High Sierra Topix

Hobbes,

Good description of where the cut-offs are. It's one reason I like to go to the Bridgeport area if car camping. The people who make it to that area usually are more than garden variety tourists.

Your TR enabled me to relive my experiences of the loop. I never did the loop but visited almost all of it on 14+ different trips. Like you, Mike (my son 11yo then) and I stayed at Dragon (great choice, eh.) We then went to Baxter.
From this loop I (we) visited the Kids, Arrow, the lakes SW of the Woods Creek Jct., Window Peak, Woods Lakes, Sixty Lakes, Gardner Basin, Vidette Lakes.
Thanks for helping me relive these.
CC

Cross Country,

With the lakes you cited, you deserve your name. Not even use trails to some of those!

Enjoyable read that's for sure. Thanks for posting!

Thanks for posting this extensive TR, really enjoyed the read.
Every person who writes there intention to visit Rae Lakes, I have recommend
Dragon Lake for solitude(and beauty) from the madness that the main lakes has
especially in peak season with all the JMT hikers coming through.
As CC mentioned, Gardiner Basin, Window Lake, and Arrow Lakes Basin at which
I have met a former nf ranger who made this place there family backcountry
outing because of the solitude, and fishing it offers, all these places you will likely
not see anyone for days.

Many wrote:

How do you get into Gardiner Basin? There's a pass from Sixty Lakes Basin, but
is there a more direct route?

Nope, Sixty Lakes Col is the most direct from the east, from the south you have Gardiner
Pass, and from the north you have King Col to name the most popular entries, though
SLC is probably the most used, GP being second, and KC being a far third.
For someone going in the first time SLC is the best bet.
Here are the three passes mention on the topo:
http://sierrabackpacker.com/SixtyLakes.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sierrabackpacker.com/Gardiner.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sierrabackpacker.com/ClarenceKing.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here are two TR's in which SLC, and/or GP were used so you can get an idea of the terrain.
http://sierrahiker.home.comcast.net/~si ... /index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://chayden.net/Sierra96/Sierra96.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;