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rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:27 pm
by deej
I would like to show my son Rae Lakes/Sixty Lakes Basin from Onion Valley in July (he's so cool to be taking his mama out!!). I've been to Kearsarge Lakes area, and have stayed at Charlotte Lake before. Hiked up to Glenn Pass on a heavy snow year and was in absolute awe of the view (no tech gear so didn't head to Rae). This year, I'd like to go straight over to Rae Lakes and play at the Sixty Lakes Basin. We only have 3 nights, 4 days. I didn't find much written about the basin, so I am interested in people's thoughts on its being worth the fast track trek! My son has never hiked this area. Thanks.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:50 pm
by maverick
HI Deej,

Here is a TR from 2011: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7090&p=49947&hilit= ... sin#p49947" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Be prepared for a lot of mosquito's.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:44 am
by deej
Thanks Maverick. For whatever reason, I received a fatal error when tapping into the link you sent. Yeah, my favorite places seem to be the mosquito ridden ones. It's a good thing I don't let those pesty bugs ruin my trip. Thanks for your response.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:51 am
by LMBSGV
Thanks for remembering my trip report, Maverick. Here's a direct link that should work deej:

http://www.sonic.net/~words/ASITHSTripReports.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you have problems with that, try the link on my signature.

I hope you get better weather than I did. If you can manage 4 nights, that would be better. Going in or out of Rae Lakes from Onion Valley in one day is possible, if you get an early start, but it makes for a long day. Also, I highly recommend spending one night in Sixty Lakes Basin.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:26 am
by coneill
My wife and I did this trip last year, mid-August, with our kiddos - 8 and 10 years old at the time. We got off late on the first day, camped at Kearsarge, then went over Glen the next day. We arrived in the later afternoon, and still had time to get up to sixty-lakes basin. On the third day, we did the relatively easy climb up to the col overlooking Garner basin, then moved down to Rae lakes. Last day was a longer but fun hike out.

I agree with the earlier post...if you can swing 4 nights, it is well worth it. The scenery is spectacular, and there's lots of privacy to be found in sixty lakes basin. But, I do think it is a very doable 3 night trip without young kids.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:22 pm
by quentinc
I did that trip last July 4 when there was a lot of snow, and am in fact planning on doing it this weekend (taking Monday off). I will be doing this again as a 3 day trip, but that does involve a long 1st and 3rd day. It's a truly beautiful area, although I am bracing for mosquitoes this time.
I would dig out my trip report from last year, but since you already have LMBSGV's it's probably unnecessary.

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:24 am
by deej
LMBSGV wrote:Thanks for remembering my trip report, Maverick. Here's a direct link that should work deej:

http://www.sonic.net/~words/ASITHSTripReports.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you have problems with that, try the link on my signature.

I hope you get better weather than I did. If you can manage 4 nights, that would be better. Going in or out of Rae Lakes from Onion Valley in one day is possible, if you get an early start, but it makes for a long day. Also, I highly recommend spending one night in Sixty Lakes Basin.
HEAVEN ON EARTH!

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:31 am
by deej
Thanks, everyone, for your feedback. It's greatly appreciated and definitely adds to motivate me to get out there and explore this area's wonder. I'd love to be out there for 4 nights; my son is preparing for his graduate/doctorate work, so squeezing 3 nights out of him is rough enough (but you never know - going to be a long 3 years for him, so.....)

Oh, and Maverick, the link worked, so thank you for that, too. The photos are breathtakingly beautiful!

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:33 am
by deej
Oh wait, LMBSGV...that was your link? THANK YOU!!!!

Re: rae lakes/sixty lakes basin from onion valley

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:51 pm
by quentinc
I just did it this weekend. It took me about 9-1/2 hours (including lunch & rest stops) from OV to Rae Lakes, and about 10-1/2 hours from the middle of 60 Lakes Basin back to OV. The mosquitoes are very confused right now, because they are active only in the middle of the day, despite warm morning and evening temperatures!