Bubb’s/East Lake/Brewer/Sphinx Loop questions

[LMBSGV]

Thanks WD for the support and advice.

I'm intending to spend two nights camped at Big Brewer and two nights at Sphinx camped somewhere between lakes 10,546 and 10,514. Since it's all downhill to Roads End, I'm confident I can make it back from there in one day.

As for my health, I am now a kidney cancer survivor with a single kidney so I am prohibited from taking any over the counter pain medications such as aspirin and Ibuprofen. I also have a heart condition (atrial fibulation and a bicuspid aorta). I feel lucky to still be able to solo backpack in the Sierra. Last summer, one doctor told me not to take any more trips, but two others said it was okay and to have a good time. I followed the advice of those two. But the 15 to 20 mile days I used to do are now history.

[maverick]

Last summer, one doctor told me not to take any more trips, but two others said it was okay and to have a good time. I followed the advice of those two.

Since it's all downhill to Roads End, I'm confident I can make it back from there in one day.

Just get an early start Lawrence, it's a 6300 ft descent from Sphinx Lakes (10514) to the Bubbs Creek Junction, it can be quite hot, and every time I have been on the granite stair section, there has been a rattlesnake on or near the trail.

[Shawn]

1: Ten years ago, I would plan on going all the way to East Lake the first day, but getting older has its consequences. If possible. I would prefer to avoid camping with the Rae Lakes loop crowds at Charlotte Creek and Junction Meadow. Are there campsites on Bubb’s Creek between Charlotte Creek and Junction Meadow?

There used to be a bear box on the south side of Bubbs Creek. Not sure if the box is still there, but it's a nice little site to camp if Junction Meadow is crowded.

2: Is negotiating the log jam at the southern end of East Lake the optimum way to get to the Ouzel Creek side of the lake? My aging balance is no longer trustworthy so I’ll probably wade the creek rather than doing the logs. Is it easier to wade the creek at the Reflection trail end of East Lake to get to the Ouzel Creek outlet or should I simply wade the creek near the log jam?

Having crossed both ways, I don't recall one being better than the other. Taking the trail around the east side of East Lake and camping on the south side of it is easier than negotiating the west side to cross the creek however. It's been years, but I don't recall the logs being any big deal.

3: The trip reports I read recommend staying on the north side of Ouzel Creek to avoid the brush along the creek and cliff outs while climbing to Brewer Pass at the ridge. Is that correct? I will not be summitting Brewer. Instead, I will go over Brewer Pass to Cinder Col (thanks, Rogue, for the post on Cinder) and from there down to Big Brewer Lake to camp near the outlet.

Don't know.........

4. I was curious about campsite suggestions in Sphinx Basin. I was thinking of camping somewhere between lakes 10,546 and 10,514 for photo opportunities across the water of the Brewer crest.

There's a great spot at the n/w tip of 10546, but lots of other locations.

5. Is descending the west side of Sphinx Creek the best route to reach the Avalanche Pass trail?

Above the treeline there isn't much difference. Once you get to the trees, the west side is much better.

From here on down the west side is your friend.

[Wandering Daisy]

"Brewer Basin" is a vague term. Not sure if he was going to actually drop down to Big Brewer Lake or just traverse through higher up on the way to Sphinx Lakes. Just suggesting he spend a night down at Big Brewer Lake.

[Wandering Daisy]

View from the middle lake

View from the lower lake

Timbered area at the lower lake

Here are a few photos of Sphinx Lakes. If you want the close-up view of North Guard, then the middle lake is best. The timbered campsites at the lower lake as well as the sites at the end at the meadows to the upper drainage are a more distant (but not bad) view. I camped at the lower lake and did a day-hike to the middle lake.

[LMBSGV]

Mav, I’ll definitely keep an eye and ear (it’s usually the sound before the sight for me on rattlesnakes). The last rattler I encountered was 100 yards below the Moraine Lake junction on the HST, an elevation where I was definitely not expecting to hear that ominous sound.

Shaun and WD, thank you. Both your posts are “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I can only glean so much information from a map and sometimes I find my interpretation does not match reality. That campsite on lake 10,546 looks wonderful. I’ll be sure to get to the west side of Sphinx Creek before the trees. The middle lakes are exactly the view I was hoping for. If the wildflowers are as spectacular as your photo at the lower lake I’ll have to force myself to continue down to the Avalanche Pass trail and Roads End. I'm hoping the columbine you mentioned on the Cross Country Passes post are blooming below Sphinx Pass. Why I used the term Brewer Basin is because that's what Phil Arnot calls it in his book.

Brewer and Sphinx are one of the areas I’ve never visited and long been places I want to experience. Hopefully, I’ll post a trip report sometime this fall/winter to let you know how it went.

[hurricaniac]

I did this loop clockwise two years ago (July 2015), but we ascended Longley Pass from Lake Reflection, so I can't speak for Ouzel Ck. The talus above between Reflection and Longley Lk was steep in spots, but straightforward. I didn't mind the sandy section below Longley Pass at all. There was no appreciable cornice at Longley Pass, but it was a very dry year.

The toughest section on the entire trip was descending the talus on the north side of Sphinx Col (between Big Brewer Lake and Sphinx Lks.).

There is a good campsite between the two twin Sphinx lakes at 10,540'

Bushwhacking on the W. side of Sphinx Creek to get to the Avalanche Pass trail was a pain. Can't say what the E. side of the creek is like.

You can see the TR at: http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... =1&t=13270

[kursavwilage]

Come on guys, he says he does not want to walk all the way to East Lake the first day. Offer some campsites, rather than shaming him into doing something stupid. My strategy for trips from Roads End is to drive down (5 hour drive), pick up my permit, and then walk into Sphinx Creek trial junction. This works well for me because I can then also avoid the car camping hassles. There are campsites on the opposite side, across the bridge, that are not crowded. The next day's walk to East Lake is then very manageable .

Wasn't trying to,"Shame him into doing something stupid", just offering a strategy that has worked for me just in case he changed his mind about doing it in one day. Never really thought hiking to East Lake in one day was stupid though......Camping at Sphinx Creek junction sounds like a great strategy for doing East Lake in 2 Days.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have gone up the east side of Sphinx Creek from the trail. It also has some nasty brush. Not sure you can avoid that on either side and it is all a matter of route finding. Take a look at Google Earth. Having never done the west side, I am in the same spot not being able to compare the two. But, it did look like less brush on the west side on the lower half, although it may have more talus. I think I have read somewhere that down lower (below the slabs about half way up) the west side is the better route. I climbed up the slabs on the east side - really quite easy. We crossed sides a few times on the upper half.

As for going to East Lake in a day is "stupid" or not depends on your abilities, age and pack weight. I just took him at his word that this is what he did NOT want to do. So anyone saying they did it in a day strkes me as boasting. But, as we all know, communicating subtleties in words is not easy, nor is picking up a bit of friendly kidding. I tend to take everything said too seriously, so I am told.

[chrisdiercks]

"Last summer, one doctor told me not to take any more trips, but two others said it was okay and to have a good time. I followed the advice of those two."

Hey, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Besides that, if anybody knows what's your body is capable of and what is good for it, it's you. Just to remember to listen to it while you are out there and enjoy your time in the out of doors.