Hike Planning

[RoguePhotonic]

Well here I go again. I haven't even finished the photos or story from the last hike and it's time to start planning for the next. I'll use this thread when I have more to add in time. What I am wondering about right now is I have been considering hiking around Black Cap Basin and areas North and South of there. Many of you have been around there so what I am wondering about is resupply options. I can see spending a couple weeks in that area easily and the only real place for a resupply I know of is Muir Trail Ranch to the North but that isn't the best option for me because not only is it expensive but you can only send 5 gallon buckets and I can never get more then about 10 days of food in one. Is there any options at all to the West?

The next area I am wondering about is the furthest North Western part of Yosemite. There seems to be allot of interesting cross country options between the Kibbie Ridge and Moraine Ridge. Yet again are there any resupply options there? I'm a bit hesitant based on altitude though. It's pretty low which means dense forests and worse hot temperatures. Although perhaps this is a good location for the start of a hike. If possible I want to leave June 1st again regardless of what kind of snow year we have. But that of course makes picking a start location difficult.

[rlown]

you still don't fish. do you? that would slow you down but an aside comment.

it expensive but you can only send 5 gallon buckets and I can never get more then about 10 days of food in one.

I know my bearikade is a 12" and it's good for 8 days at least. How can a 5 gallon bucket of food not last you more as a bearikade is much smaller?

Just wondering. You must have a different metabolism after several days on the trail.

[AaronRDavis]

Not sure what is possible but you could try contacting the store in Wishon.
http://www.wishonvillage.com/store.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AlmostThere]

Vermillion, Florence Lake store, Muir Trail Ranch, Wishon, the resort in Kings Canyon.

Not really a lot of major trailheads with stores or resorts that do this sort of service. And the store in Kings Canyon is mostly souvenirs for tourists... The store in Wishon has groceries of the sort car campers buy. Florence Lake has a very limited amount of camping gear and groceries, but you can send a resupply there. There's stuff at Lodgepole in Sequoia but not a real resource for long distance backpacker needs.

Probably the best bet is to send HST buddies stuff and having them hike the stuff to you, if you think MTR is too expensive. (Vermillion's just as expensive, I think, but they'll give you free breakfast.)

[RoguePhotonic]

you still don't fish. do you?

Well I stopped bringing a pole with me but I still did some fishing this year by attaching a line to my trekking pole. The whole process of cleaning and trying to cook fish has always been more trouble then reward for me.

I know my bearikade is a 12" and it's good for 8 days at least. How can a 5 gallon bucket of food not last you more as a bearikade is much smaller?

I'm not sure really. It just all fills up. Probably because the rolls of TP I put in there take up so much room. I always think maybe I will throw a bag of chips in or something as a treat when I get my bucket but I never have any room left for it.

Vermillion, Florence Lake store, Muir Trail Ranch, Wishon, the resort in Kings Canyon

Everything other then the Muir Trail Ranch and Wishon is too far away. The idea is to be able to go to the area then resupply and jump back to it quickly or a major resupply closer to it where I could do everything in one go. I'll look more into the Wishon idea but it might just come down to going there from Kings Canyon with a 2 week resupply and pass through the Southern end and then resupply at Muir Trail Ranch and go back to the Northern end of it. I have plenty of time to figure all this out. I don't even have any specific route I would take through it yet.

[AlmostThere]

Everything other then the Muir Trail Ranch and Wishon is too far away. The idea is to be able to go to the area then resupply and jump back to it quickly or a major resupply closer to it where I could do everything in one go. I'll look more into the Wishon idea but it might just come down to going there from Kings Canyon with a 2 week resupply and pass through the Southern end and then resupply at Muir Trail Ranch and go back to the Northern end of it. I have plenty of time to figure all this out. I don't even have any specific route I would take through it yet.

The wishon store is a long way off trail, too. Trailheads in the Crown/Rancheria area are all some miles east and south of the dam on forest service roads.

All west side trailheads in that section of the range are 2-3 hour drives from Fresno. Not a lot out there in the way of stores, so nothing quick about it. Which is why having someone run a resupply out to you is a more suitable scenario.

