High Sierra Topix

Backpacked for 5 days, July 17-21: Ostrander Lake trail head, Chilnualna Falls, Cresent Lake, Buena Vista Lake, Hart Lake, Ostrander Lake, and back to the Ostrander Lake trail head.

- Meadows are all in full bloom with flowers 3-4 feet tall.
- Grouse and Johnson lakes are getting low. It's boggy with lots of mosquitoes.
- Cresent Lake is 3-4 feet deep all across, so it's the best campsite along that stretch of trail.
- PLENTY of water. Most days we crossed a stream every hour or so.
- Buena Vista was a bit chilly for swimming, probably low 50's. Ostrander was in the 60's and Cresent was in the 70's.
- A few patches of snow between Cresent Lake and Johnson Lake, and on the South side of Buena Vista, Hart, and Ostrander Lakes.
- The view from Buena Vista peak is stunning. I recommend the side-trip. There's no trail and lots of boulder scrambling the last 0.25 mile.
- We hiked cross country from north of Buena Vista Lake, to Hart Lake, to Ostrander Lake. Lots of "ducks" (pile of 3 rocks), but easy to lose them too. I don't think we picked the best route. I think it was too low and would go higher on the ridge next time. Fun day though if you're good at navigating and want to try something different.
- Temps in the high 40's to mid 50's at night.
- Almost no wildlife. Nothing until we reached Ostrander, and then all we saw were marmots and chipmunks.

Thanks for the tease, I mean conditions report, will there be a full TR with pictures to follow Mblakely?

Pictures below. What other information would be helpful?

Crescent Lake, Chilnualna Falls, and Lost Bear Meadow

Buena Vista Peak looking down and the lake, and north toward half dome.

Buena Vista Lake from the south shore

I'm going to ask a pool guy I know how much it would cost to build this cool rock feature we saw

Hart Lake is off trail a ways, so if you went there, you would probably have it all to yourself.

Ostrander Lake was kind of busy due to the short hike from the trail head. However, it has lots of campsites all around the lake, so we rarely saw the other groups.

I realize this is a couple of years old but I am planning basically this exact loop and was trying to get some information about how to get from the Buena Vista trail up to Hart Lakes? All of the maps I have been looking at make it look like it is definitely possible, but would love to hear some first hand experience.