Gals And Golden Doodles: Balsam Forebay

Gals And Golden Doodles: Balsam Forebay

Dale Matson

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Hike Route

Here is a former article with more particulars on the hike.

The Forebay is on Southern California Edison land and only open seasonally now. We used to ski there but it is now closed in the Winter.

https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2016/06/balsam-forebay-ospreys.html

There is parking and clean potties at the trailhead which is about .60 miles from the water. It is an easy, relatively flat hike at about 6,500’ elevation. There is signage for the return to the parking area. We were by ourselves today. The wildlife consisted of a hawk, two resident Ospreys and ducks.

The Golden Doodles are good friends and have spent many hours together in our respective yards. They are both good at staying close as we hike but a bit timid when it comes to water.

This was Cali and Marisol’s first trip to the Forebay. Hobbes and Sharon have been there often before.

Of course, Sharon introduced Marisol to her swim ritual which is a part of all our hikes that end at a lake. I was harassed by the dogs since I had the best treats. It was a warm hike but the breeze by the lake was great!

Hobbes

Dinkey Lakes Day Hike to Mystery And Swede Lakes

Dinkey Lakes Day Hike to Mystery And Swede Lakes

Dale Matson

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Hike Route

Beginning elevation 8,586’

Highest Elevation 9,232’

Gain 888’

Distance 5.5 miles overall

Time overall 4:27 Out and Inbound times were about the same.

https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2021/06/dinkey-lakes-mystery-and-swede-lakes.html

We did the same hike last year with our dog Hobbes. The particulars can be found in the above link to last year’s hike. The 12 mile drive off Dinkey Creek Road is memorable and terrible. The initial road is called “Rock Creek Road” and later it is called Foster Ridge Road. I have not come from Tamarack off Highway 168, but I believe it may even be a longer drive. We went in mid-June last year and there was a good amount of flowing water in the creek. We met some fishermen who said the best fishing lakes were 1st Dinkey, Rock and Swede Lakes. There are plenty of campsites for overnights but a wilderness permit is required.

If the drive was civilized, this would be more popular than most of the other hikes in the area. A high clearance vehicle with off road tires is necessary. 

You could approach the Dinkey Lakes Loop from Courtright Reservoir by hiking to Cliff Lake and on to Dinkey Lakes from there but that is a 25-mile loop! (Not a day hike for most folks).

This time of year, there is little water in the creek and few mosquitoes. This year I used my Sony A7C and 16-35 f4 Sony/Zeiss lens. 

Photo by Sharon