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Convict Lake Camping

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:41 am
by Blair
Whats the story up there? I checked out Chief's page on Morrison and it seems that theres a campground there, is it a fee deal or a rambo campground?

Maybe we can get The Chief to give me a PM with the lowdown, or if anyone else has camped there and can tell me what the story is.

Do they have BBQ pits? Kinda want to grill a steak this weekend 8) maybe even a cooler with adult beverages :wink:

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:49 am
by The Chief
Yes...

It is a regular USFS CG with all the goodies. The Convict Lake Store has just about about all the amenities one will need including a good asst of Adult Bevs.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:50 am
by dskoon
Well, dude, I used to clean restrooms, do some trash detail, etc. at that fine place. Even thought I heard Indian chanting on a couple of solitary afternoons, but, who knows?
Anyway, yep, there is, or was, a campground there. I'm sure the Forest Service website can give you some details. . .
Certainly was a fine, high car-camping spot, right by the lake. Can't tell ya if there's barbque pits or not. . . Just a fine place to camp, hike from, etc.
Wonder if the ol' Convict lake resort still serves fine dinners?
Enjoy.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:54 am
by The Chief
Fine dinners my ass.... Expensive Cuisine of the Award Winning Classification is more like it.

The Convict Lake Resort Menu

Re: Convict Lake Camping

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:57 am
by Marmaduke
Blair wrote:Whats the story up there? I checked out Chief's page on Morrison and it seems that theres a campground there, is it a fee deal or a rambo campground?

Maybe we can get The Chief to give me a PM with the lowdown, or if anyone else has camped there and can tell me what the story is.

Do they have BBQ pits? Kinda want to grill a steak this weekend 8) maybe even a cooler with adult beverages :wink:


I camped there several years ago. The sites are ugly, no trees. Where the creek winds thru part of the campround, the eastern area has some very small birch trees. We stayed one night and moved to Twin Lakes. The back drop is great and I've heard fishing is great there, big trout. But purely from a campsite perspective, many better spots close by. If it's for climbing Laurel, Morrison and others in the area, I guess that's your choice.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:02 am
by dskoon
The Chief wrote:Fine dinners my ass.... Expensive Cuisine of the Award Winning Classification is more like it.


Yeah, well, like I said, it was some time ago. . :)
Matter of fact, the year was around. . . '81, or so, and I was around 19 going on 20, something like that. And, the reason I ate there, was due to the fact that I won a bet with my backcountry Y.A.C.C boss, who was 38 at the time, over who would beat who in Mammoth's 10k. race, billed at the time(do they still have it?), as "The World's Highest 10k!
Well, I won, and ol' Al took myself and two young ladies from our trail crew, out to dinner at the Convict lake resort, as per the bet. Think the bill for the four of us, with wine and desert, came to around $100. Not bad for the four of us. Good food as well.
I guess that training I did, shortly before the race with a couple of other trail workers, running up and down switchbacks on the trail we were working on, paid off! :wink:

Edit after reading Neo's post: Yes, I do remember it being a pretty stark place, w/out many trees, but still beautiful imo. Catch it during the week. Hiking trails go right up from there, if I remember correctly. Ask Chief.
Good luck.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:05 am
by norco17
Grew up camping there with my parents. They actually were just there last week. Campground which isn't as clean as it use to be(different people running it). They have cabins, restraunt, store, showers. Fishing is pretty good, but there are better places. All and all a pretty nice place, but it is getting more crowded.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:26 am
by norco17
Also tuff campground across from toms place

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:27 am
by mrchad9
The Chief wrote:Fine dinners my ass.... Expensive Cuisine of the Award Winning Classification is more like it.

The Convict Lake Resort Menu

$13 salads. New Zealand lamb. Quail and scallop mousse?

Good grief! Just what I'm after following a day on Mt. Morrison... :shock:

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:43 pm
by KathyW
The food is pretty good at the resort.

Re: Convict Lake Camping

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:04 pm
by The Chief
Neophiteat48 wrote:I camped there several years ago. The sites are ugly, no trees.


Just cuz there are no trees (Conifers) as is the case for most CG's at 10K or above in the Eastern Sierra, doesn't make it ugly IMO.

Personally, I can not stand camping under any Sap Dripping Conifer. Some of those sappers can actually ruin your tent and or bag.

Also, TREES = BUGS!

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:14 pm
by rhyang
Ah yes, camping .. I slept in my car at the trailhead :) After doing the NE Gully of Laurel Mtn we had dinner at the Convict Lake Resort. Pretty spendy, but a nice place.

(though if it were just me I'd have just headed up to Mammoth and gotten a sandwich at the Vons :mrgreen: )

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:34 pm
by dskoon
mrchad9 wrote:
The Chief wrote:Fine dinners my ass.... Expensive Cuisine of the Award Winning Classification is more like it.

The Convict Lake Resort Menu

$13 salads. New Zealand lamb. Quail and scallop mousse?

Good grief! Just what I'm after following a day on Mt. Morrison... :shock:


Wow, that is summer menu. They've come a ways since I was lst there. .

PostPosted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:40 pm
by goldenhopper
Here's a photo of Convict and Morrison from last weekend:

Image