High Sierra Topix

If you reserve your permit electronically, you should receive your confirmation the same day. At least, that has been the case for me for many years. Don't remember how mail in works, or if that is still an option.

In june unless you are starting on a Friday or Saturday of a Holiday weekend I would not worry about reservation If you were to start from Sunset meadow and take the Belle Canyon entrance. One thing to remember about that entrance is that you have to pick up your permit in Grant Grove, about 45 minutes from the TH.

You hear back from the parks 2-3 weeks after you submit your application on March 1st. When I submitted my application on March 1st I got an answer on March 12th....

I second Old Ranger's suggestion to do the "red loop", but start at Rowell Meadow trailhead rather than Lodgepole. My wife and I did that loop starting at Rowell Meadow trailhead in only 2 nights with no problem - and we were in our 60s.
-Phil

Ok so i'm less concerned about it needing to be in early to mid June, and can push it back to July which seems to open up quite a few more options and has the potential for far fewer mosquitos. Or so that's what the google tells me

I put together a few more options but will only post one at a time until I figure out how to place images properly on this site.

Thoughts about this route that starts at Road's End and camp the first night somewhere short of Granite Lake...too much climb to get there in one day. Then from Granite Lake we would x-country hike over to kennedy canyon trail and hit the lakes in between, before shooting south on lewis creek trail and over Kings Canyon to complete the loop. Does this x-country look doable? Keep in mind that myself and my buddy do not have a whole lot of experience off trail, only some. The terrain doesn't look too terrible (says the novice) and I figure the lakes and streams in this area would be good points of geography to help us navigate

5 things about your new route.

Not sure that the off trail route is as easy as you may think. there are people on this forum more familiar with the area than I am but looking at the map and satellite view it looks extremely demanding to me.

The area from Kennedy Pass down to Cedar Grove has experienced several fires and not sure how pleasant the down hill would be.

Not as easy to get permit as Sunset Meadow/Belle Canyon entrance.

The vertical is much more demanding than the other loop.

Either you need a shuttle, hitch a ride, or long walk thru a usually quite hot Cedar Grove to complete the loop.

dustybottoms21 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 15, 2018 8:12 amThoughts about this route that starts at Road's End

Looks fine. Leor Pantilat & Will Mollandsimms have good info on the area (I hate the word "beta"). They rate the "pass" between East Kennedy Lake & Volcanic Lakes as class 2. It's a good spot for the early season, since the road is well maintained, the south facing slope will be snow free quickly, and there's no major creeks to cross.

Here's a "teach a man to fish" moment. Learn to use Caltopo. Specifically for cross country passes that don't have a lot of info on them, the "slope angle shading" feature can be helpful. It colors steep sections. So if you use it, and keep your route to the white & light yellow sections, it should stay class 1-2. You might encounter a hidden cliff that's not on the topo, but usually you can find your way around it. Cross country travel is quite a bit slower, so keep that in mind. In general, you'll hike about 1 mile per hour cross country, as a good rule of thumb. You have to stop to navigate more, test boulders to see if they move before you weight them, ect. ect. So be ready for that.

Also, it's pretty easy to add some cross country travel to the trip you had planned before. The sheep camp lakes have no trail going to them, and Mt. Silliman is a class 2 climb from Silliman Lake. And if this is your first time off trail in the Sierras, it'd be good to do it as a day hike first. Balance & climbing get a lot harder with a heavy pack on.

Hi @dustybottoms21, I'm a big fan of the first route you posted, crossing the Kaweah Divide and Silliman Crest;.

Thoughts on your first route:
* There's tons of great campsites along this route, both at major destinations (like Ranger Lake), but also along the way at random meadows and glens. You'll likely encounter other groups on this trip, but you can assuredly find your own space and get a sense of wilderness.
* I strongly suggest you add a side trip up Mitchell Peak. You'd be a fool to skip it! It's an easy walk-up on the trail, and the summit view is outrageous. Look for summit images on Google, or PM me for more information.
* As others have mentioned, I would skip the yellow part of your loop. Weaver Lake can be a zoo. . . with dogs!
* The northeast part of this loop is delightful, through Belle Canyon, Lost Lake, and Ranger Lake.
* I agree with the suggestion to start at Rowell Meadow trailhead, if your car can handle it. There's fantastic meadow campsites in the areas around Rowell Creeks and Gannon Creeks; this area makes for a great first day destination.
* Even with snow, you could possibly tackle this route in late June if you bring microspikes to cross Silliman Pass.

Thoughts on your 2nd route:
* The Lewis Creek trail is exposed and hot. In my experience, it's not fun ascending, and I would advise against starting in this direction.
* The Copper Creek trail is very steep. Depending on your fitness level, it's a brutal way to begin a trip.
* Along the Copper Creek Trail, there's virtually no camping options except at Tent Meadow. In my experience, many people pile up here, especially groups that couldn't get permits for the Rae Lakes Loop, so they hike up Copper Creek as a sort of "Plan B". Overall, the Copper Creek trail is scenic, but don't count on finding solitude camping.
* If you're determined to go this direction, I would suggest an alternate route... go read about the "Sierra High Route." You could start and finish at Roads End. At the top of Copper Creek, you cut cross-country north to Grouse Lake, then cross-country to State Lakes. You could then loop back on-trail to Granite Pass and return to Roads End.

I hope this advice helps

As of 2 summers ago there was nothing about the route to Sunset Meadow TH that would be difficult for a Prius.

dustybottoms21 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:12 am Thanks. How long before I hear back from the park on my permits? I plan to submit on March 1st

I looked back at my inbox from this year- and found my two permit apps I sent in 3/1 were approved 3/6 and 3/8 respectively.