Inferno Lakes to East Fork Cherry Creek info

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RobertS
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Inferno Lakes to East Fork Cherry Creek info

Post by RobertS »

Hi folks,
I'm Rob and have been backpacking since scouts in the 70's. We've been venturing off trail for the past 12 years and have wandered through untrammeled beauty in places like Lakes Basin, Kaweah Basin, Gardiner Basin. Done a couple segments of Ropers High Sierra Route and feel comfortable on class 2 passes, Kaweah pass being the exception....nasty!
Rough outline of our trip will be Shingle Springs to Flora Lake, on to Spotted Fawn, then to Huckleberry Lake for some fishing and out via Kibbie Ridge. I was last at Huckleberry in the mid 70's and the fishing was incredible.
Any advice on going from Spotted Fawn to Huckleberry. We are thinking of following the creek to Inferno Lakes, then heading north N/E to the east of peak 8241 and then just to the west of 8151 and down to the East Fork of Cherry Creek. I have read that the terrain gets really cliffy around Inferno Lakes.
Many Thanks
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kpeter
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Re: Inferno Lakes to East Fork Cherry Creek info

Post by kpeter »

I think Wandering Daisy has discussed a trip to Inferno Lakes so she may be able to give more specific advice.

I was in that general vicinity in June but camped at Boundary Lake and dayhiked to Spotted Fawn and hill 7787 above it. All I can offer is that the hike from Spotted Fawn past Little Bear and Boundary Lake is quite pretty, and the use trail turns into a decent trail when it drops off from the northern end of Boundary Lake. You would miss Inferno Lakes but see Boundary Lake, and I imagine you would make much faster time.

If you do go that way, cross the outlet of Little Bear (which will be dry now, unfortunately--it was almost dry in June) and stay on the west shore. When you get to the long inlet at the NW corner of Little Bear the use trail goes high to avoid cliffs. After that it is pretty easy. The best campsite at Boundary, if you feel so inclined, is at its narrowest part on the SW penninsula opposite cliffs--but the whole SW shore is pretty level and there are numerous spots.

One general piece of advice--be prepared to carry quite a bit of water. In June there were almost no sidestreams flowing anywhere in the region, and this will be much more extreme now. On the long hike out Kibbie Ridge I was grateful for the one and only sidestream between Sachse and Shingle Springs, but it is probably gone now.
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RobertS
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Re: Inferno Lakes to East Fork Cherry Creek info

Post by RobertS »

Thanks Kpeter,
I had read your trip report as well, both helpful.
We figured we could go over to Cherry Creek via Boundary Lake as an alternate.
We will certainly need to pay attention to water and will plan for a dry hike out along Kibbie Ridge.
Rob
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