Location

Shaffer's High Sierra Camp is nestled in California's beautiful Tahoe National Forest, an hour north of Truckee (toward Quincy) on Highway 49. Located on the banks of the North Yuba River at 6,200 feet (2000 meters), the Camp is next to the scenic Sierra Buttes and the Lakes Basin Recreation Area. Click here for a map and directions.

The Lakes Basin Recreation Area starts just a 10-minute drive away from Camp, so you'll be close to over 70 pristine mountain lakes and countless hiking and biking trails, including the world-famous Pacific Crest Trail, and, for mountain bikers, the equally famous trail used for the Downieville Downhill Classic mountain bike race.

The Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches some 2,650 miles (4,265 kilometers) from Mexico to Canada, passes through the area. You'll be able to hike a stretch during our ascent to the top of the Sierra Buttes. A 12 to 14 mile (19 to 22 kilometer) stretch of the trail from Jackson Meadow Reservoir to Sierra City is one of the potential backpack routes for campers in our sessions of two weeks or longer.

From the observation tower at the top of the Sierra Buttes, you can see over a hundred miles on a clear day, all the way to Mt. Lassen! The trail is excellent so that just about everyone can participate.

For the ultimate in mountain biking, the renowned Downieville Downhill route is also nearby. If you can show us that you're ready, we'll take you to the 7,200' (2,195 meters) level of the Sierra Buttes where you'll start your 14-mile (22 kilometers) trip, descending an incredible 4,000' (1,200 meters) through back country and along rivers that haven't changed much since gold miners were prospecting 150 years ago!