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Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 7:15 pm
by SolitaryRefinement
Hello again! I was on this forum a while back, and for the life of me cannot remember any of the info I used (parenthood can do that to ya). Anyway, the wifey and I are starting to plan our trip, and were thinking of going somewhere "new" this time around.
I used to be all over the Sierra, but there was a long - LONG break. I'm back at it, and thinking of where to go now. My memory doesn't serve me well, so only a couple of places still stand out - both of which we've done.
So..here's the little "form" with our stats, and then I'll open it up to you all for awesome recommendations:

Our level of backpacking experience:
Me: Level 2 - used to be a 3.
She: Somewhere around a 2.

Terrain we are comfortable with?
Class 1, little bit of Class 2. No river crossing or anything needing crampons/related

Our main interest?
Forests, lakes, pictures, maybe some fishing. Mostly just "getting away"

Trip length - not including travel to trailhead?
We tend to do 2-3 nights.

How many miles did you want to do a day, any layovers?
Nothing major. We ramble. No "set" miles or even destinations.

Prefer a loop or out and back trip?
Surprise us! We've done both.

Particular area of interest?
This is the big one. We were wondering what kind of awesomeness is in/around Bishop or Lone Pine. Definitely Eastern Sierra.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:17 pm
by maverick
Hi Solitary,

Welcome back to HST! Numerous gorgeous lakes starting out of Lake Sabrina area.
Scenery and fishing are all yours to be had. Blue Lake, Emerald Lakes, Midnight Lake
can be used as basecamps to visit the lower and the upper lakes under the Sierra
Crest, and this area is perfect for 3 nights or longer. Use the "search" feature to
find numerous trip reports to this area.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:18 am
by SolitaryRefinement
Awesome! Those all look amazing!

I'll start digging further to see what they have in store.
And I'm still open for suggestions - even if they differ from the Bishop area. We're pretty easy-going.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:08 pm
by Tom_H
Something not too far away from there would be going in at Leavitt Meadows and up the West Walker River for a ways. It's relatively flat, couple of nice lakes and meadows. The river is pretty.

You could follow the river to upper Paiute Meadows and back, which is all very easy terrain. For a little elevation gain and then loss on a partial loop you could go to Lower Paiute Meadows, Lower Long Lake, Chain of Lakes, Freemont Lake, then back to the river and out.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:59 pm
by SolitaryRefinement
Oooh. That also looks good. Thanks!

Its funny: starting to research new places, and checking their respective maps leave me feeling all giddy and excited.

I just hope we don't get smoked out like last year. That was a fun trip, but could have been better.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:54 pm
by Tom_H
If you have 2 vehicles and are willing to do a point to point trip: Green Lakes Trailhead to Green Lake, East Lake, Hoover Lakes, Virginia Lakes.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 9:31 pm
by Wandering Daisy
I did the trip from Levette Meadows to Piute Meadows last year. The really good stuff does not start until you get above Piute Meadows and go off trail. The condition of the trail is not good. It gets a lot of horse use and the upper part has been pounded to sand that is more difficult to walk in than dry beach sand. Compared to Sabrina Basin it is a 2-3 whereas Sabrina is an 7-9.

What about Dusy Basin? You are in great scenery within an hour on the trail, fishing all the way, great photography with multi-colored rock before you get to Bishop Pass. Dusy Basin itself is very scenic. Just move off trail a wee bit at one of the lakes south of the trail and you can be by yourself. The lakes east of Bishop Pass are scenic enough themselves to be a trip destination too. You do get a lot of day-hikers east of the pass. Once into Dusy Basin it thins out.

Another good loop is from Twin Lakes - Peeler Lake and around south and back (cannot remember name of the pass) Crown Lake etc.

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:27 am
by Tom_H
Wandering Daisy wrote:Another good loop is from Twin Lakes - Peeler Lake and around south and back (cannot remember name of the pass) Crown Lake etc.
And it is very beautiful at Peeler and beyond. I think your loop goes from Peeler to Kerrick Mdw, Rock Isl. Pass, Snow Lk., Crown Lk., Robinson Lk., then back to the main trail below Peeler. It is a pretty steep climb up to Peeler however. I came out from Peeler once and remember it being a quite a drop down to the valley floor. In fact, that is not the original trail to Twin Lakes. The WWII era trail went due west from Barney Lake straight up through boulder strewn manzanita over a saddle. Old USGS topos show this awful trail and not the one from Peeler, which didn't exist at that time because the ravine is so steep, though the existing trail there does switchback a lot.

You are correct about horses going up the West Walker. They also used to take cows up there too, but somehow I always managed to be there when there was only evidence of cows, not the cows themselves. That and the sand did not bother me too much personally. I also agree about the beautiful off-trail opportunities beyond Upper Paiute Meadows. There also are some well developed use trails that are not shown on maps, such as the one along the headwaters of the West Walker itself. I think I remember you saying you had done that once. I have done everything on the attached map except the little mustard/yellow section, which a friend hiked. The pinkish/purple line is a bit of off-trail you would enjoy. You may already have done some or all of this. The contour following route in forest from Tower Lake around to the upper reach of the West Walker was a very enjoyable day of orienteering.

http://caltopo.com/map?id=4D4F" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Thinking of new trip ideas (and a return to the forum)

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:41 am
by Scouter9
Here's my suggestion for a 3-day re-entry to High Sierra: out of Mammoth, use Agnew Meadows Trailhead and go to Thousand Island Lake and back.

I suggest a nice breakfast in town, take the bus from the lodge to the trailhead, use River Trail toward TI and stop about 5 miles in for an easy, cruise day that will enable hydration and acclimation. You'll have time to fish the adjacent creek (San Joaquin River, actually), relax, etc... and then get up in the morning, climb to TI and hike at least 1 mile west along the northerly shore to get past "bear central", where most folks camp. Enjoy epic views, excellent wading and fishing, a fine sunset and sunrise and then, on Day 3, you walk back to Agnew Meadows on a 7 mile, mostly downhill cruise. Your last mile home is a climb, but it's not bad at all. Get back to town, hit Giovanni's for pizza and salad... done.

I use that route and variations on it to hook/addict young Scouts and adult leaders to the High Sierra. It has never failed to create loads of stoke and an eagerness for more.