Advice for 4-5 day trip staring Aug 18

[uvanegra]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum and have enjoyed reading trip reports and advice and seeing the gorgeous recent photos of the Sierras in all their snow and suncups. All very inspiring, and I'm chomping at the bit to get in the mountains again!

I'm looking for some advice/suggestions on a 4-5 day trip my husband and I could take in the Sierras, entering from the East side starting Aug 18. (We would try to get permits via the 2-week window.) I really wanted to do North to South Lake but know this is a no-go for us with the SF San Joachim bridge being out. I'm also not sure about traversing some of the passes, given the current snow conditions and our lack of experience on snow at steep inclines. I've been pouring over maps and potential routes, but I'm a bit at a loss for what to do, given our experience and abilities. Hoping to get some suggestions.

Some background. My husband and I are Level 2 backpackers and have taken a couple overnight trips in the Sierras in 2021: an 8-day trip on the JMT entering Kearsage pass and exiting Duck Pass (roughly 15 miles/day, but it was a grind) and a 3-day trip around Iceberg and Thousand Islands lakes. All trips have been on trail, except for some obvious off-trail connectors and off trail around Garnet Lake to find a camping spot. We are game to try some route finding, but don't have a lot of experience doing this, so have mainly stayed on trails. We like moving to explore and see new scenery and have done this via loops or point-to-point. But, we are open to out-and-backs. 10-12 mile days with climb (avg 3000 ft/day) are okay for us.

Apologies in advance if I've missed suggestions for such a trip on the forum -- feel free to point me to posts that have discussed this.

thanks for the suggestions!

[balzaccom]

I'd look at Humphreys Basin, Pioneer Basin, or exploring the lakes above Sabrina. All wonderful places, with lots of options.

You can find trip logs for those on our website--in my signature below--or just do a search for them here on Topix.

[windknot]

I agree with balzaccom's recommendations. Since you've already done a trip over Kearsarge, Piute Pass (Humphreys Basin), Mono Pass (Pioneer Basin), or exploring above Sabrina would all be great candidates for a 4-5 day trip starting from the east side.

[uvanegra]

Thanks very much for the advice. I will look around those areas for routes and intel. It looks like a loop is possible over Lamarck Col from North to South Lake. Any thoughts on this as a possibility?

[michaelzim]

t looks like a loop is possible over Lamarck Col from North to South Lake. Any thoughts on this as a possibility?

Will be doing this same loop with variations in early September if all goes well...so hopefully you will post a report if do it.

Lamarck Col is really "atmospheric" - as in, a wonderfully wild and remote feeling on the east side. I like it a bunch! It is however, almost 13,000 ft. so may be the cause of some 'altitude effects' if taking it right after being near sea level (not sure where you live). The trail on the east side is very easy to follow and the scramble up to the Col itself simple enough - though may be fully snow covered this year.
If you decide to reverse the loop and come up the west (south-west) side of the Col it is apparently pretty easy to get it wrong and go too far south. With GPS that should be avoidable. Plus a number of PCT folks have been doing the route this year as part of the trashed bridge by-pass so maybe the way up is a bit more visible. Lot of rocks though.

Here is a pic of east side. It is not as steep as it looks here:

Last scramble to the Col - east side.

[uvanegra]

Thanks michaelzim! I will report back if we chose to do this route.