Advice for early June trip

[kpeter]

The Emigrant advice is useful. A couple of years ago I chose it for my annual early-season May/June trip, for all the reasons already mentioned.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9364&hilit

That year was also a dry year, but not quite so dry as this one. I was forced to use Crabtree rather than Gianelli that year due to snow at about 8700 on June 1. I would imagine that compared with that year things should be cleared out earlier than June 1, but it might be good to monitor these boards and see exactly what people discover. At this point I am more interested in when this year's mosquito season in Emigrant will peak than I am concerned about snow.

I did not much like the Crabtree trailhead and vowed to go back to Gianelli or Kennedy Meadows for my next trip, which might be this year! However, if I decide to do a little cross-x and go to the more southerly lakes (Pingree etc.) then Crabtree is the start.

[paul]

Given that Sonora Pass opened today, and the snow sensors at Gianelli Meadow and Lower Relief Valley are at zero or close to it, I expect getting to the Gianelli trailhead in June will not be an issue.

[ischenck]

Again, thank you all for the advice!
I was reading a couple TRs from june 2014 in Emigrant wilderness, and they all said the mosquitos were almost unbearable. That makes me a little concerned.

After some more research, I really like the look of doing the Northern Meadows Loop in the Golden Trout Wilderness, starting at Horseshoe Meadow. It is described here: https://goldentroutwilderness.wordpress ... dows-loop/

I have read elsewhere that Golden trout is a good early season area, especially with this drought. It also appears to be a little higher elevation than Emigrant, so ideally there would be less mosquitos. Any thoughts on this loop, or any other good 4 or 5 day hikes in Golden Trout Wilderness?

[AlmostThere]

The mosquitoes are starting now. I seriously doubt they will be a problem in June - the meadows/bogs that they love so much are dry NOW, what little snow has fallen is mostly gone to about 9500-10000 feet, and what I'll be concerned about in June is heat. If I were to judge the month by the flow of Yosemite Falls, I'd think it was July.

We are probably going into Golden Trout this May. I shudder to think what the streams will be like in June. I canceled return visits to my usual lower elevation March destinations due to high temps. Hiking above 80F is too much for me.

[paul]

That Golden Trout loop looks like lots of forest and basically no lakes - not a recipe for fun if you ask me. Almost everyone likes lakes and streams when they are out in the mountains.
Now if you want to go in that area, how about going in first to Chicken spring Lake (it's just off that route, right by Cottonwood Pass), and then to Rocky Basin Lakes (trail peels off from that route at Big Whitney Meadow).
From Rocky Basin, looks like an easy stroll up to the ridge where you should have nice views. In fact , a dayhike up onto the ridge from one end of the lakes basin , along the ridgetop and back down at the other end of the lakes looks like it would be a nice stroll with views almost all the way.

[ischenck]

Almostthere and paul,
thanks again for the replies! Hiking in high heat is also probably a no-go for my sister and her friend, as new hikers.
I like the idea of seeing some lakes in Golden Trout, I will look into your suggestion, Paul.

[Wandering Daisy]

If considering Cottonwood Pass, be aware that driving from sea level to the trailhead is a huge elevation gain done so quickly. Best to spend a night at the trailhead to acclimate and go slowly. Some people get really sick with this much elevation gain. Personally, if I were to start at the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, I would do a slow-paced tour of Cottonwood Lakes - which in my opinion, is more spectacular scenery, full of beautiful little lakes. Fishing is catch and release.

[ischenck]

Ok this has all been great input!
I have two plans:
If the snow has cleared and weather is relatively warm, we will do a trip out of Cottonwood pass. Otherwise, we will do a loop out of Gianelli in Emigrant.