Advice: Which backpacking trip to do?

[mxoyez]

There is no easy x-c route to avoid the JMT. Roper's High Route is an option; Merrium Lake trail then off-trail to Bear Basin and then over Dancing Bear Pass to Italy Pass. I am not sure you are ready for that at this time. The JMT can get crowded, but the trail is a quick, easy and you can get off the trail to camp. JMT traffic depends on the dates of your trip. Less traffic early season or after Labor Day.

We are not going to plan your trip for you, and you need to spend some time seriously looking at maps and develop a trip schedule. There are a lot of trip reports here. It would be informative as well as fun to just look up the previous trip reports for the areas you are interested in. Play with the "search" feature (it took me some time to figure it out). Not to be disrespectful, but I feel we have given you enough to chew on for now.

Yes of course! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything far beyond my skill level.

[Lumbergh21]

That sounds really nice! I didn't know about sandpiper and 3 is lake. My only concern is how crowded the JMT will be. Do you think itd be worth it to go over some off trail passes to avoid It?

Your original post stated Class 1 hiking with maybe one Class 2 pass.
As Wandering Daisy pointed out there is no way to make a loop including Pine Creek and Lake Italy Passes without either using the JMT or using Class 2/2+ passes. This can be seen using a mapping app, like CalTopo, and/or the map available in these forums. I've never found 5 to 10 miles of JMT travel to be that bad, and if you camp at