High Sierra Topix

Hiya, thanks for the great report. What would you say about hiking this loop clockwise? Being from Chicago (around 600 feet) it looks like that would grant more time to acclimate before hitting some of the highest elevation on the route.

I'm looking to head out that way in mid July 2019 and am considering either the HST or a loop like this one in SEKI. Looking to do 10-14 miles per day over 7 days.

Going clockwise would be completely reasonable. It also would have the advantage of getting the two least interesting legs of the journey over with early. On your first day you could head over Timber Gap to Cliff Creek, or push further to Redwood Meadows. I met a couple of groups who were doing exactly that. Redwood Meadows wouldn't be my favorite camping spot, but it would get you off to a good start so that you could make Hamilton the next day. It means less elevation but more miles at the start of the trip (although Timber Gap is deceptive--7800 to 9500 on a sunny slope isn't everyone's favorite start to a trip.) However, if I had it to do over again, I might well choose to go clockwise.

http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... ng#p124452

On the other hand, going counterclockwise gets you up into spectacular country immediately, and that can also be good for the soul when you are starting out (it is 7800 to 10300 to Franklin, but the trail is exceptionally well graded.) When I went I chose counterclockwise chiefly to give the ice floe in the crack north of Hamilton Lake a few extra days to melt out before I reached it. When I started my trip it was still reputed to be problematic--people were going under it through a tunnel or over it with crampons. By the time I got there the trail was clear. But that would not be a problem by late July in most years.

Excellent, thanks for the input!

Really great photos.
Just enough words to make them worth reading.
Thanks.