[Fletcher]

I'm thinking about climbing Big Snow this week. Leaving Monday. Camp at one of the Hardscrabble lakes. Summit Tuesday and all the way back out to the car. Btw planning on bringing the bike to make the return trip more pleasant.

[alpinelakes]

Heh. I've almost decided on Gold Lake via Hardscrabble. May head out this afternoon, start walking tomorrow. See you on the trail, maybe. Otherwise, have a great trip...

[Backpacker Joe]

Gold is beautiful, and it's an easy hike up down from Big Snow. Enjoy.

[Fletcher]

So I failed. Me and a buddy set out from Dingford at about 3 this afternoon. Up to the road's end by about 5. Then the search for the climber's trail began. We walked up the DMG trail to Hardscrabble creek. Nothing. Bushwacked up both ends of the creek. Nothing. After getting cell service I think I realized my mistake. The trail to the Hardscrabbles cuts off the road a ways down from the end of the road I believe. Not where we were looking for it. Met alpinelakes up there. He was camped at the horse camp. I'm curious to see if he was able to make it or not. Anyways were gonna camp at roads end and try again in the AM but the temptation of a beer and burger sent us back to the car by headlamp. Should have done more research

[Dayhike Mike]

The trail takes off at a wide spot in the road (old parking lot for the trailhead) a ways before the DMG trailhead. It follows old logging roads up from there -- overgrown, but the trail is still manageable in the middle. There's a laaaaarge log that fell across the road right before this spot. They've cut through this large log to allow cars to continue to drive past, but that large log is also a good way to know you're in the right place.

[bdrkayaker]

Yeah, on my trip up there last year we kept saying 'do you think this is the log?' at every downed log on the side of the road. THEN we saw the big one. Its unmistakable. The wide area is immediately after it and the trail cuts up a dirt embankment on the uphill side of the road. Wish I had a picture but I was too out of breath from the ride up to think about taking one, and moving too fast trying to beat nightfall on the way out.

[Fletcher]

Yeah for some reason I thought the trail took off from somewhere at the roads end. Upon my return I realized exactly where it is and I'm still kicking myself about it. Thinking about going up again this week but the road miles don't have me too excited.

[Backpacker Joe]

To bad. That old road is a good trail up to the point that they stopped logging. The trail (kind of) takes off from there.