Trip Advice: 60 Lakes Basin/Gardiner Basin
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:02 am
Hi all,
We are looking to explore 60 Lakes Basin and Gardiner Basin.
Backpacking Experience: Level 3
Terrain: Class 2 / River Crossings (Class 3 passing packs, no snow/glacier experience)
Main Interest: Big Mountain Scenery
Days/Nights: 7/6
Planned itinerary:
Camp 1 - Lower Paradise Valley (short day, afternoon start)
Camp 2 - Rae Lakes jnt
Camp 3 - Gardiner Lakes
Camp 4 - Below Gardiner Pass (north)
Camp 5 - Charlotte Lake
---
Camp 6 - *extra night for a layover/summit opportunity along the way
We are planning to follow much the same route as this trip report outlines: http://www.chayden.net/Sierra96/Sierra96.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; We will, however, be hiking in the clockwise direction whereas they went counterclockwise - is this any reason for concern?
We've hiked the entire length of the JMT (in four section hikes) and are very comfortable hiking 10 mile days on the trail. We are unsure how much of an impact the cross country travel will have on our ability to log miles for the day and would appreciate comments on the aggressiveness of our itinerary. We'd like to have time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and get to camp before dark.
For our research, we've been using the following:
The High Sierra: Peaks - Passes - Trails (The Mountaineers Books)
Hiking Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (Falcon Guide)
Hiking the Sierra Nevada (Falcon Guide)
Tom Harrison - Kearsarge Pass and Rae Lake Loops topo map
Several trip reports online
If there are additional books/online resources - we'd be happy to check them out, too!
Thanks for any and all replies!
Shannon
We are looking to explore 60 Lakes Basin and Gardiner Basin.
Backpacking Experience: Level 3
Terrain: Class 2 / River Crossings (Class 3 passing packs, no snow/glacier experience)
Main Interest: Big Mountain Scenery
Days/Nights: 7/6
Planned itinerary:
Camp 1 - Lower Paradise Valley (short day, afternoon start)
Camp 2 - Rae Lakes jnt
Camp 3 - Gardiner Lakes
Camp 4 - Below Gardiner Pass (north)
Camp 5 - Charlotte Lake
---
Camp 6 - *extra night for a layover/summit opportunity along the way
We are planning to follow much the same route as this trip report outlines: http://www.chayden.net/Sierra96/Sierra96.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; We will, however, be hiking in the clockwise direction whereas they went counterclockwise - is this any reason for concern?
We've hiked the entire length of the JMT (in four section hikes) and are very comfortable hiking 10 mile days on the trail. We are unsure how much of an impact the cross country travel will have on our ability to log miles for the day and would appreciate comments on the aggressiveness of our itinerary. We'd like to have time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and get to camp before dark.
For our research, we've been using the following:
The High Sierra: Peaks - Passes - Trails (The Mountaineers Books)
Hiking Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (Falcon Guide)
Hiking the Sierra Nevada (Falcon Guide)
Tom Harrison - Kearsarge Pass and Rae Lake Loops topo map
Several trip reports online
If there are additional books/online resources - we'd be happy to check them out, too!
Thanks for any and all replies!
Shannon