Advice for Mono Pass Trail, Pioneer Basin, Laurel Creek, Fourth Recess

[Gogd]

+1 on @ wandering Daisy's suggestion to hike on the drive day to Ruby Lake. Its just long enough to stretch your legs and a rest to get acclimated before the slog over the pass. As for the rest of the trip; surf the web for images of your destinies, plenty our there to review. There is considerable variation in the draw each venue poses, from forest lined lakes to alpine tarn tucked beneath high cirques - different strike for different folks. My vote for a 5 day outing is Ruby to Fourth Recess Lake, XC up to Snow Lakes, then cross over into Third Recess to Third Recess lake, then rejoining the trail out, back to the car. Alas as a level 3 hiker you may consider otherwise. So many other options, nevertheless.

BTW: when are you planning to do this trip? Consider that the first big storm of the season can occur anytime now, and going over high passes this time of year is not advised unless you have very solid snow camping/travel skills.

Ed

[kpeter]

I also liked Ruby Lake, which my daughter and I were forced to camp at when we got hit with a storm. It is an hour or two up the trail from the trailhead. Whether it is a good option for you will depend on when you start.

And I was presuming you were asking about a trip you are planning for next summer. Going in November, as Gogd notes, is quite a risk. Not only do you have a serious risk of weather, but you are down to only about 10 1/2 hours of daylight.

[sbennett3705]

BTW: when are you planning to do this trip? Consider that the first big storm of the season can occur anytime now, and going over high passes this time of year is not advised unless you have very solid snow camping/travel skills.

Next summer for sure! My Sierra season is over, moving to San Gabriel and desert hiking in SoCal.

[Carne_DelMuerto]

Very cool campsite. Is it legal from a distance standpoint?

Oh yes. The photo is taken from the edge of the campsite, which is well away and uphill from the shore. I would not advise camping on the grassy shore — too easily damaged.

[uncommonloon]

]For first night camping, I had luck coming down off the pass and taking the Golden Lake trail maybe 0.2 miles east from the junction (towards the lake) and then going south across the stream to an obvious flat spot, a little raised above the river with a few trees around. Nice quiet spot with moderate use.

If you can make it, the Snow Lakes, approached from fourth recess lake, are worth a visit. The ascent from the lake takes a little figuring. I've put a little sketch below of the approximate route I took.

There are two Snow Lakes, upper and lower. They are both fed by a glacier and have variations of that distinctive blue color you get from glacial silt. Here's a couple shots of lower Snow Lake

Here's a view looking down on upper and lower lakes from the route to the glacier

Good luck on your trip

-Mark

ps. Can someone tell me why my vertical pictures won't stay vertical? I've tried inserting them with different rotations but the interface seems hell bent on tipping the pic over regardless !

[thegib]

+1 on Snow lakes. I find the unnamed lakes at 11k very peaceful and more open/spacious than the more severe higher ground at 11.4k.

[Gogd]

ps. Can someone tell me why my vertical pictures won't stay vertical? I've tried inserting them with different rotations but the interface seems hell bent on tipping the pic over regardless !

@ uncommonloon: I'd try rotating them vertical in the source file, saving them there, in that orientation, then importing the modified file to HST.
Ed

[sbennett3705]

After completing the trip, I just wanted to come back with a few words of thanks and some tidbits of advice. Not meant to be a full TR, the area is fully covered already.

Mono Pass @ 12K from my living elevation of 700 ft. is a *big ask*, so Wandering Daisy's recommendation to NOT attempt Pioneer Basin on day one was great advice. She recommended the sandy bench at the Golden Creek junction, which was absolutely perfect. Private and wind sheltered with a nice sunset view of the valley below.

Strolling up to Pioneer Basin the next day proved easy now that the mileage was reduced. Again, per Daisy's advice, I decided to camp at Lake 10915, well away from the throngs in the actual basin. It was a seldom used but good sized camp on north slopes of the lake affording good wind protection and nice views of Mr. Hopkins. To get to Pioneer Basin by trail is a couple of mile walk around peak 11117, so simply cutting through the saddle to Lake 11033 was direct and faster. It's an easy class 2 walk.

I toured the entire Basin and enjoyed good views from Sandford Col. The Caltopo suggested route is unnecessarily difficult, putting you through lots of sticky juniper. Head directly up the sand slog, which is steeper but much more direct and less troublesome. The wind at the top of the col was strong, difficult to stand without trekking poles.

The view from the Col is inspiring. Pioneer Basin has a parkland feel to it, excellent for exploring, meditating (and napping).

Spent the last couple of evenings down at Fourth Recess. What a beautiful glacial valley with excellent swim spots. Camped high on the East side away from the main encampment. Snow Lakes above the Recess are certainly worth exploring. As previously noted by uncommonloon, the route to Snow Lakes has a "hard" and "easy" route. I tried the "hard" way first, but the avalanche chute still had ice and is definitely *not* Class 2. The "easy" way along the West side of the Recess is much longer, but less stressfull with only a couple hundred yards where you need to pay attention.

In all, a relaxing week with excellent camp spots thanks to the super knowledge of this group. Never made it to Laurel Lakes and glad I didn't try, too much to look at higher up the valley. Thanks for the great advice!