Tioga Crest in Inyo National Forest, CA

Hike Tioga Crest Inyo National Forest, CA

Class 2 5.2 miles 1900 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Aug 6, 2024
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Tioga Crest GPX Track

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With some time to kill and all the excitement of being in a totally new area, I decided to explore the Tioga Pass peaks area of Inyo National Forest. Tioga Crest is the high point of a short ridgeline that also includes Tioga Peak to the south. Both summits are worthwhile, though somewhat impractical to combine as a traverse since this would require significant road walking and nearly equal vertical gain veruss doing them individually. I began my hike from Saddlebag Lake, accessible by any vehicle via a dirt road. I wrapped around the east side of this man-made body of water, and the views were already stunning, looking back toward the trailhead and Mount Conness. As I continued along the shoreline, various summits around the Twenty Lakes Basin came into view. There's an extensive trail system within the basin, but I would only be using it briefly to access Tioga Crest.

The trail gradually gained some elevation before I left it as it began to dip back down. Heading north up a leisurely grassy slope, navigation was straightforward. There wasn’t a social trail, so I simply wandered in a general ascending traverse along the slope. As the slope became more angled, some side-hilling was necessary, but it wasn’t too annoying. I could see Saddlebag Lake behind me, with Tioga Crest ahead. The ascent continued into a gully, becoming steeper, and I paused for a view across the lake toward Mount Conness and North Peak.

The slope became less steep again higher up, though progressively turning rockier. The higher I climbed, the more wildly expansive the views became. Saddlebag Lake sat prominently below, and a bit farther along, I could see Mount Dana rising in the distance. Tioga Crest has two competing summits, but the eastern one is reportedly slightly taller. Some light Class 2 scrambling brought me to the top, where I could see Dunderberg Mountain, Excelsior Mountain, and the strikingly vibrant Burro Lake that I’ve become infatuated with.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Tioga Crest
11911 ft
1311 rise

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Starting from Saddlebag Lake.
Starting from Saddlebag Lake.
Wrapping around the east side of the lake, view back toward the trailhead and Mount Conness.
Wrapping around the east side of the lake, view back toward the trailhead and Mount Conness.
Wrapping around Saddlebag Lake.
Wrapping around Saddlebag Lake.
North Peak left and Shepherd Crest right.
North Peak left and Shepherd Crest right.
Close-up of North Peak.
Close-up of North Peak.
I left the trail and headed north along the slope.
I left the trail and headed north along the slope.
The grassy slope was straightforward.
The grassy slope was straightforward.
View back toward Saddlebag Lake.
View back toward Saddlebag Lake.
Tioga Crest seen ahead. The slope becomes angled and side-hilling is necessary, though it's not too annoying.
Tioga Crest seen ahead. The slope becomes angled and side-hilling is necessary, though it's not too annoying.
View across Saddlebag Lake toward Mount Conness and North Peak.
View across Saddlebag Lake toward Mount Conness and North Peak.
Ascending the steep slope toward Tioga Crest.
Ascending the steep slope toward Tioga Crest.
Another shot back as I ascend the slope, Saddlebag Lake seen below.
Another shot back as I ascend the slope, Saddlebag Lake seen below.
Tioga Crest's high point is seen right of center.
Tioga Crest's high point is seen right of center.
Image 13 from gallery
The terrain gets rockier higher up.
The terrain gets rockier higher up.
View back, Saddlebag Lake seen right of center. Mount Conness far right.
View back, Saddlebag Lake seen right of center. Mount Conness far right.
View back, Saddlebag Lake seen far right. Mount Dana center.
View back, Saddlebag Lake seen far right. Mount Dana center.
A view toward Dunderberg Mountain. You can see the wildly vibrant Burro Lake left of center. Excelsior Mountain is out of frame on the left.
A view toward Dunderberg Mountain. You can see the wildly vibrant Burro Lake left of center. Excelsior Mountain is out of frame on the left.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!