Planning potential campsites

[TahoeJeff]

There is a "show historical imagery" icon on the top tool bar. Hit that and a slider bar will pop up allowing you to change the imagery date.
Almost certainly you will be able to find a snow free pic of the area you are interested in.

[SSSdave]

I'm another person like @giantbrookie that successfully uses Google Earth plus Caltopo to find camp spots. Most of my camp spots are well away from trails or lake edges, often on never previously used spots. I don't do much more than push away loose debris like fallen tree twigs and pine cones. My tent spots are rarely the kind of heavily used spots carefully picked of even tiny pebbles many only ever use. Nor are they totally free of grass blades or a few belly plants. Nor are they perfectly flat.

I also use Caltopo beyond just the default USGS topo mode. The NAIP satellite mode allows one to understand the nature of ground surfaces. And as @TahoeJeff mentioned,in Google Earth, use the historical imagery at several dates as each will be a bit different offering bits of information. If so one ought turn on the Overlays map Contours.

Like @giantbrookie, decades of experience allows me to better understand what I am looking at on maps and satellite images. If one sees unvegetated green topo map areas it isn't difficult to separate bare soil zones from say bedrock flats or dried ephemeral shallow snow melt pooling spots or marshy flats by complementing such with Google Earth. Each one will have familiar useful characteristics. Bedrock areas are not usually pleasant tenting surfaces.

In some areas I can discern granite sand flats that are often the best clean flat substrates to tent atop. Since I often base camp, I prefer sites with afternoon shade that means below timberline. By using Google Earth one can discern tree shadows with longer shadows indicating taller trees. The types of potential flat zones and debris below shading trees will vary somewhat depending on species. I've slept under many Sierra junipers and whitebark pines. On the other hand aspen, cottonwood, willows, lodgepole, are more likely to have messy debris below. Some metamorphic geologies like shales are particular poor areas for finding usable flat sites. Great examples are many places around the Ritter Range like the Nydiver Lakes. In Caltopo Overlays, select the Geology box to understand such. Much more.

Go ahead and give me map coordinates and I'll provide an example.

[sbennett3705]

Go ahead and give me map coordinates and I'll provide an example.

Here's a stretch of trail I'm looking for a campsite, somewhere between Upper Lamarck Lk and the Col. 37.20472, -118.64811
I'm told there are sites along this stretch, not sure where. I'm flying from Chicago to Reno, then driving 3.5 hrs., so need something a couple of hours from the trailhead. Really appreciate tips on using GE to find sites.

[SNOOOOW]

Those coordinates you mentioned definitely have very useable campsites in that vicinity. I have camped a bit above there, basically between the 12k' and 11.8k' contour lines. It is a sandy area and there were some rocks for protection also. There was water running downhill also when I was last there, which was early August 2018, that previous winter was very snowy. Not sure if there would normally be water running there that time of year. Since you're coming from CHI then driving from Reno, it almost makes more sense to hike up to lower or upper lamarck and rest up for the night at a bit lower altitude for night 1. That is just my opinion. If I was having a buddy come up from the city, that is what I would do to help him acclimate a bit, but you know your capabilities. Great views from that area you're looking at. Hope this helps

[sbennett3705]

hike up to lower or upper lamarck and rest up for the night at a bit lower altitude for night 1.

Makes sense. Probably will.

[SSSdave]

(mouse select to enlarge)

120423a.jpg

Yellow highlights tentable flat zones

120423b.jpg

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=37.2029 ... &a=c%2Cmba

I've backpacked from North Lake over Lamarck Col about a half dozen times. On Caltopo, under Base Layers, turn on the MapBuilder Hybrid. When using the NAIP Base Layer, also turn on the Contours. I rarely have difficulty finding tent spots in alpine areas with granite geology that have eroding granite sands because thunderstorm flows tend to flatten and smooth out such landscapes creating plenty of tentable spots. Note the above NAIP mode is at its highest zoomed in resolution. Using Google Earth offers higher terrain resolution per below.

(mouse select to enlarge)

120423c.jpg

120423d.jpg

There are plenty of used camp spots southeast of Upper Lamarck Lake right along the red trail route as groups often camp thereabouts. If one ventures off the use paths there are even more. Note that is not a maintained trail so there are a few parallel use paths with ducks. Between 11,160 and 11,400 are eroded switchbacks up the steep north facing slope visible from the north. After passing cliffs, reaching 11,480+, is a zone with some tentable flat areas. In the NAIP mode one can make out a slight stream course. There are also green areas that is turf. Don't always expect to find tentable spots just along trails or use routes.

That zone has endless reasonably flat granite sand locations to tent because large thunderstorms regularly erode the coarse granite sand smoothing it out. Because the zone is the last with trees and running water, it is where many groups stop that have plans to reach Lamarck Col in 2 days as I always do. More difficult in that zone is locating sites that also have afternoon shade. Above 11800 whitebark pines are few all the way to the col. There are plenty of tentable flat spots in sand above 11800, however no shade. Shade won't be an issue if one arrives late in the afternoon.

[thegib]

Whenever I see SSSDave's google earth results I'm reminded that it's possible to approach backpacking in a rational and informed manner - and not, what comes natural to me, by blundering forth and relying on serendipity.

[TahoeJeff]

blundering forth and relying on serendipity.

I call it: "stumble & hope"

[Wandering Daisy]

On ground experience will enhance your interpretation of "map/Google Earth" data. We who already know the Sierra very well sort of know what to expect even if we cannot "see" the details on the maps or images. I suggest that someone new to backpacking or new to the Sierra plan enough flexibility to deal with unexpected ground conditions. Also be aware that the backcountry is dynamic so check on current year's changes, such as more deadfall due to a big windstorm, wildfires, flooding or simply current trail maintenance. Be sure to check the FS or Park Service web sites for a "heads up" on these.

[sbennett3705]

There is a "show historical imagery" icon on the top tool bar.

It took me a while to realize this is apparently not available on the Web version, and you need the Pro version to access it within the dedicated app. Here's an example of imagery in the standard version - not very usefull since it stitches two time periods together.