Sierra Route - Day 5

Leave the motel at 9AM. Head east on US50 to the next exit (Exit 37). At the end of the off ramp, continue straight ahead onto Mother Lode Drive. Map below shows the direction we are heading:



At the Y with Pleasant Valley Road, veer right onto Pleasant Valley Road. Map below shows the detail of this interchange:



After veering onto Pleasant Valley Road, we will go through the town of El Dorado. At the stop sign, turn right onto CA49 south. The preceding map shows this interchange as well.

We continue on CA49 south through Plymouth to the junction with CA16. CA49 takes a left turn here as shown in the map below:



We continue south on CA49. The map below shows us going through Amador City and Sutter Creek but CA49 now bypasses both and rejoins at Ridge Road.



As shown in the above map, at Martell CA88 merges with CA49. There is a stoplight at the junction. We take a left at the stoplight onto CA49/88. We continue on through the town of Jackson on CA49. We continue on to Angels Camp where we will turn left onto CA4. The map below shows this interchange:



We continue on CA4 as it climbs toward Ebbetts Pass. We will stop at Bear Valley Resort for a butt and potty break.

After our break, we will continue on over Ebbetts Pass. Please exercise extreme caution in the upper sections of Ebbetts Pass as the road is a wide one lane road at that point. I have often encountered SUVs hogging the road up here so PLEASE be watchful.

At the bottom of Ebbetts Pass, we will encounter the junction with CA89. Turn right on CA89 and proceed up Monitor Pass. This junction is shown in the map below:



(If you miss this turnoff, you will end up in Markleeville.) Just past the top of Monitor Pass is a spectacular overlook. We will stop there for photos and another butt break. The pullout for the overlook is through oncoming traffic so be careful as you cross the highway.

At the bottom of Monitor Pass, we come to a stop sign at the junction with US395 (CA89 ends here). Turn right (south) on US395 and proceed to Walker and Walker Burger where we will stop for lunch and gas.

After lunch and gas, we will head back the way we came, along US395 north. We will turn onto CA89 and retrace our steps over Monitor Pass. If you missed the overlook on the way down, you will have a chance to catch it on the way back.

When we reach the stop sign at the junction of CA4 and CA89, turn right and head for Markleeville. We will continue on through Markleeville to Woodfords and the junction with CA88.

At the stop sign at the junction of CA88 and CA89, turn left onto CA88. We will continue on CA88 past the junction with CA89 and head over Carson Pass, past Caples Lake and Silver Lake.

Instead of turning on Mormon Emigrant Trail, we will continue on CA88 all the way to Jackson. At the junction of CA88 and CA49, we will turn right onto CA49. We will retrace our steps, following CA49, through Martell, past Sutter Creek and Amador City, through Plymouth to El Dorado. At the stop sign in El Dorado, we will turn left onto Pleasant Valley Road and retrace our steps down Pleasant Valley Road. At the stop sign at Mother Lode Drive, we will turn left onto Mother Lode Drive. At the stoplight by the Exit 37 off ramp, we will turn right, cross the freeway and take the clover leaf onto US50 westbound.

We will go one mile and exit US50 and go to the motel. The following map shows this last interchange:



End of Day 5.