Highway 4 offers alternative to beaten path

When looking for an alternative route to and from the South Shore, or even just a quick getaway, recreation enthusiasts don't need to look farther than Highway 4.

The 61-mile long Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway goes through Alpine and Calaveras counties along the Sierra Nevada, and contains approximately 20 campgrounds, two national forests and wilderness areas.

"It's a great, hidden, out-of-the-way place," said Genny Wilson, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Carson District Ranger. "There's not a whole lot of traffic in that area."

The highway starts just outside of Markleeville as a typical two-lane road with centerlines, but quickly gains elevation and turns into a skinnier highway with just the fog lines to guide drivers.

The area is open for summer operations from Memorial Day to Labor Day, said Patty Frates with the Stanislaus National Forest Calaveras Ranger District. The high elevation section is usually closed between mid-November and May because the entire route is not plowed during winter.

Two National Forests are in the area - Humboldt-Toiyabe and Stanislaus - and both are near the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

The wilderness area is named after explorer Kit Carson, and the distinctive granite formation called "The Iceberg" on its southern boundary.

Many backpacking opportunities are found here, such as the 26-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail from Sonora Pass to Ebbetts Pass through the wilderness area. The 2,650-mile PCT stretches from Canada to Mexico.

"The Carson-Iceberg Wilderness doesn't receive a lot of visitation," Wilson said. "The backpackers and hikers that do know about it visit the area a lot."

Other shorter trails include the Bull Run Lake hike, which is 3.5 miles one way. The trailhead is off the highway at the Stanislaus Meadow. Two miles into the hike, the trail connects with the Heiser Lake Trail, which will take hikers up to Mosquito Lakes.

It's a good idea to pay attention to the cairns (stacks of rocks to mark trails) when going up to Bull Run Lake, or Mosquito Lakes. At certain points during the trek, the trail crosses some rock fields that make it tough to navigate without the markers.

Besides hiking and backpacking, the Highway 4 area also offers fishing, horseback riding and biking.

In the spring, rafters can float down the Carson River all the way to Highway 395, Wilson said.