High Sierra Topix

O.K., here is a big loop you could do out of Twin Lakes. The computer says the entire thing is 95.4 miles, but that is with all switchbacks cut to straight line segments, so it's definitely more. There are endless ways to shortcut this into something smaller on other trails within the perimeter of this map, so all you would need to do is study the trails you see within. I threw in several cross country portions. Not sure I got the Lewis Lakes XC portion right.

http://caltopo.com/map?id=4F2S" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One XC side trip I did not show is to Hyatt Lake, fondly known as the Hyatt Regency for the large sand beach on the NE shore.

Another little change might be to skip Emigrant Lake and dip down to the Twin Lakes that are in N Yosemite.

Be aware this route goes through Hoover, Emigrant, and Yosemite, thus you'd have to take a bear canister if you plan on entering Yosemite. Not required if you stay out, but you still need some good anti-bear system. I use tandem suspension to save weight, but one must be skilled with the rope in order not to get a permanent tangle.

Part of the fun of any trip for me is to pour over maps and figure out my own route. I have a spreadsheet for routes and figure each route many ways, loop both clockwise and counter clockwise, and compare logistics. I find this fun. But that's just me. Since you are familiar with the Sierra from your other trips, I bet you could figure out a pretty good route, if so inclined. If you get more familiar with off trail travel, tons of new loops open up! Good beginner off-trail areas are Upper Kern River including Wrights, Wallace and Milestone basins (access via Shepherd Pass), Humphreys Basin including up to Royce Lakes and over to Granite Park (access via North Lake), or Upper Basin (access via Taboose Pass- and can side trip over Mather Pass to Palisade Lakes). Would you be interested in a little less mileage with more off-trail exploring and fishing? If short on days, you do not want to spend 8 hours driving. In this case I would stay Bishop and south and on the east side.

maverick wrote:Captain,

Would be happy to recommend you a route, but you have been to HST a couple
times requesting intell on areas for your upcoming trips but never wrote a TR,
Conditions Report, or Mosquito Report. It would be nice if you participated and
submitted some intell or TR that would help your fellow HST members too.

You're right, maverick. I've started writing a trip report with pics and will post over the weekend.

I really like the Pinchot and Mather Pass loop since it would fill in the space between the Rae Lakes and North-South Lake loops I've done. Then it becomes a question of doing Sawmill (or Taboose?) from the east -- I wouldn't be getting a 5 am start, unfortunately -- or driving the extra hours to Roads End. The Twin Lakes loops are a good idea too since it would be territory I haven't seen. The 95 mile+ loop is probably too much. I could cut that in half using Dorothy Lake pass or Meadow Creek.

Wandering Daisy wrote:Good beginner off-trail areas are Upper Kern River including Wrights, Wallace and Milestone basins (access via Shepherd Pass), Humphreys Basin including up to Royce Lakes and over to Granite Park (access via North Lake), or Upper Basin (access via Taboose Pass- and can side trip over Mather Pass to Palisade Lakes). Would you be interested in a little less mileage with more off-trail exploring and fishing? If short on days, you do not want to spend 8 hours driving. In this case I would stay Bishop and south and on the east side.

Milestone Basin was going to be an off trail excursion the last time I was in the area but ended up trying to beat the snow and skipped it. From everything I've read about the trailhead to Shepherd Pass, it looks like the road will be challenging to get to in normal 2wd vehicle. Upper Basin looks good too. I would definitely be interested in doing more off trail hiking, even if it means fewer miles.

Thanks for the ideas everyone. You've given me 3 or 4 loops and some side trips to look into, and I'm sure after I look at the maps more closely I'll be back with questions at some point.

Captain wrote:
You're right, maverick. I've started writing a trip report with pics and will post over
the weekend.

Thanks Captain.

The Northern Yosemite Loop out of Twin Lakes is beautiful Captain, and well
worth doing. Matterhorn Peak and Canyon are beautiful and a fun climb, Smedberg
Lake, Sister, and Surprise Lakes are very pretty, the last two offer more solitude
if Smedberg is busy. Benson Lake is a favorite for some folks, and the pretty
hidden lakes around Seavey Pass are worth a stay. The Big Slide Canyon area
offers some outstanding cross country sections like Crazy Mule, Doe Lake, Tallulah
Lake, and Rock Island Lake, that you can use to extend your trip if your comfy
with cross country. If you do decide with this trip then do it clock wise, coming in
the Crown Lake route and exit Peeler Lake route, both lakes are also worth seeking.

What comes to mind for me is trying the Golden Trout Wilderness. You'll have many loops you can chart out yourself depending on how far you want to go.

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/gtrout.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wandering Daisy wrote:Good beginner off-trail areas are Upper Kern River including Wrights, Wallace and Milestone basins (access via Shepherd Pass), Humphreys Basin including up to Royce Lakes and over to Granite Park (access via North Lake), or Upper Basin (access via Taboose Pass- and can side trip over Mather Pass to Palisade Lakes).

Captain wrote: From everything I've read about the trailhead to Shepherd Pass, it looks like the road will be challenging to get to in normal 2wd vehicle.

Our Daisy is spot on - Shepherd to Milestone, Taboose to Basin and Piute/Pine to Humphreys/Royce are perhaps, IMO, the best loops outside of Horseshoe/Whitney. (Horseshoe you can go in via [New] Army to Miter/Crabtree and come out Cottonwood, Whitney you can go down Discovery from Trail Crest to Crabtree and then loop back around via Guitar.)

As for the Shepherd trailhead (actually Symmes), there is a stock parking lot right off the main dirt fire road. It's not more than 1/4-1/2 mile from the hiker's TH. Right after the stock lot, the road gets rutted, sandy, etc, but before that it's hardpacked & graded, similar to the road up to Green creek (near Bridgeport) and better than the gravel road to Saddlebag lake.

It's where I've parked my Sienna, and will be doing so again for the HST meetup. Shuttle guys don't mind it either, since it's only around 2 miles off the Onion valley road and doesn't require any special vehicles.

One more thing, if you're into fishing or curious about the Kern Cyn, from Horseshoe, you can head south over Trail pass thru Mulkey Mdw down to the Kern River bridge, follow the river back north and join the HST, and then either head back up to the PCT and exit out (New) Army or Cottonwood, or continue up to Milestone and then either grab the PCT back to Horseshoe, or exit Shepherd or Whitney Portal.

This one has pretty big miles (20+ day), and has been on my to do list for a few years. If we get a big snow year next year, I'll probably shoot for August to let the river calm down.

miter basin/crabtree pass loop is pretty tame, but involves class 2 cross country. One of my favorite areas of the sierra.

Greetings Captain

How about North Lake to Lamarck Col: through Darwin Canyon and Evolution Meadow: JMT along the San Joaquin River; Piute Canyon Trail along Piute Creek; head East at Hutchinson Meadow; swing North up to Desolation Lake; and exit via Piute Pass to North Lake. Pretty good fishing along the way.

I would suggest camping in Darwin Canyon, as it is beautiful. You might also include Puppet Lake for a little more cross country activity.

Roughly a five day trip. This would sure take you through a variety of terrain.

Peace.