Did a first overnight backpack of the season at McAllister Camp. Hiked down Thunder Creek trail about 6.5-7 miles down to the site. The trail is in great condition, although be advised it is shared with horses, so you'll have to step around some dung -- but not a big problem.

A little after you cross the big bridge just before Thunder Camp, which is where it seems many day hikers turn around at, you'll quickly come across Neve Camp and Fourth of July Pass junction. We scoped out Neve and decided it could be great for beginner backpackers or kids, with its fantastic view of the creek rushing by and soft, loamy grounds.

Continuing on through lush trails, around massive woods, past moss-covered boulders, and over a few refreshing streams, we got to McAllister in about 2 hours and 45 minutes, at a manageable pace. Please note that the hiker camp is now located to the left as you approach, just before the horse camp. Some older information sources still provide the old location from before it getting washed out in a flood.

The new camp is in fine condition, and very well laid out. Each marked site has a pair of level tent pads and its own cooking area, with a shared bear wire near the entrance and a somewhat private pit toilet. Water is easily had a couple hundred feet or so back down the trail. A deer hung around our tents the whole time, likely drawn by the prospect of scraps. Sooty grouse called in the distance.

After setting up and brewing a cup of coffee, we decided to head up a little farther to Tricouni Camp, but right before it we found a nice spot below a bridge where we could dip our feet in the icy waters. Tricouni is a bit overgrown, but a couple sites have a nice view of the waters below.

Spent the evening by a fire made with the ample supply of dried fallen sticks all around, and had a peaceful night with a slight drizzle pattering on the rainfly.

Hike out was quick -- felt like we did it in just about 2 hours. Weather was perfect, in my opinion, for hiking the whole time we were there: nice cool breezes, sun poking between the low clouds, and occasional drizzle.

Overall, with side trips we clocked about 17 miles.

For permits, McCallister seems to be walk-up only at the Wilderness Info Station in Marblemount, but some of the other sites can be reserved on the recreation.gov site.

#HiketheState

2 day/1 night backpacking trip to McAllister Camp. On day 1 dropped packs at the juncture with Fourth of July Trail and hiked up to Fourth of July pass for some views. Although ranger station warned of snow line around 3500' we saw no traces of snow anywhere close to where we were hiking.

McAlister Camp is in excellent shape, as was the trail along the way. Just one blowdown to shimmy under.

Some of the larger mosquitoes I have ever seen, although as such easy to swat. We made a fire at camp to ward them off but I did get a bite or two. Bring bugspray for the rest of the season.

Ample water on the trail. Diablo Lake surprisingly low for spring... not a good sign.

Our crew consisted of eight Scouts (ages 13 - 14) and three adult leaders. We left Colonial Creek Campground at 6:10 and hiked 1.6 miles to Thunder Campground. Initially concerned we would end up making camp in the dark, we arrived with plenty of time before sunset. I wish we had explored the area a bit more; we would have discovered the group campsite slightly further up the trail. Temps hit 33 degrees that evening but it seemed everyone slept comfortably enough.

It look a bit longer than planned to get the crew going in the morning and we didn't hit the trail on Saturday until 9:00 am. We hiked 5.6 miles to Tricouni Camp before stopping for lunch. After a moderate break, we headed off again as we needed we more mileage to hit our goal of 15 miles total. The ultimate goal would have been reaching Junction Camp but as the elevation gain and temperatures picked up, it became clear that wasn't going to happen. We went another mile or so and then allowed/made all the Scouts army crawl under a very large fallen tree before instructing them all to turn back and crawl under it again. (Leave No Trace Principle #2: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces --> Stay on the trail, Scouts!!)

The crew turned back and made our way to McAllister Camp for the night. Feeling a bit dehydrated, I made my way to the nearby stream where I sat on a shaded log and drank up. Despite the soreness, it was very peaceful; the type of experience one hopes to find when traveling to the backcountry. Clouds rolled in around 7:00 and sprinkles started, cancelling the plans for S'mores. 

Only 38 degrees when I awoke at 6:00 on Sunday; warmer than planned, I suspect, due to the cloud cover. The rain wasn't terrible during the night. The peaks nearby were now covered in a light dusting of snow - very beautiful. We headed out at a great pace, the Scouts enthused by the idea of showers, beds, and flushing toilets. We reached the vehicles just before noon.

Pro-tip when backpacking with a group of Scouts: require all parties to bring deodorant to leave in the vehicles that can be applied before the car ride home!

Well maintained trail with lots of opportunities to take a break throughout the day. I made it out to McAllister Camp and back, only seeing three other people the whole day. Lots of stream crossings that don't have dry passes and a few blow downs. Thunder, Neve, and McAllister camps all looked to be in good order. Great option for shoulder season backpacking to warm up for the year! Wish I could have stayed the night.

Only encountered a few birds, a chipmunk, and a snake on trail. It was mosquito free when I was out, though I imagine that probably won't last much longer with the warm weather.

This was our third time backpacking in the early season here, and it was a great time. We arrived Monday to an empty parking lot (eventually one other car came in while we were getting ready to head out. 

The trail up to Tricouni camp was in pretty good shape. A couple of downed trees across the trail, but easily gone over or around. Some snow on the ground, but not a bother. There were a few more difficult obstacles on the way to Junction camp, but we made our way through them and tried to clear some of the mess off the trail. 

Perfect weather pretty much the whole trip. Junction camp was looking its best. There was a pretty large mosquito swarm that wasn't there the last time we visited, but otherwise it was a great place to stay. There was a dusky grouse whoomping away. It seemed to be the same one we saw last time we were here.