High Sierra Topix

Love the chat, but please keep it on topic fellas, thanks.

Mav et al., I would really like to make this trip. I can probably get the week off (July 20-24) and include the Sunday before and the Saturday after for a total of 7 days. I've never been south of Mammoth in the Sierra so the area, and associated trail heads, are foreign to me. I'll be coming from Sacramento in a normal passenger car (Subaru Impreza). I'm comfortable with up to Class 3 passes and have moderate experience with cross-country travel. What trail head(s) and route(s) would you recommend I look into? Thanks.

Hi FeetFirst,

You have several options to approach KB from the east, each have their own unique
qualities.
Shepherd, Onion, and Horseshoe may be an option, especially since their are some
members who have indicated their intentions of using these trailheads, and also
interest in a key exchange, and/or maybe a hiking partner.
Looking forward to meeting you FeetFirst.

Thanks, Mav. The planning begins...

Cottonwood pass is the easiest. Its 30 miles each way via pct/hst, but you start @10k with Max elev at 11.5k past chickenspring. Shepherd is the shortest but you pay for that with a long steep trail.

Edit: actually Trail crest is the shortest but you have to climb to 13.6 from 8.5 + somehow get a zone permit. Oh and add the same climb out on the return from kern cyn.

A route I have done in the past- not the easiest but direct, with one big up and one down. Crescent Meadow - Hamilton Lake - Keweah Gap (all trail up to here) - Keweah Queen? Col - upper Keweah Basin. Could do it in two long days if you have a light pack. Easy to do in three days. I am not sure how this mileage compares to your east side routes. It is a pretty spectacular route.

By the way, what was the elevation of the lake you planned on camping at in Keweha Basin?

WD wrote:
By the way, what was the elevation of the lake you planned on camping at in Kaweah Basin?

10,600 ft

I'm interested in this trip. Horseshoe to Shepherd seems the easiest to manage for me but I'm also considering Crescent Meadow to Shepherd via the Nine Lakes Basin since I've never been on the HST and coming from the SF Bay Area, I could begin my hike on day 1 (can't if I start from Horseshoe). However, I'm a little intimidated by Pants Pass. Also, how do people manage transportation on these west-east treks?

Hi Rockyroad,

Pyra-Queen Col is a more direct route than Pants Pass, putting you directly into Kaweah
Basin, and will be a little less intimidating than PP for you. HST Map

PS May have to do this route myself, if I cannot get the time needed to do a long trip, so
maybe we can hook up since I will be coming from the Bay Area myself.

Hi Mav, it would be great to hook up if our trips are aligned. Thanks for the suggested path over Pyra-Queen Col. I'll take a look at it.