Help Me Craft a Bucket List of Trips

[kdemtchouk]

Hello! I know some people have strong opinions about the idea of a bucket list, but here I go soliciting some ideas for what to put on mine

Over the last several years I've been exploring various aspects of the outdoors, first falling in love with beginner backpacking, then mountaineering (Baker, Rainier, Shasta, Hood, some CA 14ers), then trying my hand at the JMT NoBo (late June last year, starting at Cottonwood Lakes and bailing at Kearsarge Pass). The JMT was a good learning experience. I realized I'm comfortable with solitude...up to a point...and that I probably best enjoy 2-4 hard days out on the trail before I go a little crazy. I'm comfortable with off-trail travel, but wouldn't want to do a trip with extended bushwacking or talus scrambling.

With these preferences in mind, I have started to craft a list of trips to shoot for over the next several years. Wise people of High Sierra Topix, what do you think is missing or unnecessary on this list?

What I've done:
-Shorter trips out of Yosemite valley, both South rim and North rim
-Florence Lake to Evolution Valley
-Wishon to Tehipite Valley
-Mt Langley from Cottonwood Lakes
-Mt Whitney main trail
-Mt Tyndall and Williamson via Shepherd Pass
-Middle Palisade/some other exploring up North Fork Big Pine Creek
-JMT (Cottonwood to Kearsarge)

What's on my list so far (orienting north to south):
-Crown Point Loop (Twin Lakes -> Benson Lake -> Matterhorn Canyon)
-Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne Loop (White Wolf -> Glen Aulin -> Ten Lakes)
-Clark Range (some sort of loop over Red Peak Pass)
-Ritter Range (Red's Meadow -> Minaret Lake -> Edize Lake -> Thousand Island Lake -> Donohue Pass -> Tuolomne Meadows)
-Silver Divide (some sort of loop to visit Peter Pande Lake)
-Pioneer Basin (Mosquito Flat -> Pioneer Basin, possibly visiting 3rd/4th Recesses)
-Humphreys Basin (some sort of loop, mostly off-trail, from North Lake)
-North Lake/South Lake Loop via Lamarck Col
-Red Mountain Basin/Bench Valley Lakes (loop out of Courtright)
-JMT (Sawmill Pass to Bishop Pass, climbing Split Mountain)
-Monarch Divide (Kennedy Pass/Granite Pass Loop)
-Rae Lakes Loop (possibly visiting Lake Reflection and climbing Mt Brewer)
-Deadman Canyon (Lodgepole -> Silliman Pass -> Elizabeth Pass -> Bearpaw Meadow)
-Mineral King (Franklin Pass -> Big Five Lakes -> Little Five Lakes -> Timber Gap)

Thank you for any advice! I know I'm an extremely type-A person

[grampy]

kdemtchouk -
Yes, you probably won’t get a “bucket list” out of the most experienced HST members, but you should at least answer some more questions about yourself if you want useful input:
As a self-described “Type A” person, what motivates you on your trips; seeing (and photographing) great scenery, fishing, or just “putting in miles” ? Does a trip need to be “epic”, or just personally satisfying ?

There isn’t tons of “solitude” on the JMT, even if you travel solo. What caused you to bail on your JMT trip ? Cottonwood to Kearsarge (TH to TH) is around 50 miles - 5-6 days (or less); would hiking with a partner have helped ? Or did you mean that you want to limit trips to 4 days or so in any case, and do “long” (15 miles or more) days to accomplish your goals ?

What are your physical limits ?

And as for your first-cut at a list, it looks great. If you want to add to it, try reading a lot of trip reports in this forum, find a few destinations that intrigue you, and then ask some questions about those trips, to see if they are suitable for you.

[dave54]

You are limiting yourself to the Sierra Nevada.

