Advice about Merriam Lake and Humphreys Basin

[cgundersen]

Hi Aura,

Among the many helpful comments you've gotten and responded to, I'm still not sure I have a clear picture how you are going to get from Piute pass over to Merriam Lake. But let's assume your goal is to get over Piute pass and at least as far as Muriel Lake on day 1. Or, as SSSDave mentioned, if you can get to Tomahawk, that's a great option, too, but I suspect it'll be challenging with a heavy pack. If the goal then is to jam down the trail to Hutchinson Meadow and then head back up to the turnoff to Merriam, you'll be looking at another 8 (or more) miles on trail on day 2 before even getting to the use trail up to Merriam. And because this is likely to be the "buggiest" part of the trip, it won't be tons of fun (unless you're happy hiding in a tent). The other wrinkle is that the creek crossings down by Hutchinson Meadow can be a bit tricky in high runoff, so you'll want to be at the top of your game getting across to the French canyon trail. Once you hit the Merriam turnoff, it's another couple miles and a pretty demanding use trail to get to the plateau below Merriam where the trail tends to disappear. I usually try to stay to the left of Merriam's outflow creek until about halfway up the hillside and then look for a creek crossing and finish the climb up to the lake. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the rock walls lining the opposite shore of Merriam and the waterfall cascading into the lake resonate for me, so it's certainly worth the slog it takes to get there. But it won't be easy. On the other hand, even if you don't get to Merriam till day 3, this leaves you plenty of time to find a good spot below Puppet pass and then take the earlier great advice for scaling it. It's definitely better going up than down. And that gives you a couple days in Humphreys basin before heading out. It should work if you can manage the first 2-3 days and if the weather cooperates! Good luck, Cameron

[Love the Sierra]

David Senesac, I cannot find that lake at 10,900’ unless you are referring to Lobe Lakes. I see one at 10,663 between Golden Trout Lakes and Lobe Lakes,
Cameron, thank you for you comments Believe me, I have been studying this map all week and I see the elevation gain and creek crossings going to Merriam. That is why I asked.
My tentative itinerary, after staring at the maps, was first night Loch Leven, just to acclimate. 2nd night somewhere along Piute Canyon. I. Have been stuck with this part because I am not dumb enough to think of camping in Hutchinson meadow and being skeeter fodder. On the other hand, the Honeymoon Lakes are at least 1000’ elevation gain. So I was kind of stuck with the second nights camp spot.
Have any of you a good idea where to camp and not be eaten alive?
Yes, Merriam was going to be the third day and I was hoping I could hike only about 5 miles up to it then explore and enjoy the second half of that day. If it was reasonable from the movie standpoint, I would stay a second night. On my layover day, I would explore Royce Falls, as close as I could get and around Elba, Puppet, etc. I would look at Puppet and see if it is in my skill level. The next day I would leva Merriam and go over Puppet or head back on the trail towards Humphreys. Tomahawk Lake sounds like a perfect base camp. I would stay a couple of nights, explore Humphreys and out.
Looks like Hurricane Hillary has other plans for me unless I can get a walk up at the last minute on Weds or Thursday.
Can any of you very helpful folks help with a camp spot near Hutchinson but not in the meadow?
THANK YOU!

[Love the Sierra]

…On the other hand, Maybe I should just accept that this is a HIGH mosquito year and avoid Hutchinson and French Meadow and taht Creek Crossing altogether and stay in Humphreys and, if I cannot get over Puppet, make it a north trip. On the third hand, maybe I get lucky like Ken Peter in Sabrina and get that magnificent garden without the mosquitos. HAH, not a chance that I am so lucky on that last one.
…Ad on the 4th hand, since tropical Storm Hilary messed with my permit and date of entry, maybe I just go to a diff ent place altogether?
Okay, now I am thinking too much. I was better off with only two hands.
So, help with a camp site near French Canyon Piute junction would be great! Merriam sounds wonderful! Last year we were at Honeymoon Lake, near Pine Creek, (Lots of honeymoons out there) and there were THREE falls pouring into the lake!!

[SSSdave]

Grass Island lake is up stream 0.55 miles from Upper Golden Trout Lake. On the USGS topo, is just above the "U" and "M" in "Humphreys". One of safest places in the basin during lightning storms too. Those expansive images on my trip looking out across the basin were conveniently taken from just above where we camped. On the other (north) side of Grass Island lake well away from the water is a heavily use camp spot along the trail to Upper GTL.

[Love the Sierra]

David, thank you! Got it! I see it now. I had been looking on the west side of Golden Trout.
Also, I REALLY appreciate your addressing lightening safety. I am a chicken and I always try to do everything one is supposed to do to stay out of trouble. I was beginning to get concerned about where I would be able to safely camp. Humphreys is so barren.
All of you are so wonderful, sharing your experience!!!
No thoughts on where I might camp closer to Hutchinson for the second or third night?

[Love the Sierra]

BTW, David, you always seem to find good, unnamed spots. I will have to start doing more of the same.

[Love the Sierra]

@cgunderson, thank you for the dose of realty. I was concerned about both the high crossings and mosquitos. That is why I would only go to Merriam if I could find a decent camp spot near Hutchinson. Thank you so much for chiming in. I may just end up base camping around Humphreys and day hiking down Piute Canyon and giving Puppet a shot without a heavy pack. (I have never gone up a cross country pass with a heavy, full pack and I know my route finding is not the best.) I will be sad to miss out on Royce falls and Merriam, but we will see. I appreciate your comment “It is better going up than down.” I avoid hairy creek crossings and mosquitos and extra hard miles. Thank you again. I got it!

[Harlen]

Hi Aura,
Glad you're going there, as the Lupine flowers are going wild! Looking up above Tomshawk Lake we could see big purple patches of Lupine, and we day hiked up to them. Lupine fields were even more expansive on the cross-country hike from Mesa Lake to Lower Desolation Lake-- just stunning!

We wrote about the lack of mossies in the upper H.Basin in the Mosquito Report, and the trail conditions in the Conditions Report... basically, it's all very nice! We really enjoyed camping at Tomahawk Lake and Mesa, but the latter is very exposed. With my half-healed ankle, we chose to base camp and do nice light day hikes up high to Humphreys Lakes, and Forsaken Lake. You'll have a great time up there, and so will your dogs! [Note: saw one big old Coyote, and heard the pack howling on two occasions, and Marmots everywhere!]

[Love the Sierra]

Thanks Ian.
Oh boy! Jas will just go CRAZY over the Marmots!!! SIGH- that means an unruly dog not concentrating on her work for me.

[cgundersen]

Aura,
Based on the forecast for LA, if you can survive day 1 at Loch Leven (also not a bad site for weathering a storm), it's supposed to taper after that. And with Ian's thumbs up, it could be memorable getting into Humphreys basin. As Ian noted, there are good places to camp around Tomahawk that'll probably be exposed enough not to be buggy. I've also followed the outlet creek up to Knob Lake and there is a great, elevated ridge on its southwestern side that should capture breezes and minimize bugs. Once you get that far, you can take stock and decide whether to carry your pack to Merriam. or just do it as a day hike? Otherwise, there is plenty to do in Humphreys basin and you could use your Knob/Tomahawk campsite as a base for day hikes. Cameron