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Road Trip Lone Pine: Red Rock ::: Saline, pt 1 ::: Saline, pt 2 ::: Alabama, pt 1 ::: Alabama, pt 2 ::: Lone Pine, pt 1 ::: Lone Pine, pt 2 ::: Horseshoe, pt 1 Horseshoe, pt 2


Horseshoe Meadow, part 1
8 May 2021

For the last ride from my base in Lone Pine, I chose Horseshoe Meadow Road.

This, I knew, would be a little different from my other rides around here. For one thing, the road was paved. For another, much of the route would be high above the valley floor, with tall trees, cool air, and maybe a few patches of snow.

Also, I wouldn't actually need to do a great deal of pedaling in order to cover 20 miles.


As seen from the southern edge of Lone Pine at about 3700 feet in elevation, those are some of the switchbacks on Horseshoe Meadow Road, leading up to the campgrounds and trailheads at nearly 10,000 feet.

I suffer from OWS Syndrome (Old, Weak, and Slow), so the Ogre and I will be taking a shuttle up, then riding down.


Meet "Clutch."

That's the trail name of this young woman through-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from south to north. We shared a shuttle up to the top of Horseshoe Meadow Road.

This is her first solo backpacking expedition, although she has experience with her family and her former partner. Thanks to low snowfall over the winter, she got a fairly early start, departing the southern terminus of the PCT in March. She came down off the trail a couple of days ago to resupply in Lone Pine. She says she's making good progress, ahead of most of the "bubble" of hikers but behind the leading female, who has the trail name "Punisher." Our shuttle driver gave Punisher a lift a week or two ago.

Lots of information about the "PCT class of 2021" available online.


The road is closed in winter because snow isn't removed. The road is open now, but the campground—roughly a half mile farther up the road—isn't open yet, so the gate near the top remains locked. Easy for hikers (and bikes) to slip past. Parked cars lined both sides of the road by the time our shuttle delivered us here.


I pedaled past the locked gate toward the parking lot, campground, restrooms, and trailheads, greeted by this sign.

They ain't kidding about bears around here.


Here's the trail where my ace support crew emerged at the end of her 2017 backpacking expedition across the Sierra from west to east.

The dog and I met her here, which is how I first learned about Horseshoe Meadow.


The trail leading into the high and wild Sierra, and connecting to the PCT.


The trailhead. No bikes allowed.


While I was playing with the camera, Clutch disappeared up the trail.


I remembered to take a photo of the altimeter clipped to my trunk bag.

All the information I can find indicates the elevation of this spot is approximately 9950 feet. Hmmm. My altimeter might not be perfectly accurate. (And the temperature reading is definitely wrong.) In any event, I have about 6000 feet to descend in roughly 20 miles.

Glad I shuttled up!


Down the road, past the locked gate, the route dips a bit then turns upward for a couple hundred feet of elevation gain. Gotta pedal for awhile.


Still going slightly up.


Just shy of the top of the dip, looking back toward the campground and trailhead. After a few more feet of pedaling, it will be all downhill all the way to Lone Pine.


Over the crest from the dip, I emerge onto the sheer face of the mountain, with the valley on the east side of the Sierra starting to appear far below.


Looking down and east, much of the view is the dry floor of Owens Lake, drained of all its water years ago by the thirsty folks of Los Angeles.


Continue to part 2 of Horseshoe Meadow


Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I'd like to hear from you.

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