Need rec's for cool mountain towns to hike high peaks from

[nkorobov]

Hey everyone,

My fiance and I will be taking our honeymoon on the eastern side of the Sierras in JULY 2010! We haven't been yet and need advice. The one and only thing we love to do is hike high peaks, and we will only be doing day hikes (would like them to generally be less than 12-13 miles RT). We'd like 1) a NICE cabin (it's our honeymoon) in an area that is slightly removed but accessible to some city along 395, 2) have it be in an area not hot in July, and 3) most importantly as close to as many trailheads to 13-14k high peak options as possible. We won't have a 4wd (if that matters) and we are comfortable with up to class 3 hiking.

Could you Sierra hiking veterans recommend some cool towns/areas that you think we might like? And then some 13-14k peaks (and their trailheads!) that are close to that area?

Thanks very much!!

[kgw]

Big Pine. Up the road to Big Pine Creek, there are cabins, and the trail up to the Palisades is not long.

Here's a shot of the cabins from the beginning of the North Fork Big Pine Creek trail:

[giantbrookie]

There are cabins along the Bishop Creek road out of Bishop, too. I know there are some in Aspendell downstream of Lake Sabrina, and I'm pretty sure there are others on both forks (both the fork going to South Lake and the one going to Sabrina). I recall visiting some friends who were staying in one of these, once, and it was nice indeed.

[markskor]

TPR, Tioga Pass Resort, just outside Tioga's high Yosemite entrance, rents cabins with easy access to Dana, Conness, Saddlebag, and Bennitville (spelling?) mine area.

[TehipiteTom]

For planning purposes, I highly recommend Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Sierra (Wilderness Press). Very useful for what you have in mind.

[hikehigh]

Check out this little cabin on Hilton Creekhttp://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/va ... 58927.html