Looking For Extremely Low Mile Overnighter?

[sparky]

It is not close to fresno but the matlock/Bench lake area from the kearsarge pass trail is my usual suggestion for a low milage and low elevation gain overnighter that offers solitude. The view of University peak is great, and the hike is easy.

[InsaneBoost]

I second the idea of the Twin Lakes area in the Kaiser Wilderness, but starting from the trailhead by Badger Flat on the Kaiser Pass Road, just a few miles up from Huntington Lake, not from Sample Meadow on the north side. The Kaiser Pass Road is paved and in good condition on this stretch. The trail gains about 700 feet elevation in about 2 miles to Potter Pass - then you drop about 400 feet to the Twin Lakes area. The lakes are very pretty and you get some expansive views from the Potter Pass area or high points around the Twin Lakes. I was just thinking of this trail, because our 38 year daughter and our 5 month old granddaughter were visiting today and I remembered how we took this daughter at age 6 months for a week backpack trip into these Twin Lakes in the Kaiser Wilderness. We camped for 6 nights and I think it was the happiest time of her infancy. Of course, we carried her in and lots of gear - so much, that after hiking in, I had to turn right around and go back to the car to get another 50 pounds of gear. That's when I appreciated that the hike was only 3 miles each way.

-Phil

The wife would love this....being she HATES Kaiser Pass lol. However Twin Lakes is one I've been wanting to do. Maybe I'll add that for just her and I to do. The elevation looks more like 900ft or so, and that's probably too much for her mother. Would make for a nice over nighter though. Maybe if we have an extra night we do this this year, or with her mother next year when she's built up more stamina for greater elevation gain.

[InsaneBoost]

It is not close to fresno but the matlock/Bench lake area from the kearsarge pass trail is my usual suggestion for a low milage and low elevation gain overnighter that offers solitude. The view of University peak is great, and the hike is easy.

Looks like too much for her mother, but those views are amazing. MIght need to do that one soon for us.

[InsaneBoost]

Is there anyway to find the exact locations of these trailheads? Normally I can find some info on some of the hikes via alltrails and what not, but not coming up with anything.

My Sierra Trailheads listing is at https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/group ... railheads/ along with a KMZ file that will allow you to add them to Google Earth. I have 231 TH's in the list. Please report and errors or omissions to me via PM or email as I'd like to keep it as accurate a possible. (Yahoo registration is required for access since it's posted in the Yahoo JMT Group.)

Just sent a request in. Thanks.

[InsaneBoost]

The more I've looked into Badger Flat to Twin Lakes I feel this is the one we should do. I know it has a little more elevation than I want for her mother, but I'm going to do a couple hikes with similar elevation to see how she does, if not too well then I'll figure something else out, but if so, then great.

Right now I plan on taking her to Wawona to do the longer version of the loop there being it has around 500ft of elevation gain. I'm thinking this could be a decent, easy test. If she does well, then once the snow clears try a similar hike in the higher elevations to match the elevation and elevation gain, and if good to go still, do it again with the backpack and her gear.

Does this sound wise? Should I do this another way?

[wildhiker]

Your "conditioning hikes" for your mother-in-law sound like a good plan. Also, be sure to allow at least one night at altitude camping/hotelling before the actual backpacking. Backpacking, especially for newbies, can be pretty miserable if you are not acclimated to altitude.
-Phil

[InsaneBoost]

Yes, I plan on doing that. Assuming the campgrounds are open around there. Otherwise it'll be tough. The good part is she's always in the higher elevations with us doing smaller walks and what not, so it's not like they would be completely new to her. Granted it's obviously different backpacking hundreds of feet than nothing.

[SSSdave]

Suggestions thus far have been more than a mile, some a few, with more vertical climbing than you want. To hike with a backpack only a mile, one needs to think out of the box. Places near trailheads that most people will not bother with that are interesting. From trailheads cars park at, any interesting places with a trail are also likely to see day hikers. If there is a lake or stream that is more likely to be fishermen regardless of a trail or not.

The following is not however a mile from a trailhead but rather less than a mile from the Florence Lake reservoir ferry drop off point. I have not personally visited the spot but have group camped another mile upstream that is similar. Most anyone, including fishermen that bother with the not small ferry fee are highly unlikely to target this area but rather Blaney Meadows. By the west side reservoir trail this spot is several unpleasant miles.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.24079,-118.93534&z=15&t=T

To hike there will require about 300 feet of vertical climb and a bit less than one mile distance. Half the hike is on the trail and the rest cross country on easy granite bedrock. On the above link change from topo to Satellite tabs and zoom in. By this July at just 7400 feet in an extensive large canyon bottomland, it is certain to be snow free. The river however is certain to be high and exciting foaming and cascading over the bedrock. Your mother-in-law will be much more impressed than to any second rate near trailhead lake pounded by day hikers. A good spot to take off the shoes and hang them in shallow stream side spots of the wonderfully clean water. At the map link cross hairs one can see a small grove of shade providing camp site trees and and the map shows a seasonal streamlet. It is far enough away from the trails that it will be out of sight and out of day time shouting range so ought to provide a real wilderness experience. Also far enough away that any trail black bears are not likely to ever bothering to check out. In July the granite bedrock sand flats are certain to have small flowers like pussypaws and monkeyflower. Snowy pyramidal Mt Shinn at 11k rises 3700 feet directly above. A wilderness permit will not be necessary, just a California campfire permit one can get online. In any case it there will likely be signs of past camping below the trees and it is possible a person taking the ferry might venture upon it.

just returned from a 10 day road trip in our deserts chasing wildflowers,
David

[creekfeet]

If your mother-in-law enjoys meadow/forest hiking, I might recommend backpacking through Redwood Mountain in KIngs Canyon. It's only about five miles to the campsites, there's little elevation change, and it's one of the few places on earth that you can actually camp under sequoias. The forest is as good as it gets, and if you go at the right time of year, there will be gobs of gooseberries, raspberries, and thimble berries ripe for the picking. However, if you're looking for big mountain scenery, you're not going to get much of that.

[InsaneBoost]

She killed it on the Wawona trip. No issues with the creek crossings that normally don't exist (or I guess haven't the past few years). Climbing wasn't an issue, and neither was the descend. I would think right now she can do this in the higher elevations, perhaps with more breaks, but I was very pleased. I definitely thought she would have struggled in some parts and she definitely didn't.