SHARP Trail Alignment Studies

Project Description: In November 2009, the Sherwins Working Group (SWG) completed a seven-month collaborative process that resulted in the production of the Sherwins Area Recreation Plan (SHARP), an outdoor-recreation management plan for both winter and summer articulations of the Sherwins area directly to the south of the Town of Mammoth Lakes Urban Growth Boundary. SHARP represents thousands of hours of volunteer work by a diverse collection of Mammoth Lakes community members and was presented to the Inyo National Forest (INF) as a conceptual proposal for further consideration, development, and potential implementation.

In April 2010, members of the SWG met with other interested members of the public, the Town of Mammoth Lakes (TOML), MLTPA, and the INF to kick off the SHARP Trails Technical Committee, or SHARP TTC, which is tasked with working collaboratively and within the scope of the original SHARP recommendations to take INF-approved elements from SHARP from the conceptual level to a detailed "trail alignment study" that is ready for environmental analysis.

During the summer of 2011, the SHARP TTC focused its efforts on two alignments located in the Bluffs area of Mammoth Lakes and developed specific technical alignments for approximately 1.4 miles of trails and facilities. As a testament to the dedication and commitment of the SHARP TTC, a total of 17 individuals attended at least one meeting or field trip between that year's process start date of July 28, 2011, and its end date of November 15, 2011. The SHARP TTC held a total of nine different meetings and field trips over a five-month period with volunteers dedicating approximately 54 total volunteer work hours to this effort and producing key agreements, project maps, refined alignments, and collection of comments for the identified SHARP proposals. All members of the public are welcome to becoming involved in the SHARP TTC; to sign up to receive project-related e-mails, please contact us at info@mltpa.org.

SHARP Trail Alignment Studies

Listed below are individual SHARP Trail alignment studies that have been completed and are now available for download. SHARP Trail Alignment Studies that have been submitted to the USFS for environmental review are identified as well.

Various compilations of SHARP Trail Alignment studies are included and are listed towards the bottom.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S13 107

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S13. The trail is meant primarily as a connector from the Sherwins Trailhead to the Mammoth Rock Trail. This connection will enable users to exit the Mammoth Rock Trail and make a direct connection to the larger Mammoth Lakes Trail System.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S18

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S18. This trail is intended to reroute and formalize the existing and unsustainable use trail connection that currently links the central section of the Mammoth Rock Trail to the proposed loop trail around the Sherwins Meadow.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S03

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S03. This trail is intended to formalize the access/egress point at Snowcreek VIII as identified in the Snowcreek VIII Master Plan.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S05a

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S05a. This trail is meant to be a soft-surface non-mechanized connector from the Hidden Lake Meadow to the Mill City Staging Area, Panorama Dome, and the Lakes Basin.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S05b

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S05b. This project is intended to create parallel soft-surface nonmotorized connections on the north side of Old Mammoth Road and on the south side from the Old Mammoth Road safe crossing to the intersection of Old Mammoth Road and Lake Mary Road.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S05c

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S05c. This project is intended to establish a formal, safe point of pedestrian and bike connection between the new paved Lakes Basin Path and the intersection of Lake Mary Road and Old Mammoth Road.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S06

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S06. This trail is meant primarily as a connector between the Sherwins Trailhead (Borrow Pit Staging Area) and the Town Loop at Hayden Cabin Museum.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S07

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S07. This trail is meant primarily as a connector/commuter route between the Borrow Pit Staging Area and the Tamarack Street Trailhead.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S08

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S08. This trail is intended to create a non-motorized “stacked-loop” or “nested” trail system from the Sherwins Trailhead, along the base of the Sherwins to the Tamarack Street Trailhead and back to the Sherwins Trailhead.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S09a & #S09b

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map IDs #S09a and #S09B. This project will convert existing USFS roads 4S104 and 4S110 to non-motorized use. This route runs roughly from Sherwin Creek Road north to just short of Mammoth Creek

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S11

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S11. This trail is intended to consolidate the multiple use-trails along Mammoth Creek into two parallel system trails: the north-bank trail will be open to all non-motorized use, while the south-bank trail will be designated as non-mechanized (no bicycles).

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S15

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S15. This project is intended to provide a non-motorized safe crossing of Old Mammoth Road. A trail would be built roughly from the western entrance of Mammoth Rock Trail and stay on the uphill side of Old Mammoth Road.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S16

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S16. This trail is intended to be a soft-surface non-motorized connector from the Mill City Staging Area to the trail connecting it to the western end of the meadow and Mammoth Rock Trail with additional connectivity to La Verne Street.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S19

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S19 Panorama Dome. While no specific trail or facility recommendations are offered, further study of the Solitude Canyon and Panorama Dome areas should be undertaken to analyze opportunities for future trail access, connectivity, and development.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S30

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S30. A comprehensive signage and wayfinding system should be installed throughout the study area, including educational and interpretive opportunities.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S31

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S31. Retain trails depicted as USFS system trails on the Summer map as part of the SWG’s overall summertime proposal, including Mammoth Rock Trail, the Panorama Dome trails, and the Sherwin Lakes Trail.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W05a

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W05a. This trail is intended to formalize the access/egress point at Snowcreek VIII as identified in the Snowcreek VIII Master Plan.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W08

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W08. This project proposes grooming Old Mammoth Road from Mill City Staging Area to the Lakes Basin.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W09a

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W09a. This project is intended to improve existing non-motorized opportunities in the meadow, with partial grooming to offer multiple route options to a variety of winter users.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W10a

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W10a. This trail is intended to be a non-motorized groomed (corduroy, but no Nordic track) connector from the Sherwins Trailhead to Mammoth Creek Park East at the bridge.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W10b

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W10b. The intent of this project is to designate a zone that is north of Sherwin Creek Road and east of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) stables where dogs may be off-leash and are NOT required to respond to voice command.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W13

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W13. A comprehensive signage and wayfinding system should be installed throughout the study area, including educational and interpretive opportunities.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W19

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W19. Retain trails depicted as USFS system trails on the Summer map as part of the SWG’s overall wintertime proposal, including Mammoth Rock Trail, the Panorama Dome trails, and the Sherwin Lakes Trail.

Summer Trail Alignment Study #S01

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #S01. Major multi-use staging area at the Borrow Pit. This will be the primary staging area for the Sherwins area and therefore the most developed. Facilities will include parking, bathrooms, an education/interpretive area, and signage.

Summer/Winter Trail Alignment Study #S04 & #W06

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map IDs #S04 and #W06. This project is intended to develop a multi-use staging area at Mill City, located at the Old Mammoth Road winter closure.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W01

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W01. Major multi-use staging area at the Borrow Pit. This will be the primary staging area for the Sherwins area and therefore the most developed. Facilities will include parking, bathrooms, an education/interpretive area, and signage.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W02

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W02. This project is intended to establish a non-motorized snowplay area adjacent to the Sherwins Trailhead on the moraine nearest the staging area.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W03

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W03. This project is intended to establish an additional off-loading area for OSV users near the Sherwins Trailhead. Extend a spur from the Borrow Pit Staging Area along Sherwin Creek Road that ends in a turnaround.

Winter Trail Alignment Study #W07

Alignment Proposal for Map SHARP Map ID #W07. This trail is intended to be an ungroomed non-motorized connector from the Mill City Staging Area to Hidden Lake Meadow.

Sherwins Area Recreation Plan (SHARP) - 2009

After nine months of dedicated effort and broad collaboration between March and November of 2009, the Sherwins Working Group produced the Sherwins Area Recreation Plan, which details proposals for summer and winter recreation alternatives in the Sherwins area.

Last Updated February 20, 2024