The Vitals
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Directions
- To get there from Tahoe take Highway 89 south to Picketts Junction,
turn right onto Highway 88. Carson Pass is about 9 miles up Highwayy
88. There are two parking areas. The first on the left is for areas
south of the pass. A second area is on the right for areas north of the
pass.
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Beautiful
Area
Easy Access to Huge Area
Wildflowers |
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Becoming very popular
in Summer and Winter.
No biking
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Locals Tips
The yearly Sno-Park permit is
the best deal anywhere.
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In addition to the Tahoe area's best
wildflower show, the Carson Pass area provides
some of the best winter recreation in the Northern Sierra. The North
side of
the road offers access to Red
Lake Peak, Stevens
Peak and the Meiss Country via the PCT
to the north. The south side holds treasures like Round Top, Moon Couloir,
and the Sisters, Life on the Edge, Elephant Back, Elephant Graveyard (climbing), Elephant Hump, Frog Lake Ridge
and more.
Both areas are also very popular in the summer as lakes, flowers, and
views are abundant. In addition, the Pacific Crest Trail bisects the
area. The areas high elevation means it will typically be the first and
last area in the reqion to offer backcountry skiing. This also means it
will be the last area to be snow free for hiking. The wildflower shows
typically start in mid to late June (mostly mule's ears in dryer
areas), and then hit full bloom in mid to late July (along the spring
fed streams).
In addition to being an area of unsurpassed beauty, Carson Pass
has a rich history as well. Check out the links below for more info
about this area's interesting past.
The
Discovery of Carson Pass - It was discovered, but
not named, by John Fremont and Kit Carson
About Long Camp - A camp in the
Forestdale Divide area in which the expedition had to hunker down
during a major Sierra snowstorm.
About the Fremont expedition -
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