Every spring, when Ebbetts Pass opens for the season, Charlie Pankey feels the pull to go.

For nearly a decade, opening weekend on Highway 4 has become a personal Sierra tradition—driving through lingering snowfields, roaring seasonal waterfalls, narrow cliffside roads, alpine meadows, and hidden pullouts that most travelers drive right past.

In this episode of Sierra Rec Now, Charlie takes listeners on a story-driven spring journey across Ebbetts Pass from Markleeville toward Lake Alpine, sharing favorite seasonal stops and the moments that make this one of the wildest and most beautiful scenic drives in the Sierra Nevada.

Featured locations include:

• Silver Creek Plunge
• Kinney Lakes
• Pacific Creek
• Hermit Valley
• Mosquito Lakes
• Cape Horn
• Lake Alpine
• Hidden waterfalls and roadside spring runoff

This episode explores:

• Why Ebbetts Pass feels different than other Sierra highways
• The narrow cliffside sections that make Highway 4 unforgettable
• Hidden spring waterfalls and seasonal runoff
• Pacific Creek — one of Charlie’s favorite hidden Sierra stops
• Early season Sierra travel, solitude, and exploration

If you love scenic drives, Sierra Nevada road trips, spring waterfalls, mountain passes, backpacking access points, and discovering places beyond the crowds, this episode is for you.

👉 Sonora Pass Travel Guide
👉 Planning Your Sierra Nevada Trip
👉 Scenic Sierra Nevada Drives & Adventures

Hosted by Sierra Rec Magazine publisher Charlie Pankey, Sierra Rec Now explores the mountains, trails, stories, gear, and destinations that make the Sierra Nevada one of the most incredible outdoor regions in the world.

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