Trip Suggestions for a week in late July
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 8:05 am
Hi,
I’m hoping to garner some suggestions here for a hike. My buddy and I have done lots of hiking in other areas and usually take a week-long hike somewhere each summer. We have never hiked in the Sierras, really don’t know the range much at all, but would like to come down this summer from the Pacific NW for a 6-day hike. I’m more than ready to do some detailed research on particular trips, but this forum looks like a good way to at least come up with a smaller list of good ideas. Here is a list of everything I can think of that might be relevant. Let me know if any other info would be helpful. And thanks very much in advance for any help whatsoever!
From trailhead to trailhead, we have about 6 days and are looking for something 40-50 miles or so. Hiking about 5-10 miles a day would be nice. Certainly at least 5 but probably not more than about 12. Taking a layover day, or even more, in a nice place with sidetrips available would definitely be an option. We aren’t out to put in a ton of mileage as much as we are out to see some nice Sierra country and just enjoy ourselves. Doing our mileage as day trips from a nice base camp would work just as well for us. We aren’t too good about just hanging around camp, though, so we need to have a few hours of work each day, one way or the other.
Since we would be driving down from the Pacific Northwest with one car, we’d like to minimize transportation hassles. A loop trip would be better than an out-and-back, but anything that gets us back to where we left our car would work (including an easy-to-arrange shuttle if necessary).
Also due to where we’re coming from, something up north is better than something down south just to keep us from having to spend too many hours driving.
Our trip would probably be July 23-28 or within a few days either side of that. And if a great trip took a 7th day, that’s definitely doable. . As our exact timing is a bit up in the air, it would be better for us to avoid any area where we needed to provide specific dates in advance for any required permit or reservation.
There will be two of us. We are both in our early 60’s but in excellent shape. We each do lots of other hiking and climbing in addition to this annual trip. We won’t have any dogs.
We have lots of backpacking and climbing experience, mostly in the Cascades but also have taken longer hikes in the Sawtooths and Wind Rivers.
We are comfortable with cross country travel, including moderate snow crossings, but would prefer not to bring along the gear required for anything too technical.
We don’t have any serious bear issues up in our area and we don’t own canisters even though we have used them in the past. If we needed them, it would be great if we could rent some down there.
We prefer higher alpine terrain to forested terrain. Scenery, lakes, and just generally pretty country is what we are looking for.
Even though we are incredibly nice guys , and very friendly and not at all anti-social, we’d prefer to avoid any areas that tend to be excessively crowded.
We have no particular problems with altitude. We hiked for a week last summer in the Wind Rivers at or around 10-11K and we’ve both been up Rainier many times.
We are not fishermen and won’t be carrying fishing gear.
Campfires are not at all a requirement and, judging from just about everywhere else we have hiked, they probably wouldn’t be allowed in the kind of areas we are interested in.
That’s about all I can come up with! Again, thanks very much for any suggestions. Very much appreciated!
Donn
I’m hoping to garner some suggestions here for a hike. My buddy and I have done lots of hiking in other areas and usually take a week-long hike somewhere each summer. We have never hiked in the Sierras, really don’t know the range much at all, but would like to come down this summer from the Pacific NW for a 6-day hike. I’m more than ready to do some detailed research on particular trips, but this forum looks like a good way to at least come up with a smaller list of good ideas. Here is a list of everything I can think of that might be relevant. Let me know if any other info would be helpful. And thanks very much in advance for any help whatsoever!
From trailhead to trailhead, we have about 6 days and are looking for something 40-50 miles or so. Hiking about 5-10 miles a day would be nice. Certainly at least 5 but probably not more than about 12. Taking a layover day, or even more, in a nice place with sidetrips available would definitely be an option. We aren’t out to put in a ton of mileage as much as we are out to see some nice Sierra country and just enjoy ourselves. Doing our mileage as day trips from a nice base camp would work just as well for us. We aren’t too good about just hanging around camp, though, so we need to have a few hours of work each day, one way or the other.
Since we would be driving down from the Pacific Northwest with one car, we’d like to minimize transportation hassles. A loop trip would be better than an out-and-back, but anything that gets us back to where we left our car would work (including an easy-to-arrange shuttle if necessary).
Also due to where we’re coming from, something up north is better than something down south just to keep us from having to spend too many hours driving.
Our trip would probably be July 23-28 or within a few days either side of that. And if a great trip took a 7th day, that’s definitely doable. . As our exact timing is a bit up in the air, it would be better for us to avoid any area where we needed to provide specific dates in advance for any required permit or reservation.
There will be two of us. We are both in our early 60’s but in excellent shape. We each do lots of other hiking and climbing in addition to this annual trip. We won’t have any dogs.
We have lots of backpacking and climbing experience, mostly in the Cascades but also have taken longer hikes in the Sawtooths and Wind Rivers.
We are comfortable with cross country travel, including moderate snow crossings, but would prefer not to bring along the gear required for anything too technical.
We don’t have any serious bear issues up in our area and we don’t own canisters even though we have used them in the past. If we needed them, it would be great if we could rent some down there.
We prefer higher alpine terrain to forested terrain. Scenery, lakes, and just generally pretty country is what we are looking for.
Even though we are incredibly nice guys , and very friendly and not at all anti-social, we’d prefer to avoid any areas that tend to be excessively crowded.
We have no particular problems with altitude. We hiked for a week last summer in the Wind Rivers at or around 10-11K and we’ve both been up Rainier many times.
We are not fishermen and won’t be carrying fishing gear.
Campfires are not at all a requirement and, judging from just about everywhere else we have hiked, they probably wouldn’t be allowed in the kind of areas we are interested in.
That’s about all I can come up with! Again, thanks very much for any suggestions. Very much appreciated!
Donn