suggestions for 3 days/2 nights labor day trip?

[Satchel Buddah]

hi all,
I got a request from some friends at work to take them backpacking during labor day week end. crowded I know .

They have no backpacking experience but I will guide them. They are youngish (low 30's) and pretty fit. We are located in LA, I was thinking of heading to seki again, but anything sierra-ish sounds like fun, be it forests, altitude lakes, meadows, or a slab of granite with a view. I would like to avoid any place that would show overuse. The first day travel needs to be a little tender as I will be discovering how they cope with it, and they will have zero acclimatization to altitude.

I was thinking maybe trying alta meadow - I was observing it from alta peak's summit 2 weeks ago and thought it looked like a lovely place to spend a night, I suspect few do that one extra mile on their way to alta peak and it might be peaceful. Pear lake could be an option but is likely to be crowdy... I am not familiar with mineral king, so not sure what would be doable there. And maybe I should look into what is possible off road's end in Kings... We could also get started on the eastern sierra if there is a little hidden place that would be appropriate.

As far as I can tell, and without surprises all the obvious easy permits are booked for labor day week-end. I am hoping we can get something with he walk in permits.

thank you in advance for your advice!

[rlown]

Chain Lakes. No Guarantee on permits.. Probably a little far North, but.. All kinds of stuff to see.

[Satchel Buddah]

ooh. That looks good! Are you familiar with where to get a permit? It does not seem to appear on the nps website, and I saw on a blog that I should get the permit from Oakhurst. ranger station in Oakhurts maybe ?

[maverick]

Bass Lake Ranger District: 57003 Road 225 North Fork, CA 93643
(559) 877-2218

Be aware of the Butte Fire, smoke could impacting the area when winds turn.

[Satchel Buddah]

ty! praying for no fires. hah!

[rlown]

I can't remember a September for the last few years that there weren't fires impacting the Sierra..

[wildhiker]

Alta Meadow is a beautiful spot with a great view of the Great Western Divide. My wife and I have camped there twice in mid-August and had it to ourselves. It is not a difficult hike from Wolverton. You cross a year-round creek just a few hundred yards before reaching the saddle at the top of the meadow. That's a good water source. Immediately to your right on the flat ridge are good campsites looking out over the meadow.

As for Chain Lakes - if you are referring to the ones in southeast Yosemite, be aware that the big South Fork fire is burning strongly right now just a dozen miles or so downstream on the South Fork Merced River. Depending on how this fire goes, it could be pretty smoky there.

-Phil

[Satchel Buddah]

Hi Phil,
Which permit did you need for Alta meadows? I suspect the Alta peak permit? I am now considering pushing back off Labor Day and taking them out late September when the quota period expires.

As for chain lakes, thank you all for the warnings about fire and smoke. if it's burning nearby might be better to postpone that one... hah. I was actually going to ask if there were fire rings around the middle lake of chain lakes, to figure out if going nuts on backcountry cooking was an option.
Ty!
Nic

[wildhiker]

Hi Nic,

Both times we backpacked to Alta Meadows (2000 and 2011), we just showed up at the permit office in Lodgepole and picked up a "walk-up" permit for the same day for two people. We just told them we were going to Alta Meadows from Wolverton.

-Phil