Trip Advice -- 6 day, 2 person trip

[alpinemike]

Since no one mentioned Upper Kern Basin I would say that would be another great addition to an exploration of Wallace/Wales Basin. Getting into the Upper Kern is not only fairly trailed but also really easy from the Wallace/Wales Basin. It involves a bit of backtracking North up the JMT and then taking the Upper Kern Loop cutoff at which point that heads toward Lake South America. There's plenty of big mountain scenery in the Upper Kern as well as a plethora of great peaks that you can bag. And the sunset views are phenomenal.

[papercup]

Hmm. Also looks like a beautiful option. Upper Kern Basin could be an alternative to the Crabtree/Miter/Langley finish, particularly if we want to come back out Shepherd Pass and don't want to worry about setting a shuttle. Maybe spend a day heading from Wallace/Wales to Upper Kern, then spend some time dayhiking (Caltech? Lucy's Foot to Ericsson? Just exploring some lakes?) before heading back toward Shepherd Pass and out.

So many options. Too bad I don't have more time...

[Saltydog]

I am looking a a lollipop version of the HIgh Sierra Trail. Breaking left at Junction Meadow and returning over Pants Pass. Should be about the same number of days, and at your pace include bagging a Kaweah or two. Lots of info on the spectacular HST, so I won't burden the discussion with pics etc. Another variation from the same starting point, and less traveled than HST would be HST to Lone Pine Creek, Elizabeth Pass, Deadman Canyon etc returning over Colby and then Pants.

[alpinemike]

Not that the scenery up to Elizabeth Pass from Lone Pine Creek is bad or even sub par but that trail is absolutely awful at least in my experience. Completely unrelenting for almost 3,400FT in just 3 miles. That's over a 1000 ft of vertical in every mile of distance covered. To me that's a brutal trail. And on top of that when I did it last year it was brutally hot. I did it going North to South and I would definitely recommend sticking to it that way. Also I lost the trail in that part because it's been in disrepair and losing it going uphill really could mean some annoying backtracking or cliffs. I completely vouch for going there just doing it North to South instead of South to North.