Upper Hopkins Lake
Lake · Mammoth Lakes corridor
Upper Hopkins Lake sits at 11,099 feet in the Mammoth Lakes corridor, a high-Sierra alpine lake sheltered by peaks. Wind and cold dominate; expect afternoon gusts and frozen shorelines through spring.
Upper Hopkins Lake experiences persistent afternoon wind. The 30-day average wind speed is 13 mph, with gusts exceeding 39 mph common by mid-day. Morning calm windows close quickly; surface conditions roughen by early afternoon. Cold dominates year-round; the lake rarely warms above freezing outside brief summer windows.
Over the past 30 days, Upper Hopkins Lake averaged a NoGo Score of 15.0, with wind holding to 13 mph and temperatures anchored at 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The rolling data shows this location stays consistently marginal for most activities; the best windows are brief early-morning slots before wind establishes. The week ahead should track similar patterns: expect afternoon deterioration, cold nights, and limited crowding.
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About Upper Hopkins Lake
Upper Hopkins Lake occupies a cirque basin at 11,099 feet in the eastern Sierra, part of the high-country drainage feeding the Mammoth Lakes region. Access via State Route 203 from the town of Mammoth Lakes, then continuation toward higher wilderness trailheads; the lake sits in a rarely-visited alpine zone accessible primarily from late-spring onward as snow retreats from connecting passes. The setting is remote enough that base popularity remains low; solitude is near-guaranteed, but logistics demand solid mountain experience and full self-sufficiency.
Conditions swing sharply with season and time of day. Winter and early spring lock the lake solid; ice persists well into late May at this elevation. Summer thaw opens only a narrow window for any water-based access, and even then, cold is relentless. The 30-day average temperature of 23 degrees Fahrenheit reflects typical late-spring conditions; the year-round maximum is only 36 degrees Fahrenheit and the minimum drops to 9 degrees. Wind averages 13 mph but frequently hits 39 mph; afternoon gusts are predictable and severe. Crowding remains minimal year-round, averaging 4 across the rolling 30-day window.
Upper Hopkins Lake suits only experienced mountaineers, backcountry skiers, or fishing parties comfortable with extreme exposure and minimal infrastructure. The lake offers no maintained camping, no motorized access, and no emergency services within reasonable distance. Visitors plan around the narrow melt window (typically late June through early September), early-morning light-wind slots, and the certainty of hypothermic conditions if immersed. Parking is trailhead-dependent and fills rapidly on the rare good-weather weekends when the lake becomes accessible.
Nearby Mammoth Lake and the Middle Hopkins Lake basin offer slightly easier access and marginally warmer conditions, though they sit at comparable elevations and share the same afternoon wind regime. Visitors seeking less extreme alpine fishing or cross-country skiing should evaluate lower-elevation options in the Mammoth corridor, such as Lake Mary or Devil's Postpile approaches, which benefit from better weather windows and established trailhead infrastructure. Upper Hopkins Lake remains a specialist destination, not a weekend recreation stop.