Looking for cabin/home VERY close to mountains

[venezia]

Originally Posted by ShariP

I liked the look of Arnold and Dorrington, and I found some cabins in the $200,000s. How far from real high-country hiking are you from there? It seems like the ski resorts are another 25 miles higher. Are there towns up at that elevation with cabins? I want to get as high an elevation as possible in my budget.

A bit farther south (you take 180 through Springville-mentioned earlier) are cabins at about 7200 feet. We get about 15-20 feet of snow a year, in a nondrought year. They start at around $200K for about 1200 square feet and of course, the sky's the limit after that. The area is called the Ponderosa and Aspen Realty has several cabins listed (google ponderosa and aspen realty and you'll find it).

[Beth56]

Originally Posted by venezia

A bit farther south (you take 180 through Springville-mentioned earlier) are cabins at about 7200 feet. We get about 15-20 feet of snow a year, in a nondrought year. They start at around $200K for about 1200 square feet and of course, the sky's the limit after that. The area is called the Ponderosa and Aspen Realty has several cabins listed (google ponderosa and aspen realty and you'll find it).

Oh, I just love this area. Ponderosa and Golden Trout Wilderness is beautiful. I think that is where the last grizzly bear in California was shot and killed in 1922. I used to go up to Camp Nelson to rent a cabin and fish. We would drive up the mountain to Ponderosa and have lunch at the lodge, horse back ride through GTW, go down the backside to the hot springs, ahhh.

[DMenscha]

Further up from Dorrington and 4 miles to the Bear Valley Ski Area is a subdivision called Sky High Ranch. It is about 6500 feet up. Just past that is an old time subdivision called Sherman Acres (we used to call it hooterville it's only 2 miles to Bear Valley and still located in Calaveras County.

I would take exception to GBG's characterization of the area, I used to work for the forest service up there and I've had to hike all over the place in order to put out fires.

You could call my old pal Erik Jung at the Bear Valley Real Estate company for more information on what's happening up there.

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by greatbasinguide

The land along the crest at Ebbets Pass is relatively un "high country" like. The ridges are volcanic with deep valleys. Cattle graze extensively in Carson Iceberg and Mokelumne wildernesses.

I don't know how this could be Un "high country like". It's not the Mount Whitney area, but walk in any direction for a couple of hours and you wont be disappointed

There is one ski area up the road, Bear Valley. There are cabins at Bear Valley to purchase or rent. The road in the subdivision is not plowed in the winter, so a snomo is pretty necessary.

I lived in Bear Valley for 7 years and never owned a snowmobile, but I did borrow one from time to time to transport larger items.

The County is Alpine County, since you cannot drive over Ebbetts in the winter a trip to the county seat at Markleeville, neccesitates a trip down to 49 up to 88, and across and Kirkwood, about a 4 hour trip in the winter.

A long time ago residents used to have to go to Markleeville for jury duty in the winter, now they only are selected when the pass is open. other than that, one really hasn't got any reason to get to Markleeville in the winter.

If it is "real high country hiking" you want you really want to walk from Sonora Pass Southwards.

I'm sorry, this is just simply not the case, I've done major portions of the sierra crest trail from tahoe to Ebbetts Pass and from Sonora Pass to Tioga Pass and from Whitney Portal both North and South 20 miles. It's all spectacular.

Just remember, it is California, you won't be alone for very long anywhere.

There's a lot of Sierra Nevada to explore

[powderbear]

"Just remember, it is California, you won't be alone for very long anywhere."
You might be surprised in Alpine County. With a population density of less than 2 people per square mile, you can walk in almost any direction, from your front door, and not see anyone for days. The backcountry is actually less populated than it was 40 years ago due to a change is attitude about getting away from it all.
In order to have people, you need to have cash registers. No cash registers equals no women. No women equals fewer men, but males do outnumber females in remote Alpine County.
But not to worry, there are new developers about to build a huge mall, better known as a "Clocktower Village" in the mountains, and save us from all that remote feeling. But I suspect you will still be alone within a mile from the "Clocktower".