Dusy Ershim 2025

Name: Dusy Ershim 2025
Start: 2025-08-11T06:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-08-17T09:00:00-07:00
Location: Sierra National Forest

Schedule

Mon, 11 Aug, 2025 at 06:00 am to Sun, 17 Aug, 2025 at 09:00 am

UTC-07:00

Location

Sierra National Forest | Santee, CA

Time to get excited about Dusy, I believe that this trail represents one of the best off road opportunity in America. If it isn’t the longest, most beautiful and challenging rock crawling trails in the USA, its damn close. It’s not just my favorite trail but one of my favorite places to be. After 12 years running of this trail I have yet to find a better outdoor adventure in a Jeep. Trip is open to all 4x4 Corps members capable of running the trail,lifted Rubicon or like vehicle with oversized tires have run the trail.
The Dusy-Ershim was created by veterans post WWII. The trail parallels the famous John Muir Trail in the Sierra National Forest and is the South West border of the John Muir Wilderness. It’s 33 miles long but is a 100 mile loop from Shaver Lake. You start your adventure on the 33 mile trek from Shaver Lake driving through McKinley Grove, a 124 tree stand of Giant Sequoia, a thrill for those who haven’t experienced these wonders of the world. These trees were growing and thriving when Jesus walked the earth, a definite site to see. As you drive across Courtright Reservoir you’ll notice the 2000 foot drop and huge granite outcroppings that make up the surrounding terrain, this area will take your breath away, partially because of the surrounding beauty and partially because of the 9500 foot elevation. You are about to experience a trip of a lifetime.
The trail officially starts three miles from the dam at Voyager Rock (AKA) Chicken Rock. We will camp on Thursday the 6th at Voyager Rock Campground on the edge of beautiful Courtright Reservoir. I refer to this lake as mini Lake Tahoe; it is six miles long and a mile across. As we start the trail and climb Chicken Rock you will get a beautiful view of this scenic lake…Did I mention it’s loaded with trout?
As day one of the trek starts we will start by heading North of Courtright, crossing Dinky Creek and paralleling the creek for around 4 miles until we hit Thompson Hill. This is one of the more challenging parts of the 33 mile trek. The three to four mile uphill climb to Thompson Lake will get your attention and your attention will be needed. The difficult thing is attending to the trail at hand and not being distracted by the incredible natural beauty out the window. By the time this day is over you’ll know you’re on an adventure…and a good one at that!
Day two is a 12 mile crawl to Ershim Lake, the whole reason the trail exists. When you finally get to the lake and your butt out of the seat your fist words will be “Thank God.” We will spend two nights here because everyone will love the idea of not picking up camp and moving on in the morning. The fishing, hiking and horse shoes are some of the best, did I mention I bring a real hot water shower, it’s the best thing ever.
Day five, we will take on the challenge of the last eleven miles of the trail, there are two more beautiful lakes and you will experience White Bark Vista, the other major set of obstacles in this trek. The beauty is different and un- believable. The last four miles have great distant views of Yosemite National Park. We will camp here our last night. The views and experience will stay with you forever. Dusy once accomplished brings on many emotions, elation and sadness don’t usually go together but they do here, you’ve
just experienced one of America’s greatest Jeep adventures and you’ll want to return.
Things to know…There’s no turning back, you will be in very remote wilderness, no cell service, no convenience store, no fuel stations and best of all no crowds but there are unbelievably clean enclosed pit toilets in the camp areas thanks to the great work from the Fresno Off Road club.
Things to bring…A great attitude, general camp equipment, food and drink for five days and nights, tools and extra parts, sun block, bug spray, a fishing pole, camera, swim suit and clothes for all weather situations. If you drive an older YJ or TJ with the 16 gallon fuel tank, you’ll need extra fuel to finish the trail.
The trail goes between 9200 feet and 10,300 feet; the weather in August is generally awesome but can be shorts warm during the day to 30 degrees at night. The average night time temp is 48. Bugs aren’t usually a problem in August, last year was a late spring and they were in wet areas, this year shouldn’t be a problem. All the trails are open on the Mountain except Swamp Lake, which will open July 1st and Dusy which doesn’t open until August 1st. Everything is looking great for this season but we will have back up plans for the run if there are any problems with the trails but this isn’t expected this year.
Be ready for Adventure, questions and concerns can be messaged to me through Facebook or texted to me at 619-990-5098, it’s time to get excited!