We're heading up to Mammoth Lakes, the first week in October, can anyone tell me about some decent Class 1 or 2 trails in the area?

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

I'm not trying to be a smart@$$

There are two books that you might be interested in:

1. "Backcountry Adventures" here. There are editions for Arizona, SoCal/NorCal, Colorado and Utah

2. "Guide To (...) Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Tails" here. There are editions for many fun wheeling states.

If you plan to go, grab the Garmin off-road maps (they have NP West and NP East topo maps)

Have fun!

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DIRTY KJ :: flickr photostream
"Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare ... some would say it has yet to occur on Earth" --- Stephen Hawking

I'm there often.

Deadman Pass/ Joaquin Ridge, a short out and back that starts on compact pumice at the Minaret Summit shuttle lot, and moves to an open lunar landscape at 10000 feet. Long views on the Minaret Range. Class 2 on a 5-star scale, circle on a ski symbol scale. Trail #36 in North Calif Backroads & 4WD (publisher sells a spiralbound that lays flat and open on car seat). Trail #26 in High Sierra SUV Trails: East Side, Roger Miller, Track & Trail Pub. You can probably find both books at the USFS Visitor Ctr.

My favorite is Laurel Lakes. Class 3 or ski square difficulty. Dirt and loose rock Class 2-3 up to a hanging valley with aspens that are stunning in October. Continuing class 2-3 up a long switchback slope to 10000 feet and an airy hairpin turn above a turquoise lake. Down to lake if you'd like; probably class 3 back up. Trail #38 in Backroads, trail #27 in H.S. SUV.

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Liberating. 2006 KJ Sport, Pearl blue, lic. plate CACHE EH. Mods: Frankenlift, Boulderbars, Superskid, Rockstar bumper, PS rock ring, ARB rear locker, BS Dueler Revo LT245 10-ply.

Thanks Bthomas, I'll give them a try. I'm a little fuzzy on the classifications, is a unlifted KJ, with skid plates, capable of naviagating a class three trail?

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

Unlifted and open diff is okay for Laurel Lakes. It's a nice adventure.

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Liberating. 2006 KJ Sport, Pearl blue, lic. plate CACHE EH. Mods: Frankenlift, Boulderbars, Superskid, Rockstar bumper, PS rock ring, ARB rear locker, BS Dueler Revo LT245 10-ply.