Status Update | Medano Lake

Trailhead:	Medano Lake
Posted By:	greenschist
Date of Info:	8/24/2024
Date Posted:	8/24/2024

Status Update
I think the 4/6 rating is accurate. I drove to the pass in an Xterra without too much trouble. The first several miles are easy but run through private property. Just before the National Forest boundary the road gets rockier. There's an open gate at the boundary with some erosion under it. If not for this erosion I think a low-clearance sedan could get to public land without much issue. Just past the gate is an open area with room for multiple groups to car camp or pitch a tent. I saw a low-clearance sedan made it here, but personally I wouldn't have risked it. I would park anything less capable than a Subaru here. The trouble starts at the first set of switchbacks. It's washed out and rutted, but with 4Lo wasn't too hard. There's a pull-out near the top of these switchbacks, and I recommend stopping there if you had trouble getting up them. From here to the next switchbacks is more of the same: short steep sections, ruts, and occasional exposed bedrock. Just after the last switchback before the pass is probably the hardest obstacle. The road will open up and split two ways. To the left is some exposed bedrock, to the right is a short umapped road. Both ways will get you to the pass, but I actually think crawling over the bedrock is easier. The other way just had deeper ruts and looser cobbles and sand. Choose your line carefully over the bedrock; I stayed left near the small tree trunk. If you take the other road, you'll have to turn left when you reach another road that goes north from the pass. This northbound road has additional campsites. Whichever way you take, the pass is just ahead. If you can make it to the pass you can probably make it to the TH. The road drops steeply on the west side, and some stretches are washed out on one side. All 3 designated campsites on the National Preserve side were taken Friday night. There was a decent amount of traffic on the road, mostly going East to West. Mostly trucks, Jeeps, and another Xterra. No Subarus, but with good tires and careful lines you could probably get further than you might expect. Overall the road seemed a bit worse than the last report suggests, I definitely appreciated the clearance I have.

Status Update

I think the 4/6 rating is accurate. I drove to the pass in an Xterra without too much trouble. The first several miles are easy but run through private property. Just before the National Forest boundary the road gets rockier. There's an open gate at the boundary with some erosion under it. If not for this erosion I think a low-clearance sedan could get to public land without much issue. Just past the gate is an open area with room for multiple groups to car camp or pitch a tent. I saw a low-clearance sedan made it here, but personally I wouldn't have risked it. I would park anything less capable than a Subaru here.

The trouble starts at the first set of switchbacks. It's washed out and rutted, but with 4Lo wasn't too hard. There's a pull-out near the top of these switchbacks, and I recommend stopping there if you had trouble getting up them. From here to the next switchbacks is more of the same: short steep sections, ruts, and occasional exposed bedrock. Just after the last switchback before the pass is probably the hardest obstacle. The road will open up and split two ways. To the left is some exposed bedrock, to the right is a short umapped road. Both ways will get you to the pass, but I actually think crawling over the bedrock is easier. The other way just had deeper ruts and looser cobbles and sand. Choose your line carefully over the bedrock; I stayed left near the small tree trunk. If you take the other road, you'll have to turn left when you reach another road that goes north from the pass. This northbound road has additional campsites.

Whichever way you take, the pass is just ahead. If you can make it to the pass you can probably make it to the TH. The road drops steeply on the west side, and some stretches are washed out on one side. All 3 designated campsites on the National Preserve side were taken Friday night.

There was a decent amount of traffic on the road, mostly going East to West. Mostly trucks, Jeeps, and another Xterra. No Subarus, but with good tires and careful lines you could probably get further than you might expect. Overall the road seemed a bit worse than the last report suggests, I definitely appreciated the clearance I have.

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