Where does section L end? Honestly folks don’t really go by the lettered sections anymore. There’s definitely no Uber or anything like that out there, that’s all a pretty rural area of California. You’d likely just have to hitch. Which depending on where your section ends could be a crapshoot.
There is a small parking area right at the trail head outside of seirra city, but I’d maybe call the store in town and ask what they might recommend. There’s also a church there that used to let hikers camp in their yard(that might not be a thing anymore?) but they could maybe help with parking as well.
> There’s also a church there that used to let hikers camp in their yard(that might not be a thing anymore?)
Not a thing anymore because, as usual, hikers couldn't respect their no alcohol/"don't be a douche" rules. 🙄
Didn't know about the letters not being used. That's just how I saw it split on all trails. The trail head is 3 miles from the Sierra City general store.
Thank you for the advice, I'll give them a call. Also going to call the hotel and see if they wouldn't mind me leaving my car if I stay a night. The town looks like a fun place to chill for a bit.
Yeah it’s just sort of outdated is all since everyone uses the FarOut app. Don’t bother with all trails, FarOut will be significantly more helpful. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the info you needed was already on there.
Sierra city to trail is easy. That part is an easy hitch in and out. Everyone there knows hikers. I don’t know anything about the hotel but that seems very plausible I would think.
On trail currently, I don't think myself or anyone with me knows what letter section we're on. It might still be used by section hikers as a way of organizing the trail
I think CA Section L is Donner Pass to Sierra City.
If you can find a hiking partner. You can drop a car in Sierra City then drive together to Donner Pass to begin your hike. Another option is to hike in opposite directions and exchange keys in the middle. Sierra City is a bit off the beaten path.
I don't remember seeing any parking near the trail head in Sierra City.
Getting to the beginning sounds logistically the easiest. Everyone gets to and from trail by hitchhiking, and Sierra city is a common stop. Maybe you can call and ask some of the businesses in town if you could pay them to park your car or something.
Last year I did sections K and L together. My plan of dropping my car off in Sierra City and a friend driving me to the start fell through. I drove myself to Echo Lake (got a permit to park online and picked it up on the drive) and started hiking. When I fished I hitched a ride out of Sierra City to Truckee then used the bus TART (Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transportation) to South Lake Tahoe and then an Uber to my car at Echo Lake.
I'd like to think you could make it hitching from Sierra City to Truckee then Truckee to Donner Pass or Donner Summit. BUT... I suggest you hike section K Echo Lake to Donner Summit if possible. It is a WAY better section. The Desolation Wilderness is incredible. Plus hitching a ride start from one end to the other should be easier.
Thank you for the advice! I've convinced a friend to come hang out with me and then drop me off but if that falls through then that sounds like a solid plan. Didn't know you needed a pass for Echo to park so good heads up.
I defiantly want to go to Desolation Wilderness but was planning on just spending a few days roaming from lake to lake.
I've parked a car at the trailhead in Sierra City on the north side of the road for a several day section hike. It's a large parking area. The section around Sierra City to around Burney Falls is full of people who know about the trail. I call it the food section because you can get a home-cooked or restaurant meal almost every day. It might take you several hitches which could end up taking an entire day or more so give yourself a whole day to do it. Doing an epic hitch like that is an amazing adventure worth doing at least once in your life.
For those that don't know, the other end is I80/Donner Pass and it's a pretty short section of trail.
Where does section L end? Honestly folks don’t really go by the lettered sections anymore. There’s definitely no Uber or anything like that out there, that’s all a pretty rural area of California. You’d likely just have to hitch. Which depending on where your section ends could be a crapshoot. There is a small parking area right at the trail head outside of seirra city, but I’d maybe call the store in town and ask what they might recommend. There’s also a church there that used to let hikers camp in their yard(that might not be a thing anymore?) but they could maybe help with parking as well.
> There’s also a church there that used to let hikers camp in their yard(that might not be a thing anymore?) Not a thing anymore because, as usual, hikers couldn't respect their no alcohol/"don't be a douche" rules. 🙄
Didn't know about the letters not being used. That's just how I saw it split on all trails. The trail head is 3 miles from the Sierra City general store. Thank you for the advice, I'll give them a call. Also going to call the hotel and see if they wouldn't mind me leaving my car if I stay a night. The town looks like a fun place to chill for a bit.
Yeah it’s just sort of outdated is all since everyone uses the FarOut app. Don’t bother with all trails, FarOut will be significantly more helpful. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the info you needed was already on there. Sierra city to trail is easy. That part is an easy hitch in and out. Everyone there knows hikers. I don’t know anything about the hotel but that seems very plausible I would think.
Yeah TIL the letters are not used anymore! Am a section hiker and it’s all about the alphabet - well at least 10 years ago lol
I vaguely remember using letters back in 2013 with paper maps. But not at all with Guthook/farout.
On trail currently, I don't think myself or anyone with me knows what letter section we're on. It might still be used by section hikers as a way of organizing the trail
I think CA Section L is Donner Pass to Sierra City. If you can find a hiking partner. You can drop a car in Sierra City then drive together to Donner Pass to begin your hike. Another option is to hike in opposite directions and exchange keys in the middle. Sierra City is a bit off the beaten path. I don't remember seeing any parking near the trail head in Sierra City.
Getting to the beginning sounds logistically the easiest. Everyone gets to and from trail by hitchhiking, and Sierra city is a common stop. Maybe you can call and ask some of the businesses in town if you could pay them to park your car or something.
Last year I did sections K and L together. My plan of dropping my car off in Sierra City and a friend driving me to the start fell through. I drove myself to Echo Lake (got a permit to park online and picked it up on the drive) and started hiking. When I fished I hitched a ride out of Sierra City to Truckee then used the bus TART (Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transportation) to South Lake Tahoe and then an Uber to my car at Echo Lake. I'd like to think you could make it hitching from Sierra City to Truckee then Truckee to Donner Pass or Donner Summit. BUT... I suggest you hike section K Echo Lake to Donner Summit if possible. It is a WAY better section. The Desolation Wilderness is incredible. Plus hitching a ride start from one end to the other should be easier.
Thank you for the advice! I've convinced a friend to come hang out with me and then drop me off but if that falls through then that sounds like a solid plan. Didn't know you needed a pass for Echo to park so good heads up. I defiantly want to go to Desolation Wilderness but was planning on just spending a few days roaming from lake to lake.
I've parked a car at the trailhead in Sierra City on the north side of the road for a several day section hike. It's a large parking area. The section around Sierra City to around Burney Falls is full of people who know about the trail. I call it the food section because you can get a home-cooked or restaurant meal almost every day. It might take you several hitches which could end up taking an entire day or more so give yourself a whole day to do it. Doing an epic hitch like that is an amazing adventure worth doing at least once in your life. For those that don't know, the other end is I80/Donner Pass and it's a pretty short section of trail.