Mosquito Flats to Pine Creek roadend hike

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mikewest2012
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Mosquito Flats to Pine Creek roadend hike

Post by mikewest2012 »

First off, thanks for being there, especially for those of us who love the sierras but don't get to get up there much. A great resource. As the post title suggests, I'm trying to do an overniter with a few friends later in the summer and thought of going from Mosquito flats to Pine Creek or vice versa. My question is, is their a trail connecting the 2? I looked at your (excellent) map and it appears the trail from Mosquito might peter out past chickenfoot lake, and the trail from Pine Creek might peter out around lower Morgan Lake. If that's not the way to go, let me know what a better route might be. As always, we won't have much time, so I'm trying to do a 1 nighter, maybe could do 2. Will be driving up from L.A. area, so will stay a night up there (maybe Rock Creek Lake), then hike out in the morning. If there is a good route, where would be a good place to camp (near a lake perhaps)? Here are answers to the questions in the introductory post:

What level of backpacking experience do you have?

Level 2- Some backpacking trips, using trails - hiked Whitney (2-day) twice, Kearsarge Pass, some San Gabriel Mtn. hikes, but only 2-3 times/yr.

What terrain are you comfortable/uncomfortable with?
- Class 1 terrain/trail hiking
- Class 2 terrain/pass/x-country (maybe, if the x country is relatively simple.)

What is your main interest?
- Lakes
- Forests
- Big Mountain scenery

How many days/nights is your trip, not including travel to trailhead? 1-2
How many miles did you want to do a day, any layovers? 5-10
Did you prefer a loop or out and back trip? This is a shuttle (one-way) trip.
Will you be hiking with a dog? No

Thanks!
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paul
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Re: Mosquito Flats to Pine Creek roadend hike

Post by paul »

USGS topos show that trail going through.
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mikewest2012
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Re: Mosquito Flats to Pine Creek roadend hike

Post by mikewest2012 »

Excellent, thank you Paul. Now would anyone know the approximate mileage and a good place to camp for the night, somewhere around the halfway point?
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maverick
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Re: Mosquito Flats to Pine Creek roadend hike

Post by maverick »

Hi Mike,

It is only just (approx) 12.7 miles which can easily be done in a day. Only the section
from Morgan Pass to the end of Lower Morgan Lake is unmaintained, but still easy
enough to follow.
Where you want to camp will be up to your liking. There are numerous lakes in LLV
that offer great campsite, beautiful views, and fish. Upper Hidden Lakes has marvelous
views to offer of Abbot, Dade, and Bear Creek Spire with beautiful morning
reflections or even moonlit reflections.
Chickenfoot, Gem, and even Treasure Lakes are very pretty, and offer more solitude
during the peak season.
Here is a link of the upper lakes so you can get an idea of what they look like, but you
do have to climb over rocky terrain to get to them: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jensenl/ ... 06/sierra/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here are some photo's taken of LLV.
Panorama of Little Lake Valley looking back toward Morgan Pass:
http://www.WildernessApertures.com/img/ ... 7755-6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hidden Lakes morning reflections:
http://www.WildernessApertures.com/img/ ... 4837-6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Moonlit reflection at Hidden Lake:
http://www.WildernessApertures.com/img/ ... 3015-6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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
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