Alumni Past Trips

PAST Alumni Trips:

• 2024 – Ludlow Hut Trip

Start the 2024 snowcamping season with a fun filled weekend of snowshoeing to an overnight at the Ludlow Hut in the Lake Tahoe area. We will start at Sugar Pine Point State Park on Saturday morning and snowshoe with relatively light packs up General Creek, approximately 5.5 miles to the Ludlow Hut.   As we will not be digging snow shelters, we expect to keep a moderate pace on the hike, with 1,100 feet of elevation gain along the General Creek trail. The cozy hut, which was built in 1955, has two wood burning stoves and a sleeping loft to stay the night in style. With the entire hut to ourselves, we will have space for 15 people and will enjoy a before dinner happy hour and cooking in smaller groups.  Conditions permitting, we may do a short hike behind the hut for a Lake Tahoe view before we depart on Sunday. Please join us to celebrate the start of the winter season! Must be Alumni of the SF Bay Chapter’s Snowcamping Training Series.  Trip limited to 15 participants.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Molly Rose and Mike Bandrowski
Trip Dates:
 January 27-28, 2024
Participant Limit:
 15
Distance: About 5.5 miles one way and 1,100 ft elevation gain to the hut.
Cost: $75, plus parking permit for each car.
• 2024: Lassen National Park: Lake helen

Enjoy three days over President’s Day weekend exploring the area around Lake Helen in Lassen National Park. We’ll meet Saturday morning at the Southern entrance to the park, snowshoe to Lake Helen and set up camp. We’ll spend the Sunday exploring the area. On Monday morning we will break camp and head back to the cars.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Jamsheed Wania and Molly Rose
Trip Dates:
 February 17-19, 2024
Participant Limit:
 8
Distance: 4.5 miles, 1500 ft elevation gain with backpack to campsite and back. Hiking without packs between 3-4 miles.
Cost: $35, plus National Park entrance fee of $10 per vehicle or use National Parks Pass.
• 2024: Yosemite: Exploring Crane Flat – Lookouts and Sequoias

Three days in February: Enjoy a long weekend exploring the area around Crane Flat in Yosemite National Park. We will stay Thursday night somewhere nearby. Friday morning we will drive to Crane Flat and then snowshoe to a nearby area to set up camp. We will then spend the rest of the day Friday, as well as Saturday, exploring the area to spots such as Tuolumne Sequoia Grove, Crane Flat Lookout, Clark Range Viewpoint, or Gin Flat. On Sunday morning we will break camp and head back to the cars.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Mike Bandrowski and Roger Williams
Trip Dates:
 February 23-25, 2024
Participant Limit:
 10
Distance: 1-3 miles with backpack to campsite and back. Hiking without packs between 4-8 miles.
Cost: $35, plus National Park entrance fee if driving.
   
• 2024: Martis Peak- Photography Lovers Paradise

Join us for a two night photography adventure in the Martis Peak area, north of Lake Tahoe. We’ll take the time to experiment and practice shooting snow landscapes and the peaks overlooking Tahoe. All cameras welcome, including phone cameras. Our route begins at the Brockway Summit Tahoe Rim Trail Trailhead at 7200 feet along the Tahoe Rim Trail and within 1.5 miles Lake Tahoe is in view. You also have the option to relax at camp and explore Tahoe vistas. Short, late afternoon hikes on Saturday and Sunday will emphasize shooting during the golden hours. If we’re treated to a starry sky, we’ll shoot at twilight and into the night. Night photography will not disappoint.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Cynthia Knowles and Peter Iannone
Trip Dates:
 April 6-8, 2024
Participant Limit:
 12
Distance: We’ll camp about 2.5 miles long the trail to Martis Peak and make time for sunset shots. On Sunday a steady 2.5 to 3 mile (approx) climb will take us to the lookout tower and Martis Peak to enjoy breathtaking panoramic vistas. Once we’ve enjoyed the surrounding peak vistas and the fire lookout tower, we retrace out steps back to the campsite
Cost: $35
• 2023: Yosemite: Exploring Crane Flat – Lookouts and Sequoias

Three days over MLK Weekend: enjoy MLK weekend exploring the area around Crane Flat in Yosemite National Park. We will stay Friday night at the Yosemite Bug Hostel. Saturday morning we will drive to Crane Flat and then snowshoe to a nearby area to set up camp. We will then spend the rest of the day Saturday, as well as Sunday, exploring the area to spots such as Tuolumne Sequoia Grove, Crane Flat Lookout, Clark Range Viewpoint, or Gin Flat. On Monday morning we will break camp and head back to the cars.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Mike Bandrowski and Roger Williams
Trip Dates:
 January 14-16, 2023
Participant Limit:
 10
Distance: 1-3 miles with backpack to campsite and back. Hiking without packs between 4-8 miles.
Cost: $35, plus National Park entrance fee if driving.
• 2023: Lassen National Park: Forest Lake 

Enjoy three days over President’s Day weekend exploring the area around Forest Lake in Lassen National Park. We’ll meet Saturday morning at the Southern entrance to the park, snowshoe to Forest Lake and set up camp. We’ll spend the Sunday exploring the area. On Monday morning we will break camp and head back to the cars.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Jamsheed Wania and Molly Rose
Trip Dates:
 February 18-20, 2023
Participant Limit:
 8
Distance: 1-3 miles, 800 ft elevation gain with backpack to campsite and back. Hiking without packs between 4-8 miles.
Cost: $35, plus National Park entrance fee if driving.
• 2023: Explore Mt Tallac Basin (South Lake Tahoe)

This trip explores the Mt. Tallac drainage basin in the Lake Tahoe Area. We will start the hike from Taylor Creek Sno-Park and head in a southwesterly direction along the ridge adjoining Fallen Leaf Lake. The steady climb will take us to Floating Island Lake, our destination for the day. We will set up camp/kitchen and spend the rest of the day exploring the area while enjoying views of Mt Tallac. Distance/Elevation: About 2.5 miles one way and 500 ft elevation gain to camp.  Participants must be Alumni of the SF Bay Chapter’s Snowcamping Training Series. Trip limited to 8 participants.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Mike Bandrowski and Sanjay Reddy
Trip Dates:
 March 4-5, 2023
Participant Limit:
 8
Distance: About 2.5 miles one way and 500 ft elevation gain to camp.
Cost: $35, plus Sno-Park permit for each car.
• 2023: FORESTDALE CREEK (EXPLORE Tahoe SERIES)

This snow camping trip will explore the Forestdale Creek drainage area. The trip will start from the Red Lake parking area off of CA-88 and follows the Forest Road towards Forestdale Creek. After crossing the creek at the bridge, we will travel up the open valley between Elephant Back and Forestdale Divide.  We will travel a total of 2.5 miles from the parking lot with an elevation gain of approximately 500 ft and find a suitable camp site for the night.  Weather and snow conditions permitting, we will ascend the Divide to intersect with the Pacific Crest Trail (buried under deep snow) which is an additional 1-mile round trip and 500 ft of elevation gain.  Retrace our steps to the camp site for the evening and return to the parking lot the following morning.  Participants must be Alumni of the SF Bay Chapter’s Snowcamping Training Series.  Trip limited to 8 participants.

Difficulty: Moderate
Leaders: Sanjay Reddy and Roger Williams
Trip Dates:
 March 18-19, 2023
Participant Limit:
 8
Distance: About 2.5 miles one way and 500 ft elevation gain to camp.
Cost: $35, plus Sno-Park permit for each car.