early march trip suggestions SEKI area (or south of that )

[thecouch]

hello looking for tips or suggestion for a trip I have planned . flying from Australia to vegas for a wedding early march 2023 . I will be bring along my 15yo son as he has just got into hiking . Ive always wanted to do a multi day hike in the sierra Nevada

Ive been into trail running for a decade and go on a few 1-3 day fastpacking/hiking trips a year . mostly marked trails but a bit of bush bashing on the local trails .son has just start hiking . plan over next 12 months or so is to do a few short trips to get him use to it including some winter hiking when it looks like snowing near me north of sydney .

looking at 2-5 nights and 20 to 50 miles

Ive been looking for trails but Im finding it hard to find anything that might be suitable for this time of year . if it was summer I would be looking for Rae lake loop sort of trail . dont really care where in the seki (west or east) or south of there (going to yosemite with younger kids for day hikes this sept this year ) . just want pine/cedar forest and granite type scenery you would get on a trail like rae lake loops or longer trails .

only thing Ive seen that might work is Middle Fork Kaweah Trail . do you think we might be able to get up as high as hamilton lake

[balzaccom]

Early March in the High Sierra will be covered with about ten feet of snow. Not really any options there.

But if you are in Vegas, you could certainly get to Zion, Escalante, or some other nice areas of the Southwest for some memorable hiking in March. North Rim of the Grand Canyon will still be closed...But Joshua Tree and Death Valley are lovely that time of year.

[Wandering Daisy]

Zion and Grand Canyon are hard to get permits. South Rim Grand Canyon IS open, and it is a good time for that. But you need to get on the internet and see if you can get a permit. You may get lucky. Some parts of Zion and Escalante may still have some snow. Zion has become a very busy place the last decade or so- not like it used to be.

[wildhiker]

March is an excellent time to visit Death Valley National Park, with pleasant temperatures. Backpacking is difficult, because you mostly have to carry all your water, but there are a lot of interesting day hikes you can do. If you are really lucky and there has been some rainfall in the winter, wildflowers can be prolific in Death Valley in March. But that only seems to happen about once every ten years.
-Phil

[Harlen]

Gid'day Couch, I am the resident member who likes to freeze his bollocks, so here is my perspective: If you have your heart set on the snowy Sierra--Granite, Giant Sequoias, and the rest of the amazing coniferous forest, why not give it a try? You'll probably be able to drive to both Lodgepole Campground, and Wolverton trailhead. From that TH, you can hike through beautiful Red Fir forest, over "The Hump," and down into a wonderland of craggy granite peaks. You'll pass by Emerald and Pear Lakes, and into the open country called "The Tablelands." There is even a well-heated ski hut by Pear Lake for those with money, but you can't freeze your bollocks there, so we've always camped in the snow. You can slog all around the frozen lakes and up into the Tablelands with snowshoes, or maybe just your good winter boots, if the snowpack has set up nicely by then.

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The Red Fir Forest right out of Wolverton TH, en route to The Hump. (in summer)

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View from The Hump, 4.3 mi from Wolverton TH. (around April)

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Nice peaks and frozen lakes on the way to Pear Lake.

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Son at camp on Pear Creek, below the posh hut. 6.5 miles - about 10 km. in from Wolverton. (Nathan here is happier than he looks.)


If you're having fun, you can hike all around in a magnificent alpine landscape at the top of the Tablelands, for views like these:

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Summer view east from high in the Tablelands. ~7 miles above Pear Creek, total of 13 or 14 miles from the TH.


And if you're getting miserably cold, you can always retreat back into the forest, or the ski hut, and do day trips from there?
I'm not sure if it's legal to hike into the Sequoia forest and camp in there, but I did it once with my 10 year old son, hiking out of Sequoia's Crescent Meadow area. It was April or May, and there was still a lot of snow. I believe you can leave your car at Lodgepole, and take a shuttle around, at least to the General Sherman tree area. Part of your retreat could also include day hikes from Wolverton out to Panther Gap, and another from Crescent Meadow as far as you like on the High Sierra Trail you mentioned. I think it might be well worth a try. Freezing your arse builds character.

Send me a pm, perhaps we can help you with the gear if you choose to go here.

[maverick]

There is even a well-heated ski hut by Pear Lake for those with money, but you can't freeze your bollocks there, so we've always camped in the snow.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21962&p=168998&hili ... ut#p168998

[thecouch]

thanks for all the replys . thinking of doing a overnight in grand canyon and then heading to seki . doing a easy day trip first with snowshoe/crampons (like big tree trail ) and if weather is ok and we feeling good then go for a couple night overnight hike ((pear lake hut sounds like could be a good option) .at worst can stay in hotel or campsite near by the road and just do a few day trips