Re: 2019 Trip Planning - Permit Lottery and Suggested Routes?
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:53 pm
I like many of the suggestions above, but will add one to them, Minaret Lake Loop. This might be a bit shorter than you want by itself, but you could extend it by heading further north to Garnet Lake followed by some class 2 off trail hiking to Lake Ediza, then the standard route the rest of the way: Iceberg Lake (fishing), Cecile Lake, Minaret Lake (fishing), back to Reds Meadow. The reason I suggest this is because if you are flying in, the logistics of getting from the Reno airport to Mammoth then to the trailhead from Mammoth are easy.
Day 1: Devils Postpile shuttle to Agnew Meadows then 5 miles to Garnet Lake on trail followed by off trail to the west end of the lake for isolation.
Day 2: Garnet Lake off trail to Ediza then up to Iceberg Lake for fishing or just fewer/no people.
Day 3: Very short day to Minaret Lake (~2 miles), fishing?
Day 4: Minaret Lake to Reds Meadow, passing by Devils Postpile, shuttle back into Mammoth.
None of these days is more than 8 miles, and you could even hike as far as 1000 Island Lake on Day 1, then off trail to Garnet and Ediza on Day 2, and still keep it to no more than 8 miles per day.
Day 1: Devils Postpile shuttle to Agnew Meadows then 5 miles to Garnet Lake on trail followed by off trail to the west end of the lake for isolation.
Day 2: Garnet Lake off trail to Ediza then up to Iceberg Lake for fishing or just fewer/no people.
Day 3: Very short day to Minaret Lake (~2 miles), fishing?
Day 4: Minaret Lake to Reds Meadow, passing by Devils Postpile, shuttle back into Mammoth.
None of these days is more than 8 miles, and you could even hike as far as 1000 Island Lake on Day 1, then off trail to Garnet and Ediza on Day 2, and still keep it to no more than 8 miles per day.