Golden Fish n’ golden nuggets

Meet: Fri, Sept 29, noon @ Tro Gro (Starbucks under Birnkrant)

Return: Sun Oct 1, 6 pm

Member: $120 Non member: $150

Activity: Backpacking, Fishing, Gold Panning

Difficulty: (7/10) Easy/Medium/Hard Distance (miles): 12 Elevation (ft): 1700+

Recommended Prior Experience: Camping

Location of Trip: Cottonwood Lakes

Native Land: Paiute-Shoshone

Pre-Trip Meeting: Evening of 9/26; time and location TBD

Friday: Lone Pine Bound & Campfire Chills at Cottonwood Pack Station

Our adventure begins with a relaxed Friday morning. We'll leave the city vibes of Los Angeles behind and head for the charming town of Lone Pine, nestled at the base of the stunning Sierra Nevada Mountains. The drive promises good music and even better company as we inch closer to our weekend retreat. A quick stop in Alabama hills may result in a fun rock scramble as we look up at Whitney and the rest of the Sierras. As the sunsets, we'll roll into our campsite at Cottonwood Pack Station. We may even light up a campfire to share stories and marshmallows under the starry sky post-dinner. It's a low-key night of relaxation before our adventure ahead.

Saturday: Golden Trout Quest and Gold Panning Adventure

Saturday morning, we'll wake up ready to hit the trail. We will hike just a few miles to get to the hidden gem that is Golden Trout Camp where we will drop our packs. Then we'll continue hiking on a quest for golden treasures at the Cottonwood Lakes.

Our first mission: trying our luck at fishing for those shimmering golden trout.

Our second mission: to dip our gold pans into the clear waters, trying our hand at a bit of gold panning. Gold dust or bust (for those of you who did the california gold rush play - i hope you understood this reference :)

We will then hike back to camp where we had dropped our packs a few hours earlier. We will cook a fun dinner and get time to relax after our long day.

Sunday: Farewell to the Wilderness and Pie Pitstop

Sunday morning signals our return to reality, as we pack up camp with a hint of sadness. But before we head home, there's one last treat in store: a stop at the Alabama Hills Cafe for Grace's favorite pie!

Get ready for an awesome weekend in the great outdoors. We are stoked to get outside with you all!

Contact the Guides:

Grace True gtrue@usc.edu

Josh McCampbell mccampbe@usc.edu

Scott Pugh smpugh@usc.edu

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!

• Day Fishing License (Additional ~$19) if you plan on fishing! We will provide you with the link to purchase and instructions after signing up.

• Backpacking pack

• Sleeping pad

• Sleeping bag 

• ***Warm layers (thermal long sleeves, sweater, long pants)

• Comfortable hiking clothes

• Hiking boots/hiking shoes

• Socks / underwear

• Toiletries

• AT LEAST 3-4 L of water

• Warm hat

• Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses)

• Headlamp

• Any necessary medication

• Mess kit (plate/bowl + fork/knife/spork)

• OPTIONAL: any fishing gear you have/shoes that can get wet/cards/games/other fun activities

• REQUIRED: good vibes, can-do attitude

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!!