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I'm a Level 3 backpacker leading a group in the last week of August, of 5-6 people of mixed experience and ability, including my 84 year-old stepdad who's been backpacking in the Sierra since the 1930s, on what may be his last High Sierra trek.
We're looking at the basins of Sabrina Lake and Big Pine North Fork as places where he can accompany us to base camps at lakes and decide whether he wants to go with us spring chickens in our 50s on some cross-country day hikes up towards the higher lakes and crest. Only one of us has ice ax/mountaineering experience and so my main concern In this high snow year is being limited to the lower lakes by snow cover (and secondarily, questions of bugs, scenic value, and competition for campsites as we are already a large group).
The altitudes of the base lakes in both basins look comparable, both areas sound beautiful and heavily-traveled from on-line reports. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice between these two basins--or other comparable East Side basins--regarding likely snow levels, scenery, crowds, and bugs in late August? Any thoughts/experience much appreciated!
You should be fine snow and bug wise by the last week of August, for when your trip is scheduled. There are plenty of places to camp in both basins, especially out of Sabrina. You do not always need to restrict yourself to camping by a named lake, and setting up near a creek (outside of the required restricted zone of course) can be just as fun, offering more solitude if the place is a little busy.
Both of those basins are gorgeous, look up some TR's with pictures, to determine which one is the more appealing to your groups needs.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member:http://reconn.org
acvdmlac,
To extend what Mav said, I'd offer my 2 cents that Sabrina would be my choice for the group you're assembling. One reason is that even if you get no further than the first lake (Blue Lake) as your base camp, it has everything you could need/want in a high Sierra setting, including a reasonable number of prospective campsites. And, it's that nice mix of a just challenging enough walk that you'll feel out of the scrum, but not too onerous to stop a hardy octogenarian. Of course, if you wanted to keep going, there are gobs of other options in Sabrina basin, and I've taken novices to Hungry Packer, Midnight, Topsy-turvy and even Blue Heaven (limited campsites!). Yes, Big Pine north fork has some of these same advantages, but I think it's harder to get to the first areas where you'd be likely to find a decent campsite for a big group (Sabrina has always felt less crowded to me). And, there are so many nooks and crannies to visit in Sabrina basin, you won't lack for things to do (from Donkey & Baboon Lakes to Bottleneck Lake and Schober Holes, if you're feeling adventurous).Good luck.
Cameron
One thing to consider is that if your 84 yr old stepdad decides to hang out in camp during the day while others go off on a hike or climb is that it can be hot under the sun without tree cover (shade).
The North Fork of Big Pine Creek generally provides some cover, but camping spots for large groups are not plentiful, IIRC. Sabrina Basin doesn't have a lot of trees, but the area around Blue Lake and Baboon Lakes does. I was going to suggest the Piute Pass trail and Humphrey's Basin to you, (lot's of area to explore) but there isn't much shade. Little Lakes Valley has a lot of trees and little elevation gain.
Have you considered using a packer service to spot your stepdad in a great location like Pioneer Basin?
In my opinion, it would definitely be the Sabrina Basin for all the reasons said, plus the fact that the approach to the first good camps is far less demanding than Big Pine Creek. I came across two octogenarians camped near the waterfall below Moonlight Lake once. They, however, had used horse packers to bring in their camping gear for them. But Sabrina basin is the ideal spot for beginners or those with only so much physical ability to get started, since the approach is not too demanding and it affords many opportunities for easy to moderate dayhikes once you are settled in.
Hey thanks everyone for weighing in. Nice to hear Sabrina's a good option, there's less info about it than Big Pine NF, and good to think about the tree/shade factor.
As octogenarians go, my step-dad is a bit of an outlier, he still insists on carrying his own weight everywhere (except I take his tent)...a couple years ago (when he was 82), he kept right up with us going up Bloody Canyon, over Koip Peak Pass and dayhiking XC to the top of Carson Peak. He says he's slowed down since then, hence trying to plan a trip with good options to camp low and day-hike high vs. a trip that commits one to crossing high passes.