How about:
The Lost Coast
Channel Islands or the Trans-Catalina Trail.
A paddle trip from Redding to Red Bluff on the Sac River (or further)
Bicycling Highway 1.
Redwood Creek in Redwood NP.
Desert hiking in winter in any of the BLM wilderness areas or Mojave Preserve
Trinity Alps or Marble Mountains

How about a multi-modal trip? Starting at Butte Lake in Lassen Volcanic NP, paddle to the south end of the lake. Stash the canoe/kayak. Hike SW through the Park, exiting near Spencer Meadows (or all the way past Heart Lake if you want). Retrieve a previously stashed bike, and bikepack to your start at Butte Lake. Leaving the bike at your vehicle, hike to the south end of Butte Lake and retrieve your canoe/kayak.

These are all California trips. You can leave the state, too. Zion NP in Utah is about the same distance from Los Angeles as to Lake Tahoe.

[c9h13no3]

You are limiting yourself to the Sierra Nevada.

We are literally in a forum called "High Sierra Topix", no?

[oleander]

Hey, kdemtchouk,

I think your list is outstanding. You did your research. And you are in for a treat.

My recommended Rae Lakes loop is to do it from the east side. Kearsarge Pass, Glen Pass, Rae Lakes, 60 Lakes Basin layover; then out Baxter Pass. That is a much improved experience over the more common loop from the west side; and there is lots to see. Save Mt. Brewer/Lake Reflection for an entirely separate trip; especially if your tendency is to dislike anything much over 4 days.

Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne: Park your car at Tuolumne Meadows, hitch to White Wolf, and then walk up the Grand Canyon back to your car. Don't bother with Ten Lakes; not all that interesting.

Deadman: Personally I just really dread that utterly tedious trail section between Lost Lake (just past the Silliman Crest) and Roaring River Ranger Station. An outstanding alternative would be Wolverton-Alta Trail-High Sierra Trail-Elizabeth Pass-Deadman Canyon-Big Bird Lake-Tablelands-return to Wolverton via Tablelands.

Tell us more about your experience? You've done Mt. Williamson, so you are likely comfortable with some Class 3 exposure. Some people who are comfortable with that as a dayhike, are not so comfortable doing that kind of terrain with a full pack; or perhaps are not fully confident with more complex off-trail navigation even when your feet are comfortable with the terrain. So, what are some of your strengths & weaknesses in backcountry travel with a full pack? That will help us help you think through some nice loops that fit well with what you're looking for. Most of the ones you named are on-trail only; nothing wrong with that at all especially if you do like long trail days and don't crave solitude.

- Oleander

[kdemtchouk]

Apologies, this reply is much overdue! Still getting the hang of notification preferences on this forum.

@grampy I tend to be motivated by scenery/photography. Especially beautiful lakes with craggy peaks in the backdrop. I also tend to pick trips that offer some physical challenge with 15-20mi days on trail (or equivalent off trail difficulty).

I bailed on the JMT after attempting it in late June 2019 — too much snow for my itinerary and I figured I would be able to enjoy myself more on another year.

4 days tends to be my limit for spending time solo before I get lonely or feel guilty leaving my wife and our dog behind haha.

My physical limits are:
-comfortable with up to 25mi/day on trail
-comfortable with class 2/easy 3 with an overnight pack (climbed Middle Pal via the red rock route a couple years ago and that sort of sustained class 3 would have been difficult with a pack)

@oleander Thank you! I did put a lot of research into my list and I’ve gone on several of these trips by now (a year later haha).

I ended up doing the full Toulomne loop and, agreed, Ten Lakes was not worth the trouble. Also did the Deadman Canyon loop earlier this year and the area around Roaring River was pretty meh as well.

I am comfortable with easier class 3 with an overnight pack and feel pretty confident with general off-trail navigation (eg finding my way out of one drainage into another and/or choosing the right pass). I hate bushwhacking and have some difficulty finding the easiest line on scrambles (eg getting close to a peak or pass).

Are there trips involving off trail travel fitting my abilities you would recommend?

