AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Cushing–Thunder Mountain Trail, 3 sights

3.9 mi · ▲ 1,536 ft · 2 hr 4 min

Lake Cushing–Thunder Mountain Trail, 3 sights is a 3.9-mile out-and-back near Alpine Meadows, CA. The route reaches Lake Cushing. It climbs 1,536 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 81/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,290 – 7,832 ft · steepest grade: 25%4.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.19550, -120.23914
Nearest town Alpine Meadows, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Cushing–Thunder Mountain Trail, 3 sights

3.9 mi · ▲ 1,536 ft · 2 hr 4 min

Elevation 6,289–7,831 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.19550, -120.23914

Weather Sep 20: Overcast, high 72°F / low 46° · precip 2% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Lake Cushing.
  3. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Thunder Mountain Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  6. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  7. 1 miBear right, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Western States Trail, heading W.
  10. 0.5 miReach Lake Cushing, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  14. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Thunder Mountain Trail, heading E.
  15. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  17. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/lake-cushing-thunder-mountain-trail-out-back-4-sights

Trail surface

78% dirt22% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 72°F46°
Precip2%Wind8 mphUV6Humidity30%
Hourly temperature
75°45°
Sunrise 6:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:03 PM
Mon 73°52°
Tue 76°49°
Wed 77°49°
Thu 72°49°
Fri 71°46°
Sat 72°45°

Other ways to reach this destination

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