Please Rank These Sierra Locales

[Lumbergh21]

I’ve been planning a big (for me) 18 day, 300 mile trip through the Sierra since I got the idea for it this past fall. However, I am now of the opinion that I should cut it down some in both time and distance in order to get out Thursday before Labor Day, rather than Saturday or Sunday of Labor Day weekend. I was hoping that the people who have already been to these places would be kind enough to rank them for me. From South to North:

1) Lake Reflection – Currently, I plan to head over Harrison or Little Joe’s Pass to Lake Reflection then take Cedar Grove Trail to the JMT and points north. Otherwise, I’ll just cut over to the JMT at Wallace Creek and use Forester Pass. The distance will probably be the same but on-trail should go much faster. I have already been to Lake South America and the Upper Kern Basin last year and over Forester Pass a couple of times, so Lake Reflection would be the only new territory here.

2) 60 Lakes Basin – Only a couple of extra miles, but once again, off-trail part of the way, plus the time I spend enjoying the basin versus hiking by Rae Lakes, which I have seen before. Probably save me at least half a day if I cut it out.

3) Amphitheater Lake – An out and back detour that will likely cost me at least half a day due to the time spent at the lake itself as well as the off-trail hike.

4) Darwin Bench/Canyon – I’ve allotted 5 to 6 hours for this, but it’s hard to say how much time that this will really cost me as it is dependent on what time of day I get to the use trail up to the bench. Whether I go to the Darwin Bench or not, I’ll likely still head into MTR the following day for resupply (possibility that I will make it to MTR a day earlier, late afternoon, if I skip Darwin). Depending on timing, it might only save me an hour or two and make it a more relaxed day of hiking if I skip it.

5) Minaret Lakes, etc. – From Red’s Meadow, I currently plan to go to Minaret Lakes, Cecile Lake, Iceberg Lake, Lake Ediza, then cross country to Garnet Lake and 1000 Island Lake. One option is to take the trail from Ediza to the JMT then head north by trail to save a little time. Or, I could cut out the entire side trip and head north on the PCT from Red’s Meadow and save a full day.

Since I’ll be making these decisions while on the trail based on how I feel and the distances I’m covering each day, I was hoping to get these ranked. That way I'll be able to better judge if I should skip an early one to ensure I have time for a later one or if I should not miss something earlier in the hike and just plan on skipping a later one if I need to. One final option could be to cut out everything north of Red’s Meadow and just bail there instead of Yosemite. That would certainly be the simplest option (ESTA back to Lone Pine and my car on Thursday or Friday without needing to use YARTs and without staying at least one night in Mammoth after arriving by YARTs).

Thank you ahead of time for the opinions on which of these side trips shouldn’t be missed, could be missed, or ain’t worth the time at all (probably not the case for any place in the Sierra).

[Wandering Daisy]

Sixty Lakes Basin is pretty but just to run through it may not be that great. It DOES get you away from the JMT crowds and is an efficient new path if you have already done Rae Lakes . Not as scenic as Rae Lakes. I would save this for another trip when you can also go into Gardiner Basin.

I personally do not think 5 hours is enough in Darwin Basin, unless you camp up there, take an early morning day-hike to the upper lakes and then drop to the JMT. Darwin Bench is a must-see destination. But it is sunset and sunrise that is most spectacular, so spending the night is the best plan. Regardless I would make this a priority.

Amphitheater Lake is a big hike up to it. Again, it is sunrise and sunset that is spectacular. I would spend the night. It is a lot of effort just to run up and back. The trail is not that obvious or in great shape and I think it will take you more time than you are planning.

I consider #5 (minarets) a must-do. Just be aware that this year the snowfield at Iceberg Lake will be there and it is really hard packed in the morning and sun does not warm (soften) it until 10AM or later. If not planned right, it will be a problem. Your route is basically the SHR. You could just go back from Island Lake to Mammoth - either River trail or the higher trail. If skipping north of Reds Meadow this would take you through the best of the north part and still save a day.

I would think Lake Reflection would depend on weather. You do drop down more (and have to gain it back) than via Forester. You could instead do a side-trip into Center Basin. I traversed off-trail from the lakes north of Forester Pass directly into Center Basin. It saves elevation loss but is slow (talus). But, since you are trying to save time, this is a toss up with the extra time for Lake Reflection.

[Ska-T]

I agree with Daisy that your #5 (Minarets) should not be avoided.

I thought Lake Reflection was beautiful, but it is difficult to photograph and perhaps not worth the extreme effort to get there.

Any weak excuse is enough to convince me to trek through Gardiner Basin, which can be linked up with Sixty Lake Basin.

[wildhiker]

It's been decades since I've been to some of these places, so my memory is hazy and I wouldn't want to rank them against each other. However, I will point out that the Minarets area is extremely accessible for a short trip at a later time, whereas all your other spots are deep in the backcountry and harder to get to if you have less time. So I would hit all those other spots and cut out at Reds Meadow, and then plan a 2 or 3 night trip some other time to do that Minarets loop.
-Phil

[giantbrookie]

I happen to really like Amphitheater from a visual standpoint. As difficult as it is for me to compare all of my favorite High Sierra lakes, I think this is my favorite from the standpoint of scenery. That having said, it is a tough off trail haul from below and I believe they've now killed all the fish in it, too.

