Decisions help

[larree0]

Looks like the skeeters are gonna be in force up here (Oregon) until December so we're heading to our favorite range of light. Researched HST for ideas, we're OLD so we can go mid week AFTER Labor day (yea) but try to limit it to 5/7 miles/day. Like to set base camp, away from the crowds, and day trip to pretty places (I leave fly rods at home, 100+ days is enough) sooo..

Kibbie Lk. The ranger said , "Road's fine and the gate is closed in December, that's not what I've read here so can anyone give us info? Also would lake 7952 NE of Sachse springs be a nice camp area if we extend a bit and do Kibbie ridge instead?

Meis -Dardanelles lks area, many people after labor day?

Waca - Pyramid lks, when does the shuttle shut down? Topo! and High Sierra maps make the cross country look reasonable but Peggy doesn't like steep stuff (where you can reach straight out and touch the granite)

Any suggestions/info greatly appreciated
btw, we've already done 5 lakes basin, baltimore/beyers lks area and N Desolation so looking for new areas in N Sierras.
thanks

[oldranger]

larreeO

Unless there are some significant early storms the Sierra will be really dry. Instead of my usual trip to the Sierra in September I'm heading for the Wallowas and plan on getting out just before deer season starts. Besides I already have 42 days in the Sierra this year.

Mike

[giantbrookie]

Researched HST for ideas, we're OLD so we can go mid week AFTER Labor day (yea) but try to limit it to 5/7 miles/day. Like to set base camp, away from the crowds, and day trip to pretty places (I leave fly rods at home, 100+ days is enough) sooo..

Kibbie Lk. The ranger said , "Road's fine and the gate is closed in December, that's not what I've read here so can anyone give us info? Also would lake 7952 NE of Sachse springs be a nice camp area if we extend a bit and do Kibbie ridge instead?

Meis -Dardanelles lks area, many people after labor day?

Waca - Pyramid lks, when does the shuttle shut down? Topo! and High Sierra maps make the cross country look reasonable but Peggy doesn't like steep stuff (where you can reach straight out and touch the granite)
btw, we've already done 5 lakes basin, baltimore/beyers lks area and N Desolation so looking for new areas in N Sierras.
thanks

Here are a few suggestions as well as answers to your queries.
Ans to queries first.
1. As for Kibbie, when I went out of Cherry Lake in late September 1994 the gate was closed at Cherry Lake and the USFS said they routinely did that during deer hunting season to provide a buffer between the USFS land where hunting is legal and Yosemite, where it is not. However, if the ranger told you the gate is open until December, this policy may have changed. If you just tromp up Kibbie ridge it is a way to go until you reach a good camp spot.

2. Meiss-Dardanelle area is OK but it is not as scenic as the more popular Winnemucca Lake area south of Carson Pass. I believe there are better options in the Desolation area.

3. Waca-Pyramid. The shuttle shut down date varies by the year. This having been a dry winter will mean that it will shut down earlier than usual. If you plan to hike into this area off of the end of the shuttle (presumably via Lake of the Woods etc.) call ahead. Week after Labor Day should be fine.

Other suggestions from N to S.
Jamieson Creek drainage, north of Lakes Basin. This is well north of Donner Summit and is reached from the Graeagle/Blairsden area. This is a beautiful little basin where the first lake (Grass Lake) is some 2 miles in and the furthest lake in is all of 4 miles or so. It is a bit less popular than the Lakes Basin proper, where you can also work out a few and even shorter hikes in scenic territory. I doubt they'll be many folks up here midweek after Labor Day, in fact.

You mentioned doing hikes in North Desolation, but what about SE Desolation out of Glen Alpine (Fallen Leaf Lake). A hike of about 5 miles gets you to scenic Susie Lake and a bit more gets you to even more beautiful Heather Lake. The backdrop here is a bit more colorful than the light gray granite background of the Waca-Pyramid area given that you have the red tones and such of metamorphic rocks.

If Lower Velma Lake (about 4.5 miles from Eagle Falls trailhead) is not part of your "North Desolation" list of previously-visited places than this part of Desolation is highly recommended. That is a really pretty lake.

The west flank Desolation isn't so bad either, if you haven't been up to the Twin Lakes/Island Lakes area (3-4 plus miles from Wrights Lake).

I can't believe you would really leave your rod at home. There is some mighty fine fishing in these parts.

[kpeter]

I did Kibbie ridge in early June. My write up and pictures are here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7795" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I thought the area seemed dry then. I imagine it is very dry now, with no water at all between the trailhead and Sachse.

I did not check out Lake 7952 but if you do hike the ridge, my favorite spot to camp would be due south of the pond just before Styxx Pass. There is a nice campsite with a magnificent view overlooking Many Island Lake. You would have to haul water from the pond. My photo of Many Island comes from that campsite.

I think there are many other, better 5-6 mile hikes with basecamp potential. Kibbie Ridge is longer than that and passes through some uninteresting territory. The better basecamp hikes in my opinion tend to be on the east side, further south, and tend to be more crowded, though that probably won't be a problem in September. Little Lakes Valley from Mosquito Flat trailhead, Ediza from Agnews Meadows, Blue Lake/Dingleberry Lake from Sabrina, Duck/Pika Lake from Mammoth, or Long Lake out of the South Lake trailhead would all be excellent short packs with good basecamp potential and things to do once you settle in. But these don't meet your specification of Northern Sierras. The Mammoth trailheads, however, are really only a little more than an extra hour away compared with the Kibbie trailhead. Kibbie is a slow 25 miles off the highway, and by then you could have crossed Yosemite and be nearing Mammoth. Something to think about.

If sticking with northern Sierras, have you hiked to any of the destinations out of Wright's Lake in SW Desolation? I was there in late July and there are half a dozen destinations that are 5-6 miles in. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8115" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Departing from the Sierras, I enjoyed one spectacular trip in the Trinity Alps--not too far from Oregon. And if you have a mind to go east you could try the Seven Devils in Idaho, my childhood haunt. Similar to the Wallowas but on the other side of the canyon.

[larree0]

Thank you all,

I'll research all those suggestions.

The S 2/3's of Desolation is new to us, we were just worried about crowds of people but maybe after labor day not too many??

Yes , we're making a big loop: Oregon, Sierras, Point Reyes, Oregon so the east side is a possibility, would like to be near (less than 2 hour's drive) the trailhead with 10-11 hour drive so Bridgeport is probably as far south as we would get.

[no2haven]

The road to Cherry Lake is paved and a good (albeit long and slow) drive. The Kibbie road is 'good' in the sense that its passable. If you have low-clearance, however, I'd be cautious...I didn't get my Ford Focus to the top (stopped at the top of the last switchback in a huge pullout with several other low-clearance cars) though I did see a Civic in the trailhead lot. There are a few places a sedan could easily bottom out if you're not careful, as well as a few places where a sedan WILL bottom out no matter what.

If you're willing to go to Bridgeport, go another 20 minutes farther south...Green Lakes/Summit Lake/Virginia Lakes is a very scenic area with reasonable mileage (in your 5-7mi range) that is a great basecamp + dayhike area.