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Hi there! It’s been a while since I’ve been on here, but it’s good to be back! I currently have Timber Gap permits for 8/28, and my group just found out about the road closure and maintenance. I would love some alternative trip ideas so I can plan out what permits I should attempt to snag. I would like to preface this by acknowledging that I know it is Labor Day weekend, so permits will go fast.
My number 1 replacement option is the North Lake -> South Lake loop as a 4 night trip. I do recognize how high in demand those permits are, so if it doesn’t work out, I was curious about Northern Yosemite.
Are there any 3 night, 30-40 mile loops or thru hikes you recommend in the Humboldt-Toiyabe/Northern Yosemite area? We only have experience with on trail hiking. Something less than a total of 8,000 feet of elevation gain would be ideal, not exceeding 3,000 feet in a single day would be even extra ideal.
1. You seem to be focused on miles and feet rather than sights and destinations. I'm not sure I give you the advice you want...
2. That said, Northern Yosemite.ite has multiple canyons you can hike up and down for miles. Start in Tuolumne Meadows with a Glen Aulin through permit, hike up Cold Canyon, and have fun.
3. You are right, Labor Day permits are harder to get. Try looking at Emigrant or Hoover Wildernesses, where there are no trailhead quotas. Look at loops out of Crabtree or Gianelli to Emigrant, Bucks, or Huckleberry Lakes in Emigrant. In Hoover look at the same area via Leavitt Lake.
4. And if you're willing to do a little cross country, Saddlebag Lakes just East of Yosemite can get you over the ridge to McCabe lakes and Virginia Canyon in Yosemite
balzaccom wrote: ↑Thu May 08, 2025 9:56 pm
A couple of thoughts.
1. You seem to be focused on miles and feet rather than sights and destinations. I'm not sure I give you the advice you want...
You're right! I totally forgot to write in our interests. One of my friends and I enjoy photography, and my 2 other friends love to fish. I am now thinking about a point to point Twin Lakes to Tuolumne Hike on the PCT...
If 4 nights is an option, you could check out the Red Peak Pass loop. It has some beautiful sections and solitude. I would do it from Glacier Point, not the valley. There are Glacier Point -> Illilouette permits available.
Remember that Labor Day can be beastly hot. Keep Emigrant in mind, but since you need not worry about permit reservations, have other plans and check the weather before you go. If you do Emigrant, you can start at Sonora Pass, walk the PCT and then come out over Big Sam, High Emigrant Lake, side Brown Bear Pass, and out to Kennedy Meadows. It is pretty easy to hitch back to Sonora Pass. Humphreys Basin is always a good choice- high altitudes and very good fishing. Lots or trip reports to look at here. I would not rule out the more popular trailheads, there always are cancellations.
Also with 4 days, you do not want to spend 8-12 hours just driving to a route. Where are you coming from? Since your first plan was Timber Gap I assume you are from Southern CA??
Emigrant is my go-to for non-permit hikes. I agree with the afore-mentioned Big Sam/Brown Bear Pass route. I like leaving from Kennedy Meadows. There is no official trail from Kennedy Lake up to the Big Sam trail, but there is a very followable use trail. That side of Emigrant does not get the crowds of people that the trails from Crabtree/Gianelli get, plus the view from Big Sam is great, and the High Emigrant Lakes are faboo. I also like Shallow Lake, another easily-accessible off-the-trail lake. If you go that far you could return via the aptly named Mosquito Pass.
If you can get a permit, a shorter loop than North/South lake is Piute Pass/Lamarck Col, via North Lake. Both passes are awesome, Humphrey's Basin is amazing. Good trails all the way. It might be easier to get a permit for Lamarck Col. Other permits you might try are Italy Pass and Pine Creek, roughly in that same area, and with some excellent destinations. Permits are also easier to get coming from the west side, for example at Edison Lake or Florence Lake.
I would not call the route over Lamark Col as a "good trail". But it is a short section that those who have not gone off-trail can do to gain experience. Plan to go very slow because the bit of use-trail that does exist is not that easy to find for the inexperienced. I do not recall a permit for Lamark any easier to get than one for Piute Pass.
Agreed with Daisy on the heat-- have met a number of groups who scrounged for permits and ended up in lower, hotter elevations than they had intended, and gotten into trouble for it. And also agreed with her on drive time, might be worth evaluating how far you're willing to go for how much hiking.
I'm more often on the east side, and I get the feeling it might be too far for you, but if you end up out that way, Cottonwood Pass is my go-to for a last minute, non-quota trip, or occasionally Kennedy Meadows South if you're looking for more trees.
