Backpacking/Ice climbing near Lee vining

Is the Lee Vining area accessible in the winter for backpacking/camping. Do most people make the hike into Lee Vining for ice climbing?

Rich, it's like an hour hike to the ice from the parking at the power plant, so that's easy. And I think people do overnight camp in the Canyon. It can get quite cold there, colder than surrounding areas.

FrankPS wrote:Rich, it's like an hour hike to the ice from the parking at the power plant, so that's easy. And I think people do overnight camp in the Canyon. It can get quite cold there, colder than surrounding areas.

thanks frank. how's the power plant parking regulated? i just don't want to be that moron that camps where you're not allowed to camp. not familiar with the area at all.

Rich zz wrote: thanks frank. how's the power plant parking regulated? i just don't want to be that moron that camps where you're not allowed to camp. not familiar with the area at all.

Definitely do NOT camp along the road to the power plant or at the power plant itself. That would surely cause access problems. In fact, I think that parking at the power plant overnight is probably prohibited.

Besides, there are much better places to camp in the area, just be sure to choose wisely and keep a low profile.

There is a book for the ice climbing in the Lee Vining and surrounding areas, see here:

maximuspress.com/shop/prodd…

J. Albers wrote: Definitely do NOT camp along the road to the power plant or at the power plant itself. That would surely cause access problems. There are other places to camp in the area, but be sure to choose wisely and keep a low profile. There is a book for the ice climbing in the Lee Vining and surrounding areas, see here: maximuspress.com/shop/prodd…

ah yes, i have a small version of that book. is this area along the tioga road not covered by the inyo wilderness permit?

The area past the power plant may be covered by an Inyo wilderness permit (I'm not sure, I would have to look at a map), so camping up in the canyon might be okay. However parking in the power plant parking area is likely not okay. Thus if you want to camp up there, you are going to need to find a place to park that is not along the road owned by the utility (PG&E, I think) that operates the power plant. The utility company lets the public use the road and the parking area, but it is likely that they can revoke this privilege if it is abused.

Besides, you probably don't want to camp up in the canyon anyway because it is pretty inconvenient and actually does avalanche occasionally (I have seen the debris on several occasions).

Long story short, please do not park overnight along the utility road or at the power plant parking area (even if you are camping up in the canyon, don't leave your car on utility property overnight). As you stated in your original post, don't be the person who ruins access for everyone else.

Cheers.

J. Albers wrote:The area past the power plant may be covered by an Inyo wilderness permit (I'm not sure, I would have to look at a map), so camping up in the canyon might be okay. However parking in the power plant parking area is likely not okay. Thus if you want to camp up there, you are going to need to find a place to park that is not along the road owned by the utility (PG&E, I think) that operates the power plant. The utility company lets the public use the road and the parking area, but it is likely that they can revoke this privilege if it is abused. Besides, you probably don't want to camp up in the canyon anyway because it is pretty inconvenient and actually does avalanche occasionally (I have seen the debris on several occasions). Long story short, please do not park overnight along the utility road or at the power plant parking area (even if you are camping up in the canyon, don't leave your car on utility property overnight). As you stated in your original post, don't be the person who ruins access for everyone else. Cheers.

thanks for the detail. i guess i'll look at the inyo map and see where some backpacking trails are that's open in the winter.

i wanna try my hand at ice climbing. anyone up for teaching a noob?

Sierra Mountain Center.