Carson-Iceberg Wilderness

As you travel along Highway 4 into the High Sierra, you reach a rugged landscape of great scenic beauty, this is the Carson-Iceberg Wildernes. Much of the area is dominated by volcanic ridges and peaks. Prominent in the southwestern portion are the Dardanelles. There are many streams flowing through deep granitic canyons but few lakes. Elevations range from about 5000 feet near Donnell Reservoir to 11,462 feet at Sonora Peak. From some vantage points one can view vast desert to the east and dense conifer forest to the west. Precipitation averages 50 inches annually on the west slope and as little as 15 inches on the east slope, 80 percent of it in the form of snow. Snow packs typically linger into June, sometimes later following very wet winters. Summers are generally dry and mild, but afternoon thundershowers occur periodically and nighttime temperatures may dip below freezing anytime.

Protection

The Wilderness Act of 1964 established a National Wilderness Preservation System "to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness." The Carson-Iceberg Wilderness became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System with passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984. Various human uses, such as recreation, grazing, and mining, are allowed by the Wilderness Act, but all activities will be managed or carried out subordinate to the higher purpose of maintaining wilderness values. These overriding values are 1) outstanding opportunities for solitude and 2) the ability of natural processes to operate free of human influence.

Permits

A wilderness permit is requireed for overnight visits to the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. Only one permit is required for trips which are continuous and pass through more than one Wilderness. Group sizes are limited to 15 people and 25 pack and saddle stock. One permit is required per trip per group. If you have a larger group than is permitted, reduce the number of people, split the group to visit different areas, or visit an area which permits larger numbers. You are not permitted to camp or travel within one mile of a related group.

Recreation

Management of visitors and their impacts is especially important for preserving the naturalness and solitude that distinguish wilderness from other settings. Those people who use the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness visit primarily from June through September. Most use is concentrated around the few lakes found in the Wilderness. By applying no-trace camping skills, visitors can minimize the impact of recreational use on the wilderness environment. Information about "leave no trace" skills can be found on wilderness permit attachments and is posted at trailheads.

Travel

There are approximately 195 miles of trails in the Wilderness. Travel is restricted to foot or horseback. Mechanized transportation of any kind, including bicycles, is prohibited. Major trailheads on the Stanislaus portion are Wheat's Meadow, County Line, Arnot Creek, Disaster Creek, and Clark Fork on the Summit Ranger District (Highway 108) and Silver Valley ( Lake Alpine), Stanislaus Meadow, Mosquito Lakes, Pacific Valley, and Highland Lakes on the Calaveras Ranger District (Highway 4).