March 8, 2024 - Shaver Lake Snowshoe

 

Title: March 8, 2024 - Shaver Lake Snowshoe
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type: Snowshoeing 

Trailhead: Dinkey Creek Road and Nevins Road

Trail:  Nevins Road

Destination:  Shaver Lake

Distance:  3.10 miles

Start Time: 10:59

End Time:    2:25

Travel Time: 3:25  (0.91 mph)

Moving Time:  2:05  (1.49 mph)

Elevation Rise: 547'

Descent: 497‘

Maximum Elevation: 5,674'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Steven likes to go to Shaver Lake. Not just to anyplace, but to go to the Nivens Peninsula. Steven took us there two years ago. It is time to revisit this area: Sherri and I on snowshoes; Steven on Nordic skis; Korra on her paws.

 

Korra, the snow dog

I get up first at 6:45. I am not really expecting anybody to be up for the next couple of hours and they do not disappoint me. Around 8:30 I start to hear noises. By 9:45 we are in the car, leaving. We head up highway 168 until we get to the town of Shave Lake. The turn onto Dinkey Creek Road. A few minutes later, Steven informs me that I have passed by the trail. So I turn around at Camp Chawanekee.

By the time we get ready with snowshoes and skis, it is 11:05. Well, we all are almost ready tp start. After walking about 15 steps, I realize that I left my phone in the car-my phone is also my camera. How am I going to have a blog without pictures?

Gary, following Steven's tracks

 

 

After retrieving my phone, I joined Sherri. Steven and Korra have already gone down the road. The road is Nevins Road, even though most maps do not give it a name. The snow is not very deep, maybe 1 foot to a foot and a half, except in a few drifts. But where the sun has been shining, the depth is measured in inches. In some ways this is to be expected as Shaver is only slightly higher than a mile up.

Shaver Lake

Sherri and I plod along at a pleasant pace for us. We are going downhill after all. We follow Steven’s tracks which are on the road. Towards the end of the peninsula, the road loops around, but Steven has taken a route away from the road down to the edge of the peninsula.

 

Steven and Korra

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we reach him, about 12:15, we find a rock to sit on and enjoy a lakeside lunch. Steven and I discuss the distance we have traveled. My GPS shows about 1.6 miles while he shows considerably less. We look at various other things, including the trail signs we have seen and map notations, but do not come to a definite conclusion. I know that with the GPS, there is a tendency for it to wander if we are slow or stopped, so when I download the GPS data I will remove readings where there is less than x mph. In this case I removed less than 0.3mph. Steven found an AllTrails which said out route was 2.7 miles while my total computation is 3.1. So I think it is whatever seems right and is in the ballpark can be used.

Sherri on the return trip

And now for the return trip. Since we came down going to the lake, we started back UP to get back to the car. It is not a bad ascent. I just like my uphills to be at the start and downhill to get back to the car. The view is mostly of trees and snow, which is a nice sight. By the time we have gone most of the way back, my legs are starting to get tired. But when we approach the gate to the start of the road, I remind Sherri, and myself, that no matter how tired you are or how slow we are, it is how we finish is what matters. So we finish strong.

We get back to the car at 2:25 with Korra and Steven waiting patiently for us. It takes up about 20 minutes to get packed up and gone. The question is where do we eat? The choice is the Shaver Lake Pub&Grub-and it is good grub. We make it home by 4:45.