Your Sweet Escape: A weekend at chocolate lake

Meet: TroGro (Birnkrant Starbucks) @ noon Friday

Return: Sunday @ 6pm

Member: $72 Non member: $90

Activity: Backpacking

Difficulty: 7/10 (7 miles w/ 1,500ft of elevation gain)

Recommended Prior Experience: *if you have problems with altitude or extreme temp changes, do not sign up*. Backpacking experience or 10+ mile day hike experience w/ 3,000ft+ elevation gain. This is not an easy trip.

Location of Trip: Big Pine, CA (Eastern Mono/Monache and Northern Paiute)

Trip Description: If there were one trip you could go on to summarize what the Eastern Sierra is about, it is this one. Prepare for epic views and alpine lake plunges!

Itinerary: Meet Friday at noon at TroGro (Birnkrant Starbucks). From there we will head 4 hours north to Bishop where we’ll camp for the night. Luke and Sidney will chef you up a delicious dinner followed by a campfire. On Saturday morning we’ll head up to South Lake Trailhead, where we’ll embark on a 3.5 mile hike to Ruwau lake to set up camp. We’ll have plenty of time to swim and summit the nearby Chocolate peak, where we’ll enjoy multiple kinds of chocolate. Bring your swimsuit! On Sunday, we’ll hike back out to South Lake and head back to USC. If you’re looking for a way to get out of LA and explore the amazing mountains California has to offer, this is the trip for you!!

Contact the Guides:

Luke Lozano (lalozano@usc.edu or 505-819-7533)

Sidney Kalin (skalin@usc.edu or 925-788-3290)

What to Bring:

*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need! I do want to emphasize that we will be in wilderness. What this means is that everything we pack in we will carry out or dispose of sustainably. In addition, there are no “bathrooms” or any other sort of infrastructure.

• WARM WEATHER CLOTHES (it will be hot and cold on this trip so bring both. See below for warm clothes)

• WARM CLOTHES (There is the possibility of it being much colder in the evening/mornings as we will be at elevation)

  • sweater

  • puffy

  • long sleeve

  • beanie

  • gloves

  • warm socks

• hiking shoes or trail running shoes

• rain jacket

• 2 pairs of socks

• sandals (optional)

• swimsuit

• hat

• sunglasses

• sunscreen

• bug spray

• 2 ziplock bags (one for trash and one for toilet paper)

• Bring 2liter water bottle capacity (smart water bottles preferred—hydroflasks are very heavy)

• prescriptions

• toiletries (just toothbrush+mini toothpaste) please no deodorant/face wash/other scented items

• mess kit (something to eat on and with)

• mug

• backpacking pack (if you have)

• sleeping bag (if you have)

• sleeping pad (if you have)

• poles (if you have)

• pillow (if you have)

• tent (if you have)

• bear can (if you have)

Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:

All SC Outfitter trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.

TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM

• Difficulty rating for trips

  • 1: No physical activity.

  • 2: Leisurely walk.

  • 3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity

  • 4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.

  • 5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity

  • 6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.

  • 7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.

  • 10: u gunna die

**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!