Re: Route Planning
Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:11 pm
Spend some time in Red Spur Lakes Basin, which has oustanding views of the WhitneyRouge wrote:
The only thing about taking the day away from Big Five Lakes is I also have a layover
day in Kaweah Basin planned already. So if I did that I would spend 3 nights there. That's
probably not a bad thing but being the start of the trip I will probably need the rest.
Range/Sierra Crest, and Pickett Creek Lake, which is one of the ultimate swimming holes
on the Sierra, while in Kaweah Basin.
LFL would be my preference over BFL by a long shot, especially the ones away from
the trail, which have some fine views, and are not frequently visited.
The Muro Blanco is fun, especially if the water levels are low which they may be, but the
brush as you get to Woods Creek is nasty (think Goddard), and Cartridge Creek ain't
to much better, so your putting 3 routes, one after another that have nasty thick brush
on it, sure you want to do that?
As an alternative in to going down the Muro, climb Arrow Pass, and checkout the remote
Arrow Lakes Basin which is quite pretty, then climb over the southwest spur of Pyramid
Peak, and down to the Woods Creek Trail, which is much easier than the Muro. You could
also follow Arrow Creek down, and see a beautiful waterfalls, but it is a little
harder, and you have to go through the brush before you can get to Woods Creek.
Instead of going down Goddard again, how about after descending the Enchanted, head
up towards Mt. Woodworth, over Rambaud Pass to Rambaud Lakes from where
you can descend to the Middle Kings River, and then go to Cartridge Creek, at least
you will cut one of the major bushwacking sections out of your trip.
Agree with the earlier Smedberg recommendation, also Big Slide Canyon is great with
Doe, Rock Island, Surprise, Tullulah Lakes all fun to visit. The Seavey Pass area has
some very pretty lakes that are close by the trail, some a little further, worth visiting
too.
A night at Upper Mills Creek Lake in Second Recess is worth considering, quite beautiful.