Tioga Pass, High Country Without the Mobs San Francisco Examiner - July 9, 1999 by Tom Stienstra Mono County - Imagine having all the eye-popping beauty of the high country of Yosemite National Park and then ending the day in your very own cabin. Then imagine it without the unending throngs of people, no heart-breaking climbs, and several nearby lakes with good trout fishing. Well, there is a place where dreams like this come true. It is called Tioga Pass Resort. It's a place I keep returning to, if not to stay, then to at least enjoy the spectacular landscape, hikes and lakes. It is located at 9,600 feet right along Highway 120, just east of the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park. That puts it within two miles of Ellery Lake and Tioga Lake, and five miles from Saddlebag Lake. At 10,087 feet, it's the highest drive-to lake in California, where there is a shuttle-boat service available to get hikers to a preeminent trail head at the edge of the Hoover Wilderness. In addition, to the nearby west is Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, the No. 1 trail head site in the western United States. The immediate region is pristine, classic high Sierra granite sprinkled with white-bark pines, the kind of place with long-distance views that cry for Ansel Adams and his old box camera, and cold, crystal-clear lakes that really do look like jewels. The snow is all about gone this week, having melted in the past month, with just a few patches left on shaded slopes. What makes it work is a series of cabins and motel-style units at Tioga Pass Resort, as well as campgrounds at Tioga and Ellery lakes and another in the vicinity of Saddlebag Lake. Another camping option is at Tuolumne Meadows, but, hey, it's the largest camp is Yosemite, and isn't the whole idea here to avoid that kind of scene? Occasionally, even Tioga Pass can get the crowds. It happens when the Tuolumne camp in Yosemite fills and the crowds keep coming, and in turn, the park rangers point them here as an overflow area. Last weekend was a madhouse during the three-day Fourth of July holiday, for instance, and everything fills on the most popular weekends. That is why reservations are always advised. Saddlebag Lake The No. 1 curiosity here is not Yosemite, but Saddlebag Lake. After all, where else can you drive to more than 10,000 feet elevation in California? The road in is bumpy and slow, but it's short, and soon you round a bend and this stark but beautiful lake comes into view. There is a little store here, along with rentals of small boats, a primitive boat launch and, best of all, a boat ride available to ferry hikers to the far end of the lake. The first thing you will notice is the high altitude, of course. Some visitors get dizzy right off, and most gasp a bit for a while when hiking until fully acclimated. Interestingly, smokers adapt better to high altitudes than nonsmokers because the oxygen density in their blood streams is already depleted, which simulates a high-altitude experience at lower elevations. Prize hiking destinations include several small pristine lakes in the neighboring Hoover Wilderness. Greenstone Lake is the most popular, making for a loop hike of about 4 miles. Another good one is Steelhead Lake, taking a 200-foot climb over the course of 1.5 miles to get there, with the lake set at 10,270 feet. Of course, nearby Yosemite is irresistible. Lembert Dome and its 360-degree views is one of the best easy climbs in California. The Tuolumne Meadows trail heads provide many outstanding hikes, with the best downstream along the Tuolumne River to Tuolumne Falls, Glen Aulin and Waterwheel Falls. Another great one, and nearly flat, is south through Tuolumne Meadows to Lyell Fork. Tips for Fishers Many visiting adjacent Yosemite are stunned to discover how lousy the fishing is, but there is rarely this problem outside the park. Most of the lakes in the high Sierra are clear, near-sterile pools set in granite, and without stocks are quickly fished out. Saddlebag, Tioga and Ellery lakes, on the other hand, set in Inyo National Forest, are not under the park rules. Thus, they are planted by the Department of Fish and Game and provide decent fishing for trout in the summer. Tioga Resort has a series of woodsy cabins set behind the general store. All are rented by the week, with rates ranging from $665 to $825, and motel units available for $60 to $70 a night. The little store is surprisingly well-stocked, so most visitors can get whatever they require. If you need a dose of the high Sierra, Tioga Pass is one of the best places to get it. Phone Tioga Pass Resort at (209) 372-4471 or write P.O. Box 7, Lee Vining, CA 93541.