A review of the Various Base Camps we enjoyed in 2023
Sierra Nevada Travel – 2023 was a fantastic year for me, traveling the Sierra and experiencing so many places as we completed our goal of traveling the length of the Sierra and crisscrossing it several times on various Sierra Passes.
As we wrap up 2023, I want to review the places we stayed to use as a base camp for our many adventures. Each destination had so many unique stories to tell, but the places we visited helped and, in some cases, pushed us to explore further on our trips. Of course, we used the Carson Valley as the base camp for most of our adventure trips as we have called this scenic and centrally located Nevada community home for the past 15 years.
In 2023, my wife and I did not just travel in the Sierra. So, let’s start quickly. Mentioning stays in Boston and Portsmouth, NH, to see family and travel the Northeast for the first time. Seeing the sights in Boston, including John’s reveres house, the Boston Aquarium, and much more on a rather cold week in the Northeast, is a historic visit.
In March, we stayed close to home and made North Lake Tahoe a base camp for our anniversary weekend. Staying at the Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort near Tahoe Vista, enjoying a night on Tahoe beaches in the snow, dinner at Za’s Lakefront for dinner and a blizzard-type snowshoe experience on Chickadee Ridge and Tahoe meadows.
Later in Spring, we traveled West over Highway 88 to Pioneer, California; staying in a VRBO home in the mountains, we made Pioneer base camp for our adventures in Volcano, the North Fork of the Mokelumne River, West Point, Mokelumne Hill and Jackson. On this trip, we enjoyed snowshoe adventures on Silver Lake and at an old historic Ski resort now known as Iron Mountain Snowpark. We also enjoyed a day as a driving tourist in Volcano where we met local business owners and toured the Oldest store in California, Sizemore’s Country Store & Restaurant .
In June, we went on a 1-week driving tour of the Sierra, starting in the Carson Valley and traveling south on Highway 395. It was a day trip that included stops in June Lake, Toms Place, and our first visit to Alabama Hills monuments.
Our first two-night stay was in Kernville at the Kernville Inn, a delightful little hotel resort in the heart of Kernville. While in town, we enjoyed meals at Kern River Brewing and rafted the Kern River on epic high water with Kern River Outfitters. I also took time to Hike to the top of Isabella Peak for a great morning hike and Enjoyed an evening drive up the Kern River.
Leaving Kernville, we took the advice and headed up the Kern River to the Western Divide Highway for an epic day of walking among the giants at the Trail of 100 Giants and then exploring Dome Rock along the same route before turning around and finding our way through the hillside to Three Rivers California.
In Three Rivers, California, we had time to explore Hospital Rock and a little hike from there down to Paradise Creek next to the Middle fork of the Kaweah River, which was roaring from early summer snow melt. With the highway to Sequoia closed at this point because of winter damage, we spent the evening in Three Rivers, enjoying sights along the river and the simple pleasures of Pizza factory pizza for dinner. We stayed in Three Rivers, but to be honest, we did not have a great report here as the place we visited was infested with mice, So we ended up getting out of bed early and making our way across a windy section of the Sierra (Route 245) on a foggy morning to Dunlap / Pinehurst region before entering Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for a stunning day hiking in Sequoia. Side note on Route 245: if you like to drive the old highways in California, where the road follows the contour of a mountain and experience a unique drive near Sequoia, this is an epic road to travel. But please keep in mind Gas if you are doing what we did because there is no ga sin sequoia, so I suggest you stop in Pinehurst or backtrack a bit into Dunlap for gas before heading into the park.
Our stay at Sequoia was short, but we had a delightful evening at the roadside treasure Gena’s Sierra Inn & Restaurant. Rooms are small and quint, but the service, restaurant, and location make this a can’t miss location for adventure travel.
We camped in Bass Lake for a night at Forks Campground, enjoying a great burger at the Forks Dinner on the lake, before a day in Yosemite, and our travels took us into Sonora, California.
In Sonora, California, the base camp with a touch of luxury is the Lumber Jack Hotel. We reviewed our stay here earlier in the year and can not recommend this place more. The outside might not say five stars, but the interior and location are five stars off the chart. While in town, we enjoyed hikes in Dragon Gulch, which gives a great view of the town, dinner at Enberz Wood Fired Grill, and Breakfast at the Willow Wisp cafe. From Sonora, we also enjoyed a day trip over Sonora Pass, stopping at Donnell Lake Vista and a ton of snow on top of the pass.
After a July filled with day trips into Bridgeport and the Hoover wilderness, our late summer travel took us North into the Lake Almanor region and a great stay again at St. Bernard’s Lodge. It’s really just the perfect base camp for all my Lassen Volcanic National Park adventures. We love the European mountain lodge feel of St. Bernard’s Lodge, and the home-cooked meals and chocolate chip cookies are a treat after a day of exploring. On this visit, I enjoyed a Bass fishing tour with Mark Pilgrim, a local guide and bass legend, hiked various trails as we drove around Lassen, and just missed an opportunity to enjoy the night sky with the local tour group because thunderstorms rolled in.
In the Fall, we once again found ourselves flying out East for a great relaxing visit in Fort Meyers, Florida. It was incredible to see the hurricane damage up close with family.
Once we returned from that trip, life got a bit busy, and I made my second trip to Central Oregon for family matters. Wendy and I have continued to love using the Carson Valley, our personal base camp, to life. As I started planning for 2024, I made one final visit over the Yuba pass to Sierra City to meet the owners of Sierra Pines Resort.
I look forward to coming back here on a future trip.
So there you have it. Those were our Base Camps in 2023. Where did we miss? Where should we try next? The Sierra has so many great options to explore—time to start booking our next adventure.
