Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

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Goshawk
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Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

Post by Goshawk »

Thanks, 24 hours and several great suggestions.

Paranoid is probably overstating--a lot of it is a need to constantly have a dialogue with himself (which of course the rest of us experience). He bellyaches about peak bagging a bit but always comes along, like when we went up a little peak in the Emigrant Wilderness 2 years ago, and always basically has fun but says we're crazy.

But we are going to have a planning session where we go over these things, and if he's still balky, will either bag it or go without him.

Thanks for the Desolation tip, also


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overheadx2
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Re: Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

Post by overheadx2 »

I did an easy 4 day trip to 4th recess last year. We hiked to 4th recess on day one with decent small fish. We then spent all day hiking to and around Pioneer Basin. The trail was easy to find and well worn. The trail starts off the main trail right around the 4th recess turn off. On the way to Pioneer, the trail takes you to a small shallow lake directly below Pioneer. From there you can go straight up the ridge to Pioneer or back track 50 yards to a large duc marking the trail that goes up and around to pioneer basin. The fishing was pretty good there for lots of relatively small fish. Right before you get to Pioneer Lakes there is a slight use trail to a lake directly east of pioneer. The fishing was much better there for slightly bigger fish on the deeper north side. On the way back over Mono Pass, we decided to try to make a loop and went straight up the canyon (easy, but no trail) to Golden lake. Fished it for a few hours for zero and saw lots of tad poles at the outlet so I assumed there weren't many fish. Since we are mainly about fishing we pressed on and camped at ruby lake. That lake was OK, but was kind of used since it was so close to the trail head. The trail from Golden to Mono Pass was easy and starts on the ridge south of the outlet and is well worn. Hope that helps. I wouldn't be to worried about being off trail. We were always on a relatively well used trail except for Golden Lake, and that was straight up the canyon following the outlet.
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maverick
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Re: Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

Post by maverick »

Hi Goshawk,

If you get a late start Ruby Lake is a good place to stay on the way up to Mono Pass,
also Fourth Recess Lake is an outstanding place to stay below Pioneer Basin. Well
worn trails lead up to all the lakes. Make sure to visit the lakes in the eastern end
on the basin, well worth time and effort.
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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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BigMan
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Re: Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

Post by BigMan »

Pioneer Basin is a great place for someone who's paranoid. :nod:

I highly recommend you read Phil Arnot's description of this "gentle" basin in his book "High Sierra: John Muir's Range of Light."
In wilderness lies the hope of the world.
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maverick
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Re: Pioneer Basin--4 days--request advice

Post by maverick »

Pioneer Basin Pano with views of Third and Forth Reccess in the background: http://WildernessApertures.com/img/s2/v ... 4600-6.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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