Toejam Lake TR

“I’ve been interested in seeing Toejam Lake since I knew it existed. Last week my wife & I were staying just outside the Emigrant Wilderness and I managed to talk my way into an overnight trip and a trailhead shuttle so she could keep the car. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when she saw how rough the road is to Gianelli Cabin, but she actually came back to pick me up at Crabtree Campground the next day.

The trail in followed what was probably the worst emigrant route over the Sierra Nevada. A few thousand worn out pioneers were duped into busting wagons and losing livestock on this path by the citizens of Sonora and the surrounding area.





Although this was the middle of the week in September, the wilderness was somewhat crowded. I passed two groups of noisy newbs I’m guessing were part of either a college class or half-way house, and a couple of groups on horses.

I passed by the trail to Toejam Lake on the way in to see the highly recommended Wire Lakes. I jumped off the trail at one point to escape the crowd & horse crap and crossed a meadow and lots of exposed granite to find lower Wire Lake. I found an excellent campsite on the southeast side near a sandy beach. I went for a swim and climbed the 9000’ knob behind camp for views.



There was frost on the ground in the morning, but I was warm by a fire. It was calm and clear.


I hiked on exposed granite cross-country to Toejam Lake. There was a group of guys fishing there and some small trout waiting for the bait. I didn’t hang out long, but got the obligatory picture.



I followed the ridge to Leopold Lake. I was alone there and enjoyed sunning on a granite slab by the water. Toejam Lake is nice, but the lower Wire Lake and Leopold Lake are much nicer.

I went cross-country off the end of the ridge to Piute Meadow. Had a good time following the glacier-polished granite slabs and picking my way around cliffs and brush. The hike back to Crabtree Campground was quiet until Camp Lake. A handful of loud people & dogs there, but I found a good spot to go for a swim. I chilled out until an hour before my ride was supposed to come, then cruised down the last 2.6 miles of exceedingly dusty, horse-#&%!$-smelling trail.


”

“Horsepackers annoy me that way. On my last hike, we came upon a group of suburban betties in their Mary Ford get-ups, smelling like a fake rose from a mile a way. They'd parked their horses on the trail because the trail got too rough for horses and were gabbing away. We were pleasant enough, but then one had to make the comment about being able to go "a lot further on a horse" than with a backpack. I just laughed knowing they'd never see what we'd just seen.”

“Oh, and nice write-up, TJ! Thanks!”

“Awesome shots!!!

'32oz”

“great write up, awesome pictures, and the WHITEST damn foot I've ever seen”

“does toejam lake stink?”

“I'm glad that is all that was sticking up.:)

Been there, most of the people were crowded in at the TH, I slipped in for the night and left early the next morning on my first trip into Emmigrant. Thank you for the great report and pics.”

“That is a damn white foot. I got a central coast "tan" and I'm too old to rock barefoot or flip flops. Don't know how the lake got it's name but there's a good story behind the names of most things in the area.”

“When I was in there for my second trip, saw a bear during the day at North Wire Lake. It hailed that afternoon, shortly before I like to take a dip. An hour after if quit hailing I was going for a dip anyway. Ahh.”

“Toejam, We are going to have to get a trip together. I miss Van being in NM because I could drive there...we had some good trips.”

“Good times! I'm backpacking with real Kentucky bourbon these days.”