Looking for a High Sierra loop hike

[roseymonster]

Hi all. Some of you I know from other forums but glad to be introduced to this one. Thanks, Phil!

Anyway, I am interested in a 5-8 day trip, preferably a loop trail. The catch is, I'd like it to be dog accessible and that means no national parks. I can go anywhere in John Muir, Inyo, etc. but not Sequoia or Yosemite. This will be mid-Oct.

Thanks for any and all input.

J.

[langenbacher]

I was just up by Thousand Island Lake Aug. 26-27 - it was beautiful. This is south of Yosemite, near Mammoth, and it's got a lot of trails around there so you could probably figure out a good loop. The Rock Creek area is very nice and not near national parks.

[Snow Nymph]

Hi Rosey,
Good to see you here! Our friends brought their dog Bailey on trips to the Rock Creek area. We didn't do any multi-day trips, so not sure where to go from there.

I think I remember someone doing a trip with their dog from June Lake (Rush Creek?) and going to Thousand Island Lake and around that area.

[roseymonster]

Hey Snowy. Thanks for the input, both of you.

I see Buck is on here and I know he has two dogs and is able to get out quite a bit. I'll ask him what he sees as opportunities.

Looking forward to doing some hanging out over here. Cool board!

[TehipiteTom]

Hi all. Some of you I know from other forums but glad to be introduced to this one. Thanks, Phil!

Anyway, I am interested in a 5-8 day trip, preferably a loop trail. The catch is, I'd like it to be dog accessible and that means no national parks. I can go anywhere in John Muir, Inyo, etc. but not Sequoia or Yosemite. This will be mid-Oct.

Thanks for any and all input.

J.

The westside has all kinds of great loop possibilities in that range, outside of the National Parks. Your best bet would be something out of either Florence or Edison lakes, IMO, although Courtright also offers some great options.

What's your position on cross-country? If you're willing, it makes things a lot more flexible.

[giantbrookie]

The westside has all kinds of great loop possibilities in that range, outside of the National Parks. Your best bet would be something out of either Florence or Edison lakes, IMO, although Courtright also offers some great options. What's your position on cross-country? If you're willing, it makes things a lot more flexible.

I agree that the westside offers many possibilities , including some that are probably not as physically taxing as most 5-8 day loops one would plan out of the east side. I'm also a big fan of off trail stuff, and agree that it does add tremendously to the options, but there are still some good options available if you don't feel comfortable leaving a trail. I think Courtwright-Wishon is a good area for more moderate level trips and the loops get a bit more rugged (of course this also means more impressive scenery, though) as one goes out of Edison or Florence. There are also a host of possibilities in the Granite Creek drainage of Ansel Adams Wilderness (accessed from north of Oakhurst off of SR41). Emigrant Wilderness (N. of Yosemite) is another fine area for loops, particularly in the fall when the notorious clouds of Emigrant mosquitoes have gone.

[roseymonster]

Excellent info. Thanks. No, I don't have a problem with cross country. Thanks!

SJN