Sagehen Summit
This forested basin offers several options which for the most part utilize logging roads. The Sagehen Campground is available for winter camping - if you can find it in the deep snows.
Winter camping is permitted.
Basin side hill slopes are relatively mild which encourages skiers to get off the roads, especially where timber harvesting has opened the timber stands.
DESCRIPTION:
The valley and sidehills are gentle enough to encourage snow play over much of the area. Timber harvest openings midway up the basin provide plenty of room to venture off the snow covered roads.
There is a small closure area to over the snow vehicles in the Sagehen Creek basin around a research area and the campground. Sagehen Creek receives light to moderate cross-country use as parking along Highway 89 at the Summit is usually limited to 1 or 2 vehicles.
| Parking Elevation: | 6400 feet | Base Elevation: | 0 feet | Summit Elevation: | 8600 feet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Campground 6500’; Carpenter Ridge 8600’. |
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| Snowfall | 0 inches | Season | December through March | ||
| Parking: | Skiable Area | 700 acres | Groomed | No | Terain Park | No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowmaking | |||||||
| Runs | Beginner | 0% | Intermediate | 0% | Expert | 0% | |
| Lifts | 0 | Types | |||||
| Contact(s) | Tahoe National Forest: 530-265-4531 |
|---|---|
| Website(s) |
DIRECTIONS:
To Sagehen Summit
Sagehen Summit is 8 miles north of Truckee on Highway 89. The summit itself is not signed but is a prominent divide just north of the highway sign for Sierra County.
Topgographic Maps: East Slope -Winter Recreation or U.S.G.S. Hobert Mills & Independence Lake
ACTIVITIES:
Nordic Cross-country Skiing (Rating: Best)
An unmarked trail following the road leads up Sagehen Creek and goes by a small research station (closed winters) and on to the primitive Sagehen Campground a total distance of about 2.5 miles. Winter camping is permitted. There is a small OSV Closure Area in the basin around the developments.
From there skiers or snowshoers can continue up Sagehen following the #11 Road west for several miles into the high basins under Carpenter Ridge. Or you can follow the #11-8 Road further west to the top of the ridge. From just above the campground, you can also loop back and east using the #11 Road to return to the Summit parking area on Highway 89. Total loop from Highway 89 is about 6 miles. Several logging areas offer openings for skiing. Basin side hill slopes are relatively mild which encourages skiers to get off the roads, especially where timber harvesting has opened the timber stands.
Difficulty level: More Difficult in the basin and Most Difficult to the top of Carpenter Ridge
Mileage: 6 mile loop with several options for longer distances.
Snowmobiling (Rating: Good)
Except for the small closure around the developments, snowmobiles are permitted in the basin but there are no groomed trails and very limited parking, especially for trailers. The better parking and access point lies to the south along Highway 89 at the Prosser OHV Trailhead. The groomed Independence Loop snowmobile trail leads by the Sagehen Summit south from the Prosser Hills Staging Area or north to Little Truckee Summit.
Classification: Poor to Good once you get into the basin
Snowshoeing (Rating: Good)
Mid-winter while the snow is good at Sagehen Summit, snowshoers can make several small treks along the ridge without having to travel very far from the highway. Travel here is easy to moderately difficult at most.
An unmarked trail following the road leads up Sagehen Creek and goes by a small research station (closed winters) and on to the primitive Sagehen Campground a total distance of about 2.5 miles. Winter camping is permitted. There is a small OSV Closure Area in the basin around the developments.
From there skiers or snowshoers can continue up Sagehen following the #11 Road west for several miles into the high basins under Carpenter Ridge. Or you can follow the #11-8 Road further west to the top of the ridge. From just above the campground, you can also loop back and east using the #11 Road to return to the Summit parking area on Highway 89. Total loop from Highway 89 is about 6 miles. Several logging areas offer openings for skiing. Basin side hill slopes are relatively mild which encourages skiers to get off the roads, especially where timber harvesting has opened the timber stands.
Difficulty level: More Difficult in the basin and Most Difficult to the top of Carpenter Ridge
Mileage: 6 mile loop with several options for longer distances.
