California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

into Bear Valley Village,

Bear Valley Adventure

Company (%209-753-

2834; http://www.bearvalleyxc.

com) is a one-stop shop

for outdoor gear and

supplies – kayak, stand-

up paddle boarding

(SUP), mountain bike

and cross-country ski

rentals – plus insider

information on just about

everything there is to

do in the area. Staff also

arrange mountain bike

shuttles and sell helpful

maps.

The Drive » From the Bear

Valley Village turnoff, it’s just 4

miles up Hwy 4 to Lake Alpine’s

beaches, campgrounds and

day-use parking lots.

4 Lake Alpine

Suddenly Hwy 4 reaches

the shores of a gasp-

worthy alpine reservoir,

skirted by slabs of granite

and offering several sandy

beaches and a handful of

rustic US Forest Service

(USFS) campgrounds.

Paddling, swimming and

fishing opportunities

abound, which mean

that it’s always jammed

with people on summer

weekends. No matter how

many folks descend upon

the lake (and there are far

fewer midweek), it’s still

hard to beat the gorgeous

Sierra Nevada setting,

7350ft above sea level.

Of several nearby hiking

trailheads, the scramble

to Inspiration Point gets

you spectacular views of

lakes and the Dardanelles;

this 3-mile round-trip

hike starts from the

Lakeshore Trail near Pine

Marten Campground.

Next to the boat ramp

on the lake’s northern

shore, the Lake Alpine

Resort’s summertime

kiosk rents DIY rowboats,

paddleboats, kayaks and

canoes.

4 p243

The Drive » Make sure

you’ve got plenty of gas in the

tank before embarking on the

33-mile drive over Ebbetts

Pass downhill to Markleeville.

There are campgrounds, but

no services, gas stations,

motels or places to eat along

this high-elevation, twisting

mountain road, which is only

open seasonally during summer

and fall (see the boxed text on

p242 ).

TRIP HIGHLIGHT

ROBERT HOLMES / CORBIS ©

CENTRAL.CALIFORNIA

22

(^) EBBETTS PASS SCENIC BYWAY