High Sierra Topix

For comparable beauty but lighter crowds you might try various Marble Mtns Wilderness destinations. Russian Wilderness has some nice spots, too, but I think you have more options and can string together longer trips in the Marbles (Marble Mtns Wilderness is much larger than the Russian). I've seldom run into too many folks up there (other than Russian Lake in the Russian W, but that's the only focal point for folks I've encountered there).

NIce trip report. I live near the Trinity Alps and go for one or two overnight trips there each year (2 so far this year, but a 3rd is unlikely due to fire). I hiked the 4-Lakes Loop at the end of August in 2016, coming from the Stoney Ridge trailhead. The temperatures were in the triple digits in the valley, so I went ultralight and paid for it. I froze my first night camping at Summit Lake - it was literally freezing as evidenced by the frozen puddles - and ended up hiking up Siligo, doing the loop, and hiking out all in a long second day on very little sleep. Still, I plan to return on an overnight trip to Anna and Billy-Be-Damned Lakes one of these years. Stonewall and Little Stonewall Passes with the meadows beneath them are very beautiful.
I agree that a permit process is needed for the Trinity Alps, but that would require them to restaff the ranger stations up there and begin patrolling again. I don't see that happening anytime soon if ever.

Thanks for this! I really appreciate the detail and the details. It definitely consolidates Trinity's place on my list of places I'll go when I can!