Black Point Fissures - North shore of Mono Lake
Hwy 395 Waypoints - Eastern Sierra Trailheads and Junctions
Agnew Meadow, Devil's Postpile, and Red's Meadow
GENERAL NOTES:
Fern Creek can be used as a winter or summer trailhead to climb San Joaquin from the north (a more challenging climb than the standard route from Minaret Summit). Rush Creek can be used to access Davis, Ritter, Banner, Koip, and other destinations such as Thousand Island Lakes or Parker Pass. Rush Creek is also a popular ice climbing spot in the winter, because water flows year round over cliffs that don't get much sun.
| Both trailheads are accessible in the winter, from the June Lake Loop (Hwy 158) just north of Mammoth Lakes (leave Hwy 395 at waypoint JUNELN or JUNELS). The northern part of the loop is gated near Hwy 395 when there is snow on the ground, but we found (Feb 2001) a plowed path around the gate and hardpack snow suitable for 2WD sedans. The southern part of the loop goes through the town of June Lake, past the ski resort, and past the Fern Creek trailhead (waypoint FERNTH) before dead-ending at the Edison power plant (which generates electricity from Rush Creek) before you reach Silver Lake. |
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Parking in winter is a problem! The Rush Creek Trailhead (waypoint RUSHTH) can't be reached by car or truck, and there appears to be no trailhead parking at Fern Creek (waypoint FERNTH). We parked along the plowed road beside the Edison plant, where others parked also, but received warning tickets for blocking the roadway. Apparently day use is ignored, but overnight use isn't?? Not sure what would happen if you parked by Fern Creek, but there were no SnoPark signs.
The June Lake Loop (Hwy 158) from June Lake is blocked at milepost 6, the bottom of the Edison tram (waypoint TRAMBE). There is a (illegal?) use trail up the tram rails which starts by crossing the Edison employee parking lot and going between the two high-voltage structures! A sign there says "WARNING! Heavy construction. No trespassing. Stay clear of track and cable. Use trail at all times." Of course, there is no trailhead here, you need to walk 3 miles north along the road (to the northwest tip of Silver Lake) to get on the trail which sidehills back to the top of the tram. Or you can just ignore the sign, take the well-packed use trail (created by ice climbers), and get to the top of the tram in about 0.6 miles instead of about 7 miles. Wish we had done that! We went part way to the trailhead to avoid cliffs, and cut up through some bushes to get on the trail. The illegal and legal trails meet at waypoint TRAMTE, the top of the steep tram.
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