".
So far I have seen reports of people hiking (which is and approved activity) or spending an overnight. What happens though if my car is parked at a trail-head for 12 days??? Any law enforcement agency (CHP, USFS, Sheriff) can just run my plate in a few minutes and see that I live over 400 miles away, which is way outside the leisure travel limit. No way my vehicle would pass as an official car on "essential business", etc.
I'm sure a night two two could be fairly no hassle, but almost 2 weeks? Ummmmmmmmm, not sure about that. And there is this from the Sierra National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 739160.pdf

This Order is effective from May 15, 2020, through May 21, 2020.
Entering or using a Developed Recreation Site or portion thereof, except trailheads.
36 CFR 261.58(b).
A violation of this prohibition is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or
$10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 USC 551 and 18
USC 3559, 3571, and 3581.
Executed in Clovis, California on May 14, 2019.

Not sure if this means "just trail-heads" are OK (like for day hikes) or if leaving a vehicle there for a long time is OK, or if something changes on May 21st. Anyone know for sure? Heat wave forecast for late May so would be an open invite!

Thanks ~ michaelzim

There's a separate Order out there that says you can't have a car parked in a developed site (i.e., a campsite) for more than 14 days. But it expressly states that "developed sites" mean camp sites or similar areas, and that the intention is to keep people from "squatting" in the most desirable campsites for the full season. Trailheads are fine for parking -- though I'm suspect they might object if they showed up and you were living out of the car there. It might not be the best time to show up and camp for the evening before you start walking -- though on the other hand, the rangers out roving the trailheads aren't usually the sort who are desperate to write tickets, so I suspect at most they'd encourage you to hit trail.

[wildhiker]

I agree that the route to Blackcap Basin from the Wishon Reservoir area is a long slog through the forest. I started at the Rancheria Creek trailhead in August 2018 and made the route shorter (but probably not quicker) and more interesting by using some cross-country shortcuts in the first half. First, I avoided elevation loss and gain and passed by some cute lakelets going cross-country from Round Corral Meadow to Indian Springs. Second, I avoided a lot of elevation loss and gain by walking the ridge from Chuck Pass to Crown Pass - open forest and easy granite - with good views the whole way of the White Divide and Mount Goddard, and even south to the Monarch Divide. The trail sections along Woodchuck Creek and then again from Half Moon Lake to the North Fork Kings River were dim, full of downed trees, and difficult to follow. The only advantage of this route is solitude. Because most people smartly take the nicer and apparently quicker route from Courtright Reservoir, I saw no one between Rancheria Creek and the North Fork Kings River in either direction. That was a day and a half of solitude on both ends of my hike.
-Phil

[michaelzim]

OK, I have an update on the "questions" I was trying to get figured re backpacking in the current Covid situation.

I got a return call from the Clovis Ranger Station - so this info is with reference to Sierra National Forest at least, as I gather opinions may differ somewhat with different departments.
Yes, one can park at a trail-head and go backpacking but you need to get a Wilderness Permit. However, seeing as there is no easy way to do this with ranger stations closed you make your own permit and stick it in a window, on the dash of your car, or visible for a Ranger to see looking into your vehicle. List the usual info about route taking, how long going out for, name, address, etc., etc. You can also put in a comment that you were unable to get a permit filled in by phone if indeed you tried to do it that way and failed to get a reply. (Maybe a good idea to put in the ranger station you contacted - Prather for example has not responded to my calls).
As a footnote, the lady requested that one try to not break a leg or anything as organizing a search and rescue at this time would be a major pain in the rear!

So that seems to be the USFS side buttoned up, but after reviewing the CA state regulations more closely it is clear that I cannot travel anywhere near that far yet for a leisure activity. My county has opened up a bit more than the state has, though I would soon be out of the county if heading off for the mountains.
Now I realize that common sense and my travel with 100% isolation all the way would be quite safe re the Coronavirus, but...well, if everyone just started zooming around willy nilly, it would be a mess in short order. I don't want to start a debate on the pros and cons of the regulations so will leave it at that. I will be deferring my trip to post mosquito season in August or thereabouts. A big bummer as one of my pet peeves about the Sierra's nowadays is the amount of jet and aircraft traffic that disturbs the 'big silence' I recall so well 30+ years ago. Air traffic is way down at present and a real-time worldwide air map I check for this purpose shows transit flights across the Sierras are down about 80% or more. Much quieter no doubt...and that may all have gone back to the normal zoo by the summer. Bummer.

Take care everyone, and would be vicarioulsy nice to hear any reports of current conditions in the BCB or Edison areas if you more local folks get out there over Memorial Day, etc.
Best ~ Zimichael