Trip Suggestions for a week in late July

[lambertiana]

You say you are comfortable with cross country travel, so if you are willing to drive a little further to Roads End in Kings Canyon there are a couple possibilities for loop trips that get to spectacular areas that see few people.

The first is up Copper Creek to Granite Pass, then cross country to Lake Basin and over Cartridge Pass. Then go up the South Fork Kings to meet the JMT, go south over Pinchot Pass, and exit at Roads End via the Woods Creek trail. This loop is great for seven days, averaging 8-10 miles/day. I did that loop last year, here is my TR on this forum:

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The only possible issue will be crossing the South Fork Kings in late July, this is a high water year. You could stay on the north side of the South Fork Kings, without crossing, until you reach the JMT where the crossing will be easier, you will just have to cross some talus on the way.

An alternative would be to take the same trip until you get to the JMT. When you get to the JMT, head north over Mather Pass, and then head down the Middle Fork Kings to Simpson Meadow, and go back up over Granite Pass to Roads End. The Palisade Creek crossing when you start down the Middle Fork will also be a bit challenging this year, but definitely easier than crossing the South Fork Kings, and you would not have to cross the South Fork Kings at all if you stay on the north side the whole way to the JMT.

[Wandering Daisy]

If you want high alpine scenery and solitude, and not interested in fishing, I think Emigrant Wilderness, as pretty as it is, would not be your best bet. There is quite a bit of horse use in Emigrant. The Duck Lake to Purple Lake and continuing on the PCT is scenic, but quite crowded.

Since you are willing and able to do off-trail, consider doing a piece of Roper's High Route. Using YARTS and the local shuttles on both ends, you can easily do a one-way trip between Devils Postpile and either Yosemite Valley or Tuolumne Meadows following this route. This section hits the Minarets and the high peaks of Yosemite (be sure to spend time exploring the headwaters of the Lyell Fork and Hutchins Creek, and day hike above Florence Lake).

The suggestion previously of Lakes Basin from Kings Canyon is also part of Roper's High Route. Honestly, the most alpine and highest mountains in the Sierra are south of Tioga Pass. Ionian Basin and Keweah Basin are two very remote places with great mountain scenery and solitude.

You just about cannot avoid people for the first few miles in and out no matter where you go. So at least if you have to deal with people, getting into the great mountain scenery soon compensates. For example, Ionian Basin via Lamark Col gets you right into the good stuff. You do have to go through the sometimes crowded Evolution Basin but then you drop over into Ionain Basin with nobody around.

There really are so many possibilities that I suggest you simply get a guidebook or research on the internet, pick a place, and then do not focus so much on and hour or two longer driving distance. A good book that describes less crowded places is Phil Arnot's, High Sierra Range of Light. Years ago when I first moved here, I got that book and started doing each trip or putting several of his destinations together for a trip and never was disappointed. The book is a bit outdated in that his idea of daily mileage is low (relic of the 60-pound pack olden days).