Split Mt Dayhike & Red Lake TH

Split Mt (14,058’) 6-24-07

Checking off Split Mt (14,058’) 6-24-07

Sat evening drove up the very bumpy Tinemaha route to the Red Lake trail head, check
So warm at the TH I didn’t even need any sleeping bag, check
Started at 5:20am on a clear sky and warm Sunday morning, check
Sweat a bucket just getting to the Alpine Zone (~10,000’), check
By No-Name Lake got treated to some spectacular views of Split Mt, check
Greeted by snarling Pit-Bull and Rottweiler at a camp by Red Lake (this was actually way too close for comfort until the camper called his dogs off, @$$-O ), check
Dry conditions meant climbing up >3000’ of dry and loose talus, check
Totally tuckered-out by the time I got to the summit (took me 6:10 hrs from the car), check
Beautiful day on the summit with mild temps and just a little wind and the whole place to myself, check
Spent about an hour on top taking in the great views, taking photos, eating, checking the names of the local peaks on the map, and taking a much needed power nap, check
Too tired to even think about trying Mt Prater, check
Headed back down the same way, check
No puppy dogs or campers at Red Lake, check
Was getting pretty hot on the descent and it was really hot at the TH (3:30hrs to descent, back ~4pm), check
Drove back down the very bumpy road, check
Drank several Gatorades at Independence, check
Drove home (~9:30pm), check

Another great day in the Sierras, check

Here are some photos
photos

Red Lake Trail Head Recon 4-29-07

The Red Lake TH is the starting point for Split Mt. Some have argued that it is more difficult to get to the Red Lake trail head than the hike up Split Mt.

This route is very rough and you'll need a vehicle with good clearance and 4WD will help. I got up it in my RAV-4 AWD. I'd recommend renting a 4WD SUV or truck, that way every time you bottom out or some scrub-brush scratches the side of your car and sounds like ice scoring the side of the Titanic you won’t cringe

There are a couple of ways to get to Red Lake TH SP Split & Red Lake TH , but I wanted to check out the shorter approach from Tinemaha camp ground. Here are my notes and photos

About 14 miles north of Independence on Hwy 395 exit left onto the South Fish Springs Rd

Mileage distances from the Hwy 395 – Fish Springs Rd junction:
0 miles: Hwy 395 – Fish Springs Rd junction
0.5 miles: Left onto Tinemaha Rd
~2.7 miles: to Tinemaha camp grounds. Turn right at Fuller Rd and go directly thru the camp grounds.
~3.9 miles: the pavement ends next to some sort of mining operations. There are 2 options at the end of the pavement:
Option 1; drive straight for about 2/3 mile (rough dirt road) to a locked gate and the turn right and go another ½ mile to the next junction
Option 2 (easier); turn right at the end of the pavement and drive by the mining operation on the west side for about 100 yards then turn left a head up a smooth dirt road for about ¾ miles and turn right at the next junction
Options 1 & 2 merge at this junction
~5.3miles; dip thru a dry creek bed, then turn left and head up a very rough dirt road next to the fence line for about 0.5 miles to the next junction with the dirt road from McMurry Meadow. This 1/2 mile is the roughest; I had to chalkup for this section
~5.8 miles: Junction or the Tinemaha Rd and McMurry Meadow Rd with a marker for route 10S01 hidden in the bushes. Head SW on the main road that leads towards the Red Lake TH.
~6.0 miles; cross over the Tinemaha creek and continue south along the fence line of the private property for about 0.5 miles
~6.5 miles: turn right toward Red Lake TH
~7.2 miles; turn right at small junction towards Red Lake TH
8.8 miles; final reach the Red Lake TH, Wohoo!

Here are some photos of this nasty route (captions to be added)
Red Lake TH photos

Images

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