Trip Advice: Easy westside solitude for a first timer?
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:09 pm
I'm taking a friend and his fiance on their first backpacking trip. This will also be their first taste of the high sierra. I have a few trails in mind as an introductory trip, but I thought you guys could maybe inform me about some places I don't know about.
Here is some info to help you guys with your advice.
- My friend lives in Sacramento and I live in Los Angeles. I’m thinking some of the wilderness on the west side between Yosemite Valley and Kings Canyon would be a good compromise for both of us.
- I have pretty solid backcountry experience, but I’m obviously staying on nice maintained trails for my first timer friends.
- The trip will be for 2 nights, but we’d like to set up a basecamp and go dayhiking around the area without our full packs on day 2.
- This is the hard one (perhaps impossible): I want the hike in and out to be pretty easy, preferably 6 miles or less and under 2,000 feet elevation gain. However, I am also hoping to get them somewhere where they feel a bit isolated and aren’t surrounded by other campers. Good scenery would be nice for my photography, but ease of access and lack of crowds is a larger priority.
- The trip is a weekend in mid-august.
To give you an idea of what kind of trips I’m considering… the Twin Lakes area in Kaiser and the main area of the Dinkey Lakes wilderness are the top contenders I’ve found so far.
As a thanks for any help I get, here's a shot I took last weekend for your amusement.
Here is some info to help you guys with your advice.
- My friend lives in Sacramento and I live in Los Angeles. I’m thinking some of the wilderness on the west side between Yosemite Valley and Kings Canyon would be a good compromise for both of us.
- I have pretty solid backcountry experience, but I’m obviously staying on nice maintained trails for my first timer friends.
- The trip will be for 2 nights, but we’d like to set up a basecamp and go dayhiking around the area without our full packs on day 2.
- This is the hard one (perhaps impossible): I want the hike in and out to be pretty easy, preferably 6 miles or less and under 2,000 feet elevation gain. However, I am also hoping to get them somewhere where they feel a bit isolated and aren’t surrounded by other campers. Good scenery would be nice for my photography, but ease of access and lack of crowds is a larger priority.
- The trip is a weekend in mid-august.
To give you an idea of what kind of trips I’m considering… the Twin Lakes area in Kaiser and the main area of the Dinkey Lakes wilderness are the top contenders I’ve found so far.
As a thanks for any help I get, here's a shot I took last weekend for your amusement.