High Sierra Topix

Hi, this is my first post. This looks like a great place to hang out (forum/website). I am trying to plan and early June easy hiking trip for my Boy Scouts. They have level 1-2 abilities and we are looking for a class 1-2 trip. I am looking for a fun place to take the boys. They will be doing a long hike up Whitney later in the summer. For this trip I am thinking a short hike in and setting up a base camp and letting the boys enjoy and appreciate an area in the back country for a day or two. The ability to fish would be great. I haven't been up to Dinkey Lakes but thought this might fit the bill. I am wondering with the higher snow pack if this will be an issue the beginning of June? Any other recommendations? By the way, myself and the other leaders are all serious backpackers and believe in low impact outings. Just thought I would through that out as I have run across some crazy scout troops in my day.

J Walker

Having just come back from a ski trip into the Dinkey Lakes area, I would say you should expect to find some snow on the ground there in early June. There's about 4-6 feet in there now. Be prepared for some streams running high, and expect to find some portions of the trail covered in snow, requiring careful navigation. I'd also expect plenty of soggy ground, especially meadows. I'd say it should be very doable if you keep these things in mind.

J-

Welcome to HST, it is a great place to hang out.

I've done a couple of short hikes out of Courtright before. One of them included going to Cliff Lake, a beautiful little gem. I would think this would meet you scouting trip needs, easy walk in and out, plenty of spots to camp and so forth.

Shawn

The Dinkey Lakes are superb destination for Scouts, however early June will be a bit iffy in terms of the snow and thaw. I have visited the lakes in the area frequently over the years and am planning to visit them again this summer, but I am going to waiting until at least mid June. Early June may find many of the lakes still frozen over. We'll have to see how warm our spring is, too. That can make a difference. This is not the heaviest of recent winters (way heavier than 2007, 2008, and 2009, though), for 2005 and 2006 were both heavier in this part of the Sierra, but it is still heavy enough that I'm aiming a bit lower at that time this summer.

Thanks for the info so far! Any ideas for a little lower in elevation. Again I am looking for a relatively short hike and a beautiful spot for a base camp with the opportunity to fish. We are coming out of Bakersfield but would like to head north of here a little.

A short hike with base camping at lower elevation... hiking from Cherry Lake to Eleanor (just inside the Yosemite boundaries, permit would come from the NF not from Yosemite) would fill the bill, that's as short as you can get... you can dayhike up Kibbie Ridge or further on to Hetch Hetchy.

Which is also a good overnight hike, from the dam to Rancheria Falls, but no fishing allowed in Hetch Hetchy, and you are not supposed to get in the water within a mile of the lake either. Not certain of fishing regulations in Rancheria Creek either. But as a kid I spent many summer days car camping at Cherry and fishing there and over at Eleanor.

A longer more adventurous but less crowded hike might be Chain Lakes from the Quartz Mountain trailhead - go up 41 to the Sky Ranch turnoff, head out to the trailhead, hike 1/4 of a mile and you're in another less-traveled corner of Yosemite. Another 6-7 miles gets you to three lakes nestled in subalpine basin with plenty of good spots to camp.

Decades ago my wife (Saint Diane) and I hiked from Edyth (Edith) Lake to Eleanor Lake. There was a cabin there for anyone to use. Whatever happened to it? It was on the left side of the lake in a very spacious and beautiful place. Alas, I had no camera on that trip.

Here is a picture of Eleanor Lake from a later trip on the other side of the lake (no trail on this side).