[Harlen]

oleander wrote:

I think your list is outstanding. You did your research. And you are in for a treat.
My recommended Rae Lakes loop is to do it from the east side. Kearsarge Pass, Glen Pass, Rae Lakes, 60 Lakes Basin layover; then out Baxter Pass. That is a much improved experience over the more common loop from the west side; and there is lots to see. Save Mt. Brewer/Lake Reflection for an entirely separate trip...

and you ask:

Are there trips involving off trail travel fitting my abilities you would recommend?

I agree with Lisa. There is so much to see all around the edges of the popular (crowded) Rae lakes Loop. I too like your preliminary List, but thought I saw a missing link to one of the best parts of the southern Sierra; that is, the headwaters of the Kern High Country. So, building on Lisa's point, and your query above, how about a big beautiful loop trip out of either Kearsarge or Shepherd? You could see the wonders of East Creek you desired, and then cross over one of the many of the bc passes that cross the KK Divide. Explore (and fish?) your heart out in a really special, and unique part of the Sierra there in the upper Kern:

100_4021.jpg

It's such wide open country!

100_4275.jpg

And some wild mountain basins to explore.

If you choose to come in via Kearsarge Pass, you could return via Forester Pass, which you've done, but I would recommend trying the more challenging route over Shepherd, up and over Junction Peak (the old JMT route, so not too hard to follow ) , and then you get to wander through Center Basin on your way back to Kearsarge Pass. This is a personal favorite area of ours. All the best of luck, Harlen.

[kdemtchouk]

Great idea! That scenery looks lovely.

[Wandering Daisy]

Better than taking a few people's word for good routes and locations, you should browse the trip reports to get to look at many more areas and routes. I feel that our trip reports are a great, but underutilized, resource for all sorts of trip planning.

One person's #1 may be another's less desirable- all depends on what you are after as well as when the trip was done. Hard to get enthusiastic about a trip when plagued with smoke, bugs, or horrible weather. I am always amazed when I repeat a trip that was not the greatest, only to find that with better conditions it is really great.

Sometimes our fantasy for "solitude" or "the farthest out there from roads" prevents us from seeing some really outstanding scenery. Case in point- the Minarets. Just because something is easy to get to does not mean it is less desirable. Just go shoulder seasons or mid-week to avoid most of the crowds, or enter from an oddball trailhead.

[backjassett]

A Silver Divide loop I suggest is a lollipop beginning from Duck Pass. Given that you like 2-4 hard days and don’t seem to be a fisher or like to chill too hard in the backcountry, this loop makes sense for you. Backcountry highlights are Peter Pande Lake, Cascade Valley, Izaak Walton/Cotton Lake, Lake Virginia and of course Iva Bell Hot Springs.

Day 1: Duck Pass Trailhead to Purple Lake, take Purple Creek trail down to Cascade Valley and then down to Iva Bell Hot Springs. Camp nearby. 16 miles, 1900’

Day 2: Visit Iva Bell Hot Springs in the morning, then head east on the shelf above Cascade Valley towards Peter Pande Lake. Camp nearby. Shorter day because of the visit (possibly extended) to Iva Bell. 10 miles, 3500’

Day 3: Peter Pande Lake to Tully Hole. This is also a shorter day, so setting up camp at Tully Hole and then taking a day pack over to explore the upper Fish Creek Valley is a good idea. I went to the unnamed meadow about 3 miles east on the trail, the afternoon light on Red Slate Mountain above the meadow was awesome. Lake Izaak Walton and Cotton Lakes are also amazing, and accessible with a little bit of routefinding from the trail. 8.5 miles, 1400’ to Tully Hole, adding about 6 partially off-trail miles and about 1,000ft to explore east of Tully Hole.

Day 4: Tully Hole to the trailhead via JMT. 11.5 miles, 2220’. You can extend this by taking Deer Lakes/Mammoth Crest over so you don't have to repeat Duck Pass to Coldwater CG, but it's much harder (and adds about 5 miles), plus there's a bit of talus by Deer Lakes.