High Sierra Topix

Welcome to HST, backpackerlabelle!

As is custom on this board, we'd like to know a bit more about your abilities before giving advice. Please refer to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I will say this: I wouldn't recommend taking a dog on our route from Middle Lewis Lake to the shoulder of Granite Dome. That was a steep climb with some talus to navigate.

Once you give us a better idea of your abilities, I'd be more than happy to help.

So sorry! I have lurked on these forums before (such a great resource / community) and seen the posts, but forgot about that.

What level of backpacking experience do you have?
I would say I'm mostly a level 3 backpacker - I've haven't done too much x-country with my pack, usually just for day hike adventures. But I would like to try some x-country on these big open slabs in the sierra.

What terrain are you comfortable/uncomfortable with?
Class 2 terrain with a pack.

What is your main interest?
Lakes, big mountain scenery, and general awe-inspiring outdoors is what I'm after. I've done most my backpacking in the northern part of this state (and can recommend some good trips up around the Trinities and Marbles) but am new to the Sierra. I like to bring my dog, she has some good mileage including some cross country hiking, but on a recent trip to Desolation she didn't do so great (was hot, sluggish, frequent breaks).

Thanks for all your advice and great trail reports.

Thanks, backpackerlabelle. Yep, this forum is a great resource.

As for your route, I'd suggest heading from Summit Creek west toward Iceland Lake. This will take you over a gradual granite slab and a couple saddles. I took this route in June of 2009 and it was pretty easy. It will also probably be easy to access Sardella and Ridge Lakes if you so choose.
I believe balzaccom took this route recently and posted a TR here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8245" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This a really beautiful area—enjoy your trip!

Thank you so much! The topo map and everything. I'll try to take some good pictures and post them for all to enjoy.

Thanks for posting this trip! Looking forward to heading out on this loop in a couple months, but just want to check with you on a couple things. We are hoping to do a loop (versus the route I see commonly out to the lakes coming from Summit Creek, that's out and back). But we will have dogs with us, so for sure need to leave off the side trip to Granite Dome from what you were saying. But what about the rest of the trail?

About us:

Level 3 backpacking experience
Very comfortable on Level 2 terrain, with limited experience with level 3, comfortable with snow travel & mild to moderate water crossings. All with a hefty pack
Main interests: Lakes, fishing, big mountain scenary
Trip will be 5 days, 4 nights, so nice and leisurely trip for this mileage, over memorial day
Will have 3 dogs, all young, robust, and have been on many treks with us.
Been in the Emigrant once before last year, love this area- did a 2 day 20mile loop up to Jewelry Lake.

Thanks for any input!

Carne_DelMuerto wrote: As for your route, I'd suggest heading from Summit Creek west toward Iceland Lake. This will take you over a gradual granite slab and a couple saddles. I took this route in June of 2009 and it was pretty easy. It will also probably be easy to access Sardella and Ridge Lakes if you so choose.

map_dog_route_Iceland.jpg

I believe balzaccom took this route recently and posted a TR here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8245" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This a really beautiful area—enjoy your trip!

I've taken this exact route to Iceland Lake from Summit Creek and it's really straight forward.

CDM, How's the decent from Iceland Lake to Relief Valley? When I visited the area, I decided to go back the way I came in (solo, being overly cautions), but making the loop that you did would have been a much better route. Thanks.

If one keeps the outlet of iceland to their immediate right on descent u should be able to navigate ur way down fairly easily (though we down have to take our packs off at one pint to downclimb a small section). This can probably be avoided with careful scouting. My dog took this section down no problem (though he was a bit of a billygoat). Make sure to summit granite dome!

Doing the climb of Granite Dome is no worse than going up to the lakes, at least the way I went. The first map of this post seems to do a lot of extra tap-dancing in the climb to the dome, or going back down to the meadow for that matter. The map below suggests a more straightforward approach to the dome, starting with heading up from NW end of Upper Lewis Lake heading mostly south and bearing somewhat left. The only choke point may be a steep snow-bank (if there), but no worries, look to the left for a ready-made staircase of granite that takes you to the top of the wall. Note that I got to the dome area from Summit Creek.

Granite Dome is one of my favorite places in the world, and I would profoundly encourage everyone to take extra care to leave no trace in this pristine area. A camp-fire is completely unnecessary (unless your very survival depended on it): there is not that much wood in the area due to the mostly granitic nature of this island of paradise.

Thank you for the informative trip report and photos. Well done.

FeetFirst,

The descent down to Relief Valley was pretty easy. As you can see on the map in the second post, we veered left to avoid any steep drop offs. I think others have taken a more direct route, but we were being cautious. We basically followed a line around a small granite knob and worked our way down to a small creek that drained into Relief Creek. Once down there, we followed the creek bed back to the west to avoid having to bushwhack through the 6-8' bushes that fill the meadow.

Here's a quick approximate trace of our route down. Hope this helps.