If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for all of the info! On your advice, I've already downloaded the Mount Clarence King 7.5 Minute topo map. I can see how the additional detail will help, especially considering all the comments we've received about getting ledged out and the importance of good navigation. I love the pic of the 'dragon' in the lake Can't wait to see it myself!
Ska-T & Shhsgirl,
It definitely seems that the Kearsarge entrance and clockwise route is the most common. We've never done a Sierra Trip by entering on the west side, all of our adventures thus far have been through an Onion Valley, Bishop or Red's Meadow entrance - so we're excited to enter via Road's End. We originally were looking at a Rae Lakes Loop, but wanted more adventure and the counterclockwise direction just 'stuck'. Let's see how it goes!
Hi Shannon,
I got pre-occupied with the news about the missing hiker, Greg, in Gardiner basin, so I'm slowly catching up. Anyway, from the mounds of advice, I think you'll have a great time (if the weather cooperates), and it'll be better if there's good news about Greg. I'm not sure how recently it happened, but there's a burn zone on the south side of Gardiner Pass, and it made it harder to pick up where the "true" use trail runs. Regardless, if I ever go back that way, it'll be down by the creek, not on that silly hillside. And, as I mentioned before, if you can get into the middle arm, it's gorgeous. Good luck!
Cameron
Just got back from our trip - we completed the original itinerary:
Paradise Valley
JMT junction
60 Lakes ('Fjord' Lake)
Gardiner Creek
Lake 10,530 below Gardiner Pass
Bear Box before Junction Meadow
We really appreciate all of the beta and advice we were given and for the wealth of information available on this site. cgundersen and oleandar - I especially appreciate the amount of detail you put into your posts - thanks!
We were very successful in finding the old trail as marked on the USGS topo for the majority of the trip through Gardiner Basin, including over Gardiner Pass and down to the climbers trail, thanks in large part to the beta we received here.
So, it looks like everyone who's posted here did the loop going from Sixty Lakes Basin to Gardiner Basin. Any reason for this? I've been looking at going over Kearsarge to Charlotte Lake, Gardiner Pass, through the basin, over Sixty Lakes Col, through that basin, then up and over Glen Pass and thence back to Onion Valley. Better to do it the other way? Either way good? Any suggestions on which way is easier to navigate?
I've only done it the way you describe, i.e., Kearsarge to Charlotte Lake to Gardiner Pass, to Sixty Lakes Col, etc. The route finding seems more reasonable to me and I like the way Gardiner Basin progresses in that direction.
-Scott
BSquared wrote:So, it looks like everyone who's posted here did the loop going from Sixty Lakes Basin to Gardiner Basin. Any reason for this? I've been looking at going over Kearsarge to Charlotte Lake, Gardiner Pass, through the basin, over Sixty Lakes Col, through that basin, then up and over Glen Pass and thence back to Onion Valley. Better to do it the other way? Either way good? Any suggestions on which way is easier to navigate?
I've done it from both directions and found neither way difficult.
Wow, quick responses! Oh, I love this bulletin board
So, Scott and SEKI (and anyone else who's done it this direction), any particular tips for the Charlotte-Lake-first route? As I look at the maps (USGS and Acme—I'll definitely follow the advice to buy the Mount Clarence King quad if we decide to try this trip), it looks like one place a trail would be *really* helpful is on the descent from Lake 2096 m toward Gardiner Creek; otherwise, it looks like one can follow streams and otherwise generally visually navigate pretty well through the entire cross-country part of the trip. Other posters have indicated that the old trails through the area are pretty well obliterated; is that what you found?
I think one of you suggested that 5 days would be plenty, and we should have a week, hoping for a layover day or two (but perhaps an extra at the end, just in case—we'll be catching an airplane); any recommendations for campsites and/or layover days? Any suggestions generally? We'd probably be doing this late season, right around (hopefully after) labor day...
BSquared, after leaving Charlotte Lake you will follow a climbers use trail that parallels Charlotte Creek a couple hundred ft above it. Don't leave the use trail too soon on your way to Gardiner Pass. There is a use trail on the north side of the pass (over on the east) to help you get down. On the steep slope down to Gardiner Creek I think we found a use trail for at least part of it. We didn't have time to explore the side basin holding Lake 3223, but on the map it looks like it is worth visiting. Mt Cotter is a nice scramble from Sixty Lakes Col and is far easier than Mt Gardiner or Mt Clarence King. Hope it isn't too dry for you this year after Labor Day.
-Scott
Mt. Cotter was in our plans - but, we didn't end up having time to give it a shot. I kind of wish we would have, but also welcome the opportunity to go back - it was such a great spot!
Can't wait to see it myself!
