Planned an overnighter from Horseshoe Meadows to Rocky Basin Lakes (RBL). Delayed a day due to a late season storm that saw temps reportedly in the teens on night of 5/26/12.
Left the trailhead at about 9am on 5/27/12. Hiked over Cottonwood Pass, down to Big Whitney Meadows (BWM), then on to RBL. Trail was 100% clear. Very few snow patches in sight. Relatively dry conditions across the meadows already. What a contrast from last year! I can't imagine what late summer will be like.
Trail beyond BWM to RBL is washed away for a significant distance. I ended up losing the trail both going and coming back and spent a bit of time wandering around before I found it. I saw only one set of indistinct tracks and no people past BWM. It doesn't appear that many people go this way (read on).
Despite the late spring storm and low temps (lows in the 20's and reported down to teens), the mosquito population is very healthy at RBL. Maybe due in part to the lack of fish? (The lakes are reportedly cleared of fish - I certainly saw none.) I stopped at the trail crest above RBL and was swarmed. It got worse as I neared the lakes, so I decided to backtrack rather than spend the night at RBL.
Like a horse to water, I ended up hiking all the way back to Horseshoe Meadows by about 8pm. Nice, but long day.
BTW - this was my first day out with a new Osprey Exos 58 pack. It was very comfortable. I was packing about 25 lb load, and this seemed to work very well.
Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
- cloudlesssky
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Re: Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
I'm surprised RBL was mosquito infested. There weren't any at Vidette Meadow, and it's lower elevation and often mosquito hell.
The night of the 26th was cold indeed -- I camped at about 11,400 and it was one of the coldest nights I've experienced.
The night of the 26th was cold indeed -- I camped at about 11,400 and it was one of the coldest nights I've experienced.
- maverick
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Re: Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
Hi Cloudlesssky,
Welcome to HST. Thank you for posting you TR and the info about the mosquitos!
Welcome to HST. Thank you for posting you TR and the info about the mosquitos!
How cold was that in F Quentinc?Quentinc wrote:
The night of the 26th was cold indeed -- I camped at about 11,400 and it was one of the
coldest nights I've experienced.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
Mav, I didn't have a thermometer, although I'd guess around low teens. It felt about the same as when I was in Evolution Basin last year, on the 1st of November.
- Mradford
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Re: Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
That sounds like one hell of a day hike!! I have wanted to check out RLB for a while now. I would love to see some photos if you have any!
Thanks for the Skeeter info as well.
-Mike
Thanks for the Skeeter info as well.
-Mike
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Re: Rocky Basin Lakes TR - 5/27/12
The RBL's are indeed Mosquito hell. You could have continued on to Funston Lake where you would have found the mosquitos to be much more manageable.
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