Summary 
| Difficulty | 2 Beginner-intermediate |
| Length | 6.8 miles one-way |
| Starting Elevation |
7350 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change |
+400, -700 feet |
| Navigation | Road and marked trail |
| Time | Most of a day |
| Season | December through mid-April |
| Snowmobiles Use | Low to high [Snowmobile traffic is high near Iron Mountain Sno-Park and less on other sections of the groomed snowmobile trail. Snowmobiles are asked to stay off Anderson Road.] |
| USGS Topo | 7.5' series, Tragedy Spring, Bear River Reservoir and Peddler Hill |
| Start | Iron Mountain Sno-Park, 0.3 mile north of Highway 88 on Mormon Emigrant Trail. Mormon Emigrant Trail is located 4.9 miles east of Peddler Hill Maintenance Station, 4.1 miles east of Foster Meadow Road, and 7.0 miles west of the Silver Lake dam. A Sno-Park permit must be purchased in advance. |
| End | Junction of Highway 88 and Foster Meadow Road, 0.8 mile east of Peddler Hill Maintenance Station, 4.1 miles west of Iron Mountain Sno-Park, and 11.1 miles west of the Silver Lake dam. Parking is on the north side of the highway in a cut-out that only holds 4 to 6 vehicles. Park carefully to maximize capacity. |
Description
One-way tours are always nice especially when the shuttle is short like here. The tour between the Iron Mountain Sno-Park and Foster Meadow Road is also one of the longest beginner-intermediate tours in this guide. The route is both entirely along roads and is marked.
Of the 6.8 total miles, 3.2 miles are along Anderson Road, which is unofficially closed to snowmobiles — the Forest Service posts signs at each end asking snowmobilers not to use it. Compliance is pretty good.
Of the 3.1 miles that coincides with the groomed Silver Bear Snowmobile Trail, only the first 0.7 miles near the Iron Mountain Sno-Park are particularly bad from a snowmobile use standpoint.
Mileage Log
Numbers in parentheses
correspond to mileage points on map
Waypoint 1 to 2
Miles: 0.0 - 0.7
Elevation change: +100, -100 feet
From Iron Mountain Sno-Park (1) ski west on Mormon Emigrant Trail for 0.7 mile until you reach the an obscure road heading south (left) (2) into the trees. The road is located just before a clearing on the south side of the road. You have gone 0.1 mile too far if you reach the location where the Silver Bear Snowmobile Trail leaves Mormon Emigrant Trail.
Waypoint 2 to 3
Miles: 0.7 - 1.8
Elevation change: -150 feet
Turn south (left) onto Anderson Road and follow it for 1.1 miles until you reach a point on the southeast side of Peak 7301 (3). This point is marked as a trail junction — one route continues on the road and another climbs up onto Anderson Ridge. This location is also obvious because you have just completed a traverse of Peak 7301 and reached a more level area.
Waypoint 3 to 4
Miles: 1.8 - 3.8
Elevation change: -200 feet
Continue southwest on Anderson Road for 2.0 miles until you reach another marked trail junction (4) — one route continues on the road and another climbs up onto Anderson Ridge.
Waypoint 4 to 5
Miles: 3.8 - 3.9
Elevation change: Nil
Continue west on Anderson Road for 0.1 mile until you reach Foster Meadow Road (5) and the groomed Silver Bear Snowmobile Trail. Be sure to take a break and enjoy the sweeping view to the west and north from here. On a clear day you can just make out the fire lookout atop Leek Spring Hill.
Waypoint 5 to 6
Miles: 3.9 - 5.7
Elevation change: +100, -250 feet
Turn south (left) onto Foster Meadow Road and follow it for 1.8 miles until you reach the turnoff for the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River (6).
Waypoint 6 to 7
Miles: 5.7 - 6.3
Elevation change: +100 feet
Continue south on Foster Meadow Road for 0.6 mile until you reach the location where the marked ski trail leaves the groomed snowmobile trail (7). A sign marks this location, but keeping track of your time will help you gauge if you have passed this critical turn.
Waypoint 7 to 8
Miles: 6.3 - 6.8
Elevation change: +100 feet
Turn east (left) to stay on Foster Meadow Road and the marked ski trail, and follow it for 0.5 mile until your reach the trailhead at the junction of Foster Meadow Road and Highway 88 (8).
