Trip Advice: Devils Punchbowl and Hell for Sure Lake

[rightstar76]

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[mbehlen]

Hey Rightstar, thank you. Deep breathes help! Any backpacking ideas for that area?' MT Baldy or San Gorgonio?

Edit: Glad the smoke doesn't look to bad right now.

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[AlmostThere]

That haze on the Shaver webcams looks plenty fine to me. We went up to Mountain Home Demonstration Forest (all the way down south) and the haze was like that - was not terrible to hike in.

The apocalyptic scenes on the Yosemite webcams, on the other hand... yeesh.

[rightstar76]

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[limpingcrab]

I was hiking from wishon to Florence via Martha lake all last week and it was all clear until Saturday. Messed up the views on the hike out but not enough smoke to burn the lungs or eyes. Seems like the same pattern is still there, hopefully it’ll shift and blow the smoke north again within the next few days.

Right now in the SEKI area it’s generally better the further south you go. Have you considered exploring around the Twin Lakes and Lost Lakes area north of Lodgepole? Lost Lake and Little Lakes (W of mt silliman) are especially pretty and I’ve never been turned down for a walk in permit from the Lodgepole or Marvin Pass approaches to the area.

If you do keep your plans for the Courtright area I’ll second the opinion that Lower Indian Lake is great and Rae Lake has nice rainbows.

If it’s hazy you can get creative with smaller scenes instead of big vistas for your photos. Sometimes that weird lighting makes for unique pictures.

I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to enjoy your vacation!

[limpingcrab]

Oh ya, and as for altitude sickness, my wife wrote a paper on it in Pharmacy school and studies show that hydrating a full 24 hours in advance and taking two ibuprofen the morning you head out helps almost as much as the most expensive medicines for altitude.

[mbehlen]

I was hiking from wishon to Florence via Martha lake all last week and it was all clear until Saturday. Messed up the views on the hike out but not enough smoke to burn the lungs or eyes. Seems like the same pattern is still there, hopefully it’ll shift and blow the smoke north again within the next few days.

Right now in the SEKI area it’s generally better the further south you go. Have you considered exploring around the Twin Lakes and Lost Lakes area north of Lodgepole? Lost Lake and Little Lakes (W of mt silliman) are especially pretty and I’ve never been turned down for a walk in permit from the Lodgepole or Marvin Pass approaches to the area.

If you do keep your plans for the Courtright area I’ll second the opinion that Lower Indian Lake is great and Rae Lake has nice rainbows.

If it’s hazy you can get creative with smaller scenes instead of big vistas for your photos. Sometimes that weird lighting makes for unique pictures.

I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to enjoy your vacation!

Hey sir! Thanks for the update!

I have thought about going doing one of these loops depending on conditions and If I can get a wall up permit (spaces available as of yesterday on the website (1 to 5):

Mineral King Loop (5 walk ups via Timber Gap)
Mineral King Loop (5 Walk Ups via Sawtooth Pass)
Alternative Loop (10 Walk Ups) via Franklin Pass

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[maverick]

Mineral King Loop (5 walk ups via Timber Gap)
Mineral King Loop (5 Walk Ups via Sawtooth Pass)
Alternative Loop (10 Walk Ups) via Franklin Pass

Those are beautiful trips, but if your planning to acclimate one night at Mineral King, and then spend 2 nights/3 days on your trip, these are too long, you need at least 4 nights. Also, plan to protect your car from marmots, they are quite busy right now!
http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... ing#p86777

Lost Lake may be perfect for your time frame, and is quite pretty too (one of the prettiest lake on the western side with a trail too it ).

[mbehlen]

Thanks Maverick, dont want to bite off more than I can chew!

I'll look into the lost lake area out if lodgepole tonight and see what's up. Anything to clump up on and see some views?

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[maverick]

Seville Lake, Ranger Lake, and Sheep Camp Lakes are all pretty too, SCL also has good fishing. Seville, Lost, and Ranger Lakes have bear boxes too.