[Jim F]

Perhaps a less appreciated feature of the Muir Trail Ranch resupply service is the following: Send them your (max 25 lb) 5 gallon bucket of food and supplies (for $55 in 2012), but leave the ranch with 10+ gallons of food and supplies after your resupply. Except for the early season, those who pick up their bucket at the shed are invited to take away as much food (as well as sometimes fuel canisters, sun block, mosquito repellent,...) as they need for free from boxes filled with this stuff. The contents of the boxes are recently discarded resupplies not claimed or no longer desired by others on the Trail.

Perhaps these additional provisions would not be one's first choice, but the price is right. Norman Clyde would have pounced on them!

[RoguePhotonic]

Yeah it is true that you could pick up more food there then you can send but you never know if there will be anything good or not. Normally there is.

As for North Western Yosemite I am leaning towards that being my starting location. There is an annual joint trail project out of Reds Meadow I have wanted to attend the last couple of years but I am always on the trail by then so I figure I could wander the North until the end of June then move South.

So far I am thinking of leaving Lake Eleanor and go up Eleanor Creek until it turns into Kendrick Creek and follow it all the way to Twin Lakes. Then cross over to the PCT directly down the South side of Bigelow Peak. Then take the PCT to Benson Lake. Then take Piute Creek up Slide Canyon over Ice Lake Pass and down to the larger Twin Lakes. Then probably Follow the Sierra High Route back to Tuolumne.

So some things I may need to know is have any of you ever followed Eleanor and Kendrick Creeks? That's painfully low altitude under 5000 feet which could mean dense Oak forests. I wouldn't want to go straight into some major bush whacking.

Is Slide Canyon a nice option to take or should I do something way better?

Now if I did leave June 1st I would have some time to spend as I wouldn't need to be at Reds Meadow before about June 28th. I factored in 1 week for the route above to Twin Lakes. My extent of Northern Yosemite travel has been in 2010 I started at Hetch Hetchy and went out to Rancheria Falls, up to Tiltill Valley, to Lake Vernon, through Jack Main Canyon to the PCT. Stopped at Benson Lake. Then went South to Pate Valley and up the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne to the PCT and back to Tuolumne. That's about it. I'll probably follow the Sierra High Route from Twin Lakes to Tuolumne because I still haven't done that bit but that leaves time to wander. Is there any other good sights in Northern Yosemite I really should hit up?

I'm sure doing the Sierra High Route South in late June would be difficult but at least I would be going up the steep passes and not down them. I'd much rather climb and cut foot holds.

[oleander]

I'm told that little Rodgers Lake, near Benson and Smedberg Lakes, is not to be missed.

Of course, when I went through there years ago I did not know that - so I missed it myself.

You know, Bonnie Lake just north of the Yosemite border is wonderful, as are several lakes right near it. Which makes me wonder - if you have a whole extra week or so - maybe you could wander up there and do a resupply somewhere in the Emigrant Wilderness: Leavitt Meadow, PCT/Sonora Pass, Kennedy Meadows, or even a west-side entry (e.g. Gianelli Cabin).

- Elizabeth

[paul]

I'm with Oleander - if you're going to be in the northwest portion of Yosemite, go a little further north and see some of the Emigrant. The southwest portion of the Emigrant has some cool granite slab valleys to wander in, while the northwest portion has the geological meeting of granitic and volcanic rocks that I really like the look of. A few spots to check out; Granite Dome, Pinto Lakes, High Emigrant Lake, Grizzly Lake,Toejam Lake, Grizzly Peak, upper reaches of Cherry Creek, Brown Bear Pass, Mosquito Lake. This is gentler country than down south for the most part, and lower elevations. But being lower elevation does not necessarily mean earlier access, since it tends to get more snow. Snow sensors to watch are Horse Meadow, Giannelli Meadow and Upper Relief. On the other hand, if it is snowy everywhere then gentler terrain will be easier to travel than steep stuff. Resupply at Kennedy Meadows - there is a store there but I would suggest sending a package as the store is fairly limited. don't know if they have a formal resupply system but I'm sure you could work something out with the folks there. This is their website:

http://www.kennedymeadows.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;