Darwin Bench/Canyon is also spectacular, and it is easier to get to from below than Amphitheater, although I'd agree that it is worth camping up there for the view.

As for Reflection, it is indeed a beautiful place, but you will be essentially making a multiday swing it seems to put this into the schedule. Nonetheless, Reflection wouldn't be the only attraction on such a route. The view of Brewer and such over East Lake is pretty special, too.

[Lumbergh21]

As for Reflection, it is indeed a beautiful place, but you will be essentially making a multiday swing it seems to put this into the schedule. Nonetheless, Reflection wouldn't be the only attraction on such a route. The view of Brewer and such over East Lake is pretty special, too.

Thanks for all of the replies so far. With regards to Lake Reflection, I would plan to camp at Lake Reflection if I went that way. The distance from Lake Reflection to the PCT/Bubbs Creek Trail Jct looks like 6.2 miles on caltopo. On the other hand, if I went over Forester Pass, I would look for a place to camp just below tree line north of Forester, about 5.2 miles from the PCT/Bubbs Creek Trail Jct. I plan to start that day along the Kern River between Whitney Creek and the Colby Pass Trail Jct. Going over to the PCT and using Forester Pass will be about 17 miles, 3 miles (on-trail, though) further than going to Lake Reflection, and I will end up 1 mile closer to the trail Jct where my two potential routes come together. Based on this and the amount of off-trail scrambling I would need to do to go over Harrison or Little Joe Pass, I estimate at most an extra couple of hours that day and an extra half hour the following day to get to the Bubbs Creek PCT Trail Jct if I go to Reflection Lake.

[maverick]

1) Lake Reflection – Currently, I plan to head over Harrison or Little Joe’s Pass to Lake Reflection then take Cedar Grove Trail to the JMT and points north. Otherwise, I’ll just cut over to the JMT at Wallace Creek and use Forester Pass. The distance will probably be the same but on-trail should go much faster. I have already been to Lake South America and the Upper Kern Basin last year and over Forester Pass a couple of times, so Lake Reflection would be the only new territory here.

2) 60 Lakes Basin – Only a couple of extra miles, but once again, off-trail part of the way, plus the time I spend enjoying the basin versus hiking by Rae Lakes, which I have seen before. Probably save me at least half a day if I cut it out.

3) Amphitheater Lake – An out and back detour that will likely cost me at least half a day due to the time spent at the lake itself as well as the off-trail hike.

4) Darwin Bench/Canyon – I’ve allotted 5 to 6 hours for this, but it’s hard to say how much time that this will really cost me as it is dependent on what time of day I get to the use trail up to the bench. Whether I go to the Darwin Bench or not, I’ll likely still head into MTR the following day for resupply (possibility that I will make it to MTR a day earlier, late afternoon, if I skip Darwin). Depending on timing, it might only save me an hour or two and make it a more relaxed day of hiking if I skip it.

5) Minaret Lakes, etc. – From Red’s Meadow, I currently plan to go to Minaret Lakes, Cecile Lake, Iceberg Lake, Lake Ediza, then cross country to Garnet Lake and 1000 Island Lake. One option is to take the trail from Ediza to the JMT then head north by trail to save a little time. Or, I could cut out the entire side trip and head north on the PCT from Red’s Meadow and save a full day.

All these location are beautiful and difficult to rank without knowing what you personally enjoy/likes are, even then a lot of our experiences are influenced by the conditions that exist at the time of one's trip. As a photographer, I can go back to the same location 10 times and have a different experience each time, depending on the duration of time spent at a location, the weather, and many other smaller things that can impact me, evoking a different emotional response each time.
Choose one based on the many TR's and pictures available and more importantly your personal preferences, it is a great to do list.

[Hobbes]

Rae Lakes and the Minarets are crowded. Harrison, Amphitheater & Darwin will be more remote. I would hike through the first two, but try and spend a night in the other three. YARTS works really well, but the extra miles to Yosemite between Reds & TM cover perhaps the busiest section of the JMT north of Whitney. Of course, you could do the SHR between Ritter and Tuolumne, but that is a slower, x-c section.

If you are planning on going over Harrison, why not hike down to the Kaweah basin? I guess it would be like an extended circle of solitude loop.

[Harlen]

I have long been partial to high routes and lesser traveled areas. Phil points out that the Minerets/Ritter Range is much less remote than the KK Divide and Lakes Basin (above Amphitheater Lk.). So I'd also recommend that you save the Ritter Range for its own trip, as it lends itself to some wonderful circular journeys. If you then save several days by coming out at Mammoth, you could use those days to explore some high country. I highly recommend the section of the High Route between Palisades Lakes and Dusy Basin via the passes: Cirque, Potluck, and Knapsack or Thunderbolt. This is truly stunning high country, and you would have the option of climbing either easy- Mt. Sill, Columbine Peak, or Agassiz, or difficult- North Pal., Thunderbolt, et. al.
That is just one example from among a multitude of high route options... and those are the days that really shine in my mind. I have to include another that I've been dreaming of for years, but have never done: Cartright Pass, through Lakes Basin, and out either north down Cataract Creek, or east by a winding path around Amphitheater Lake.
All the best, Harlen.
p.s. you can find a description of the Palisade Lake to Dusy Basin High Route on pages 99-102 in Roper's book.

[Cross Country]

Before answering I would be curious to know if your favorite places have trees or not. I always liked to be just under the tree line but lots of people who write here like it above treeline.