Cliff Lake Trail
2005 Trip
Trail Location and info: The trailhead to Cliff Lake is pretty easy to
find. From Fresno you take 168 up to Shaver until you get to Dinkey Creek
Road. After turning on Dinkey Creek Road you drive for quite awhile until you
see a sign for Courtright Reservoir. That will be McKinley Grove Road. Drive
on that for quite awhile until you get to a really long straightaway (about a
mile long). at the end of the straightaway there will be a sign saying
Courtright Reservoir to the left. Continue along the one-lane road (it's in
good condition) until you get to the lake. There is a good vista along the way
where you can stop and see Wishon and Mt Goddard. When you get to the lake,
you should see a sign pointing to Cliff Lake Trailhead (if you get to the dam,
you've gone too far). Follow that road until you get to a closed gate and to
the left will be the parking area. The trail starts off going down until you
get to a large creek. You cross the creek and then go up, following the creek.
The climb really isn't too bad for most of the way. Towards the last mile it
starts getting a little steep. After that last climb, you have reached the
lake.
I am uncertain what the best route to get up the Three Sisters is from Cliff Lake because when we were there, there was a lot of snow. We hiked up to the top of a 10196 ft peak and then down to a small pond and then up the only area with no snow.
Dogtooth Peak is fairly easy. Just go up above Cliff Lake toward Dogtooth Peak
until you find the maintained trail. Follow it a while and then break away
toward the peak. The peak you first come to (the one toward the south) is very
hard to climb and I don't recommend climbing it. The second peak you can go
around the northwest side until you get to a flat area and then just continue
going up as far as you feel comfortable.