High Sierra Topix

What do you all recommend for a group of three with four nights and five days. Was thinking either:

Agnew to Tuolome Meadows (return via bus)
or
Agnew to 1,000 (via shadow lake trail), then to Ediza to Minaret to Devils.
or
Agnew to Ediza to 1,000 w/ return using the high trail to Agnew
or
Agnew to 1,000 to Rafferty to Yosemite (return via bus)
or
Something else that might be recommended ???

leaving on July 7 so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi Todd2700

Please read the "Rule For Requesting Trip Advice" at the top of the page so we can
recommend a trip/trips that will be in line with your groups experience/abilities.
Thanks

Level 2
Class 2
Lakes/Fishing/Scenery
8-12 miles a day is fine.
Loop or Out & Back.

thanks

IMO you have more than enough to see for 5 days in the Minarets area, no reason
to rush through such a beautiful area of the Sierra, enjoy the scenery and fishing.
You listed the highlights with Thousand Is, Garnet, Ediza, Minaret Lakes.
Beck Lakes is also worth visiting, as is Nydiver Lakes.
The High Trail is also pretty with its views and wildflowers, but do not forget
wildflowers also means a lot of sqeetrz, so be prepared.
Using the River Trail in and High Trail back to Agnew is fine.
Make sure you follow proper food storage protocol since this is a big bear problem
area.
Now one the other hand if your group is the type that needs to be on the move, like
myself, and would rather cover as much ground as possible than spend two nights on
the Minarets side, and then go over Donohue Pass, checkout Lyell Canyon, and maybe
go over to Evelyn or Ireland Lake, and out Rafferty.

Thanks for the advice. I think I have it narrowed down to:

1. Agnew Meadows to Shadow lake and up to Ediza. Then move on to Thousand Island Lake and up and over Donahue Pass. Down through Lyell Canyon and out at Tuolome.

or

2. Agnew Meadows to Shadow lake and up to Ediza. Spend a night or two at Ediza, mixing in a day hike up to Iceberg. Then move on to Thousand Island lake for a night or two and then walk back to Agnew via the high trail.

thoughts ???

Prefer the first option -
Mammoth to Tuolumne trip but would do it in reverse...starting out in Tuolumne, over Donahue, then 1000 Island and wherever before exiting Reds Meadow. (Why?...seems easier elevation-wise, long slog up high trail to Garnet - and even though Reds/Agnew area lakes are pretty, they do get crowded.)
In fact, if it were me, and I was going primarily to fish the area (as I am doing basically the same route solo starting July 6th), I would do it a little differently.
I intend starting Tuolumne first...Donahue, Marie lakes, 1000 Island, Catherine, and returning Tuolumne after a side trip... hopefully seeing Lyell Glacier if conditions allow.

Whatever you choose, it is all a dynamic area and I am sure you will not go wrong. Maybe I will see you on the trail...when are you leaving?

I would love to do the trip in reverse and start in Tuolome but the permits seems to be all reserved going in that direction towards Mammoth. I didn't want to waste a day or two trying to secure a daily permit so I just thought i would grab one starting from Agnew.

Agnew to Tuolumne (and vice versa) is a great trip.

On your way from Ediza to 1000 Island, you may want to consider travelling to the inlet of Garnet and then over a very easy and obvious pass down to 1000 Island. It is more interesting (and not any more difficult) than the JMT and it should be much less crowded. I have also had good fishing luck at Garnet's inlet and there is good fishing and much more solitude near 1000 island's inlet and it's large penninsula than the area's closer to the lake's outlet and the trail. From there, it's easy cross-country back up to the JMT below Island Pass, with no need to travel all the way back to 1000 Island's outlet via the use trail on the North side that meets the JMT.