High Sierra Topix

Took this 42 mile trip in five days 8/26-8/30. This route has been discussed quite a few times on the net and many of you have probably done this trip. I'll just give you some thoughts and let you enjoy the photos.

Day One: Highly recommend the South Fork Trail option to Long Lake over the main trail. At the end just take the faint use trail to the north side of the first south fork Lake and rejoin the main trail at the base of the Cottonwood headwall to avoid the nasty boulder field west of the South Fork Lakes.

Day Two: New Army pass is a great trail well done to the designers. Campfire at Lower Rock Creek with two cold beers supplied by friendly female trail mx worker was a trip highlight.

Day Three: Just a slog from Lower Rock Creek to Upper Crabtree Meadows.

Day Four: Take your time and enjoy the hike to above Guitar Lake.

Day Five: We hiked the 11 switchbacks to the JMT/MWT Junction in the dark with our headlamps. Cooler and beautiful morning light for viewing. Also made us #3 and #4 to the summit for the 30th. Met the crowds on the way down.

Enjoy,
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Nice photos, looks like a fun trip. Photo 20, "unnamed lake with The Miter" is Rock Creek Lake, but for some reason I've only seen that name on USFS maps.

Thanks for the info trav, I've updated the photo.

Thanks for the report and great pics! I'm guessing it was one heck of a time. Love those 'window' shots.

Thanks for the memories! I especially like your photo of the top of NAP starting on the descent. Reminded me of being so hot from the climb and then so quickly frozen on the descent.
May I humbly recommend this variation: Soldier Lake - Miter Basin - Crabtree Pass - Crabtree Lakes
Less trod and epic.

pat h wrote:Thanks for the memories! I especially like your photo of the top of NAP starting on the descent. Reminded me of being so hot from the climb and then so quickly frozen on the descent.
May I humbly recommend this variation: Soldier Lake - Miter Basin - Crabtree Pass - Crabtree Lakes
Less trod and epic.

Thanks for the recommendation Pat. That was our original plan, but we had to cut our trip down by two days and those were allocated to exploring the Miter Basin so we opted to save it for another trip. Actually we saw relatively few people on the trail considering it was high season. The only crowds were on the MWT and even that was not as bad as I had been led to believe. It's a nice trip that puts the hard hiking early in the day and gives a good sampling of the climates encountered in the Sierras. More time for fishing would have been nice though.

Treadwell:
I didn't even bring a rod on that route. Actually, I was so physically whipped after each day that I was glad I didn't haul the extra few ounces! But I did sit and eat lunch at Long Lake under the start of NAP and watch a guy pretty much catch a fish on every cast.
Going to the Sabrina Lake Basin next week and my rod is coming.

We did the Sabrina Basin back in mid-June, great trip. We couldn't get to the upper lakes due to snow, but saw some nice brookies in Hungry Packer. Have a great trip!