All discussion related to transportation to, from and within the Sierra Nevada. Need directions or flight information? Info on road conditions? A ride to the trail head? Can you offer a ride, or do you run a transportation business or shuttle service for the Sierra Nevada? Come on in and post the details!
Hello,
I've got a trip coming up staring on the Bear Creek Divide trail. Does anybody have any recent information about the road and traihead, in particular, how rough is that last 3 mile bit? Or is it like Maxson Meadow, the trail just follows the jeep road for the first mile or so? The Forest Service page says:
Road info:
Paved to Off Highway Vehicle Route. Bear OHV Route is a 4-Wheel
Drive route high clearance vehicle recommended.
-mort
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If you aren’t good with the 4wd road to the trailhead, you might consider driving a little further on Kaiser Pass Rd and taking the “Bear Creek Cutoff” trail; would add 2.5 miles and about +600/-700 feet of elev gain/loss, relative to starting from the “official” TH. At least, that is my plan for my early July trip.
If I’m not understanding your question correctly, apologies.
I did this road with a 2WD, std clearance, Ford Aerostar Minivan, in the summertime, years ago. It is rustic, steep, loose gravel and some cobbles in the roadway, scary narrow with vertical walls inboard and grave exposure on the outboard side, but doesn't require 4WD in good weather or high clearance. I would not travel, however, if snow or ice were on the roadway. My street tires got a little chewed up struggling to get traction; otherwise only nerves were the issue.
I see no reason why this road would be any different today, as it needs to be maintained - it is the SCE equipment access road to the dam located at the TH. Check this link for other's feedback:
I've driven the road in a Subaru Forester several times in the last decade, most recently last July. The road surface has deteriorated a fair amount in the interim to the point where I personally wouldn't attempt it a low clearance 2WD vehicle. The first time I drove the road there were a couple of normal sedans parked at the trailhead but last year I saw only jeeps and pickups.
I drove this road last August...right after some substantial rains in a Subaru Outback...no major issues. Just know where to place your tires + don't be afraid to keep some momentum at times. Honestly the worst part is the last granite ramp leading to the TH, but you can park just shy of that. Most of the cars I saw were Subaru's, Jeeps and trucks
Also if you are coming in from a long drive ( I drove down from Portland) there is one super nice camp site about a quarter of a mile shy of the TH.
My Tacoma with 4WD (about 10 inches of ground clearance) made it down the road this week without any trouble. That said it is definitely a high clearance 4WD road. I saw two other 4wd Tacomas, two full size 4wd pickups, a Honda Pilot, and a jelly bean Acura SUV at the dam. It must have taken really careful wheel placement to get the SUVs down the road and they likely scraped bottom a few times.
