Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
ltkenbo
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:01 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by ltkenbo »

Ok, cool, yeah I'll make sure to call them first. Here is what I came up with, it's not too huge and it will give enough of the area around our route to allow us to explore some more trails if we want:
http://www.mytopo.com/review.cfm?mytopoid=34519548CC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
ltkenbo
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:01 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by ltkenbo »

Ok so I called the ranger station to check about those passes and they said that none of their rangers had gone through there yet so they were not quite sure but there probably was snow. So, what do you think?
User avatar
ltkenbo
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:01 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by ltkenbo »

anyone?
User avatar
walkdawg
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:01 am
Experience: N/A
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by walkdawg »

My guess is that there are still winter conditions in the high country there. I would consider changing to a lower elevation area such as Northwest Yosemite, South Yosemite or the area in SEKI that I recommended.
User avatar
balzaccom
Topix Addict
Posts: 2951
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:22 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by balzaccom »

I will be more specific.

At 11.000 feet those passes will be full of snow in two weeks. And the north side of any pass at that elevation will also be full of snow--probably from 9,000 on up. If you are sure that you can hike up steep snowy slopes and will always find the trail, then the trip might work.

I have a ton of experience in the Sierra, and I would not do this trip with people who were not really prepared--which means either crampons or the willingness to back off and head to lower elevations if it got hairy.
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-R ... 0984884963
User avatar
balzaccom
Topix Addict
Posts: 2951
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:22 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by balzaccom »

Here's another way of looking at it. This photo was shot at 8500 feet last weekend...

Can you see the trail?

http://picasaweb.google.com/balzaccom/E ... 4514743570" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-R ... 0984884963
User avatar
Take-a-Hike
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:28 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Alta Loma, Ca

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by Take-a-Hike »

First of all...I'm old enough to be your dad...58. Wife 'n I STARTED b packing when we were 51/52. Our first summer, 2nd trip out, we did the loop u r looking at...mostly. For a little more info, and I can't figure why someone else here didn't clue you in, but a major contributor to this site, Doyle Donohoe, has a web site, sierra-trials.com, and he has this trip and another to Pioneer Basin detailed in a very nice trip report. Both trips start/end at Edison.
Regarding the area, there's a "resort" so to speak, at Edison...Vermillion Valley Resort. They also have a web site w/contact info. Google VVR. Nice country store, restaurant and some rooms to rent. Great folks there. Call them up to see if they're open and running the ferry...otherwise it's another grunt walk around the lake.
OUr trip started at Edison, we got to Gr.yd meadows first nite, Gryd lakes 2nd nite...did a lot of exploring around the area that 2nd day as it was a short few miles. Then we went up 'n over the offtrail pass past Upper Graveyard lake to Peter Panda Lake. My wife still loves that lake the best of all we've been to in the Sierras. We spent two nites there. That pass over to PP is very easy as off trial stuff goes. It's very obvious once you get to the upper lake...there's a series of ledges and ramps that lead to an obvious saddle on the horizon...it faces south so snow probably won't be an issue and the pass is about 10.5K. However...there will be a snowfield on north side. There was in Aug when we went over, but it was easily circumvented and soft as well. But route finding wont be an issue...u can see the small lake you need to go around and the trail to Peter Panda is just on the other side of that small lake. Fifth nite we stayed at Wilbur May Lake, which I wouldn't do again. Doyle liked it, we could have done w/out it. But as mentioned elsewhere here, the Indian Lakes were very pretty and worth a little exploring. We beat feet outta there last day going from WM out to the ferry with an hour to spare up 'n over Silver Pass. (If running, ferry departs east side about 4:30pm I think).
Also, Mono Creek trail is nice w/side trips up to Laurel Lake, (we did that last summer), or the Pioneer Basin, if inclined.
One other thing, crossing the NF Mono Creek might be dicey in spots. WE found a log for one spot...others, good luck.
User avatar
ltkenbo
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:01 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by ltkenbo »

Well from what everyone else is saying I should pick another area because of the snow at this time of year, but yeah I did get the idea for the loop from that sierra trails website. So, any suggestions, I know there has been a couple already, but looking for input from anybody.

Another thing I don't get is a some of these other places you are telling me are still around 9-10k feet.
User avatar
ltkenbo
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 1:01 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by ltkenbo »

Ok what about this one, it seems pretty neat.

http://sierra-trails.com/sawtooth/sawtooth01.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In sequoia national park. Starts at mineral king, heads through timber gap, and then up and around to pinto lake, then through black rock pass and by the little and big five lakes, then down through lost canyon, over sawtooth pass, past monarch lakes and then back to the start.

What do you think? Better location snow wise? Also how far do you think this whole thing is?
Shawn
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1061
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:56 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Suggested Routes or Areas for me and my dad

Post by Shawn »


Mon May 25, 2009 3:43 pm

Me and my dad are planning on going backpacking somewhere in the Sierra National Forest in a couple of weeks.


A couple of weeks has elapsed. If you can wait another two or three weeks the snow won't be as much of an issue.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: c9h13no3, Google [Bot], JohnS, Wandering Daisy and 21 guests