Curious - trip reports/suggested routes for multi-month sierra trek?

[Gogd]

Personal hygiene can be a driving factor limiting the scope of your trip. I found a big problem with long trips was chapped lips! No matter what shade protection and lip balms used, I always get crusty, bleeding, chapped lips about 2-3 weeks into a trip. It usually subsided by weeks 5-6. Given this single consideration I plan trips under 3 weeks or over two months, finding trips of intermediate length are not worth the suffering.

Some people are fine with hanging in the mountains, because they just like the lifestyle. They don't need highly published hiking guide itineraries, they'll spend weeks exploring the remote basins of a single watershed, relocating a few miles away every so often, just to have a different view off the "front porch", not particularly interested in schlepping a pack around day in and out. One could spend the whole summer doing a grand loop of the Upper Kern basin, starting at Mineral King, head north to Kings - Kern Divide, then east and south along the upper basins east of the Kern, exiting via Horseshoe Meadow. You won't need an exact itinerary, there is more there than a summer's worth of adventure. And you won't have to log hundreds of backpacking miles to see a lot of countryside! Another good suggestion along this vein is a traverse of the Clark Range in the southern section of YNP. The basic routes of both of these trips are reasonable mileage, but offer weeks of side trips off the main routes they follow. Such treks can be the most rewarding of trips, but they don't impress those attending the backyard BBQ party, as much as tales of doing the PCT, etc.

Some folks like doing popular bucket list projects, where the trip is driven by that objective. The down sides of bucket list centered trips are they are punctuated by logistic hassles, crowds, and invariably include uninspiring sections that deflate morale, and are a leading cause why thru hikers cut trips short. So when you are considering something like the JMT, consider you don't have to do every part of route, that it may behoove you to skip sections or travel an alternate path between points when the prescribed trail of a given section doesn't justify the time and effort to travel. To that end there are really good sections of the JMT. For example: The section from YNP to Red's Meadow is amazing; John Muir claimed the section through Evolution Valley into Le Conte Canyon as among the most beautiful regions of the Sierra. And that section happens to be included in a great hike known as the North Lake to South Lake Loop, identified by Outdoor Magazine as one of the top 100 hikes in the US. And there are several variations of one of my favorite loops, known as the Rae Lakes Loop, that can take weeks to complete if one avails to the many side trips encountered along the main route.

Ed

[Wandering Daisy]

What about doing more than just walking around. Rogue and Alpine Mike did a lot of climbing too. Fishing is also a great activity. And with 3-4 months, there is plenty of time to peak bag and spend an entire day fishing. Photography is also another great activity. Or bring a flora and fauna guide and learn to identify all the Sierra plants. I love what I call "nook and cranny" exploring. Wander into little canyons, up to obscure lakes. A few people I know bring a sketchbook and draw.

Getting off trails is very rewarding and opens up endless possibilities. For example, upper Kern River. Two main trails, PCT and Kern River trails. But the real scenery is up in every headwater cirque. Make your bucket list visiting every lake that is on the map.

I have never been bored in the mountains. I have been out 100 days, 35-day consecutive trips, 1-2 days between. But it was with a group, and it was my job. We had pack horses resupply us every 15 days. Yes, packs were heavy at first, but we did not try to hike every day or go that far. I have also done solo trips of three 12-14 day sections (with some pretty rigorous hiking mileage), with only a day or two between. I then would drive out and resupply. A friend dropped me off and picked me up on one leg, I hired a commercial shuttle on an other, and the third I hitched back to my car. All that was done in the Wind Rivers where permits are not required, so logistics were somewhat easier. I think the most valuable thing would be help from friends who can shuttle you between trailheads. And do not discount hitching- it works quite well between certain locations.

And Gogd is correct- personal hygiene is very important, particularly for your feet and hands. And diet becomes important. You can get by on junk food short term, but a balanced diet is needed long term.

Be honest about your own personality. If a social person, better to have friends go with you once in a while or get on some crowded trails where you can chat and camp with others. If you are OK with being alone, then long periods of solitude can be planned. Nothing wrong with changing your methods as you discover your needs. I found out that I do better with a detailed schedule, not that I necessarily felt I had to follow it, but it gave me a framework and days when I was mentally burned out, I just followed the plan without having to think much. Others prefer to wing it without much planning. (Usually with Sierra permits, your first night in and exit point are the only set rules- you can mostly wing it between. Or you can mix and match each style. I suspect you will come to some preferred method after a few trips.

I hope it works for you. And YOU will OWE US TRIP REPORTS!! After all, we will all be on pins and needles waiting to hear about your trips.

[Lumbergh21]

Lumbergh21 wrote:

Technically, you are leaving the park when you resupply at VVR or Reds (they specifically mentioned that Parcher's was ok for some reason so long as you walked to it and back) or if you cross the road at Tuolumne Meadows (Yosemite eventually relented on that, but still no leaving the trail in the Valley for a hot meal and a shower). Now good luck filling out a 100 day itinerary.

I agree that filling in 100 days without a lot of overlapping might be difficult, but what about this "butterfly wings" plan. My idea is to fill 96 Sierra days by hiking out, and circling back to 2 or more food locations-- one of them would surely be the TM store. One great out and back from there, could be up along the Main Divide- say over McCabe Saddle, or Sky Pilot Pass, and then carrying on for 12 total days, enjoying on and off-trail rambles by Rock Island Lake, under the Sawtooth Ridge, Kerrick Meadows, and wherever you like in the far NE of the Park. You would then return in a circle to the TM store for your next 12 day bucket of food, and you could head into the SE corner of the Park, making your favorite circle back again, without any overlap. A really fine third "wing" would be through the southern part of the Cathedral Range, and into the magic backcountry of the upper Merced. You could circle the Clark Range on your third return to the TM store. The 4th "wing" could include the Grand Canyon of the T., and the far NW corner of Yosemite. I can see each of these as 12 day trips, if you include some mountain climbing days, and lazy fishing days. This could be repeated from a base at VVR, or MTR, or even Red Meadow, if you can find your way all around the Middle and North Forks of the SJ River.

So what do you think Lumbergh-- might those 8 trips be a good use of 100 days? And the second ones are dog friendly!

I was referring to the itinerary that you fill out when applying for the permit, but I totally understand how it could be taken the way that you did. I don't think it would be hard at all to find places to go during 100 days in the Sierra. They clamped down on the regulations regarding leaving the wilderness and re-entering in 2020, but like I said backed off before the 2020 permit season began, I assume because of all the well reasoned arguments (complaints) that they got. As far as I know, it is still against the rules to exit in Yosemite Valley for any amount of time and re-enter. It still was in 2022, anyway. Other than that, overnight visits into towns, MTR, VVR, etc for food and a hot shower should be allowed.