Ruby Lake

Overview

Inyo National Forest‘s Mosquito Flats trailhead may be one of the most popular trailheads in the forest that does not include the words “Whitney” or “Portal.” It’s easy to see why. This high altitude trailhead allows hikers to access landscapes that usually requires many hours and sometimes days to reach. The Little Lakes Valley route, which visits half a dozen beautiful subalpine lakes, attracts hikers in droves. The slightly less popular but no less beautiful route to Ruby Lake, which follows a stretch of the Mono Pass Trail, offers another relatively easy opportunity to bask in glorious High Sierra scenery.  There are two considerations to heed during your preparations for this hike. Although the distance and gain are within reach for most hikers, be warned that starting from the Mosquito Flats Trailhead means that the hike begins just a hair below 10,000′ of elevation. The lack of time allowed for acclimating to the altitude could cause problems for some. It’s best to tackle this hike after you’ve had at least a day and a night before hand to get used to the rarefied air.  Also, the popularity of this route means that the parking situation (not to mention the wilderness permits) often fills up and becomes a competitive contact sport by mid-morning. It will behoove you to start early. Otherwise, you run the risk of having to walk an extra half mile to the trailhead from the overflow parking area.  From the parking area, head roughly south-southwest past the signed trailhead and toilets to join the briefly merged Morgan Pass/Mono Pass Trails on a short, uphill climb along Rock Creek through thickets of willows, aspens, and the occasional lodgepole pine. At 0.5 mile, the Morgan Pass and Mono Pass Trails split at a Y-junction. Choose the right fork and begin climbing in earnest, occasionally switchbacking as you start to ascend above Little Lakes Valley.  Continue straight past a junction with a connector trail that leads back to the Hilton Lakes Trailhead, and follow the trail as it climbs. Soon, views down in

Trail Stats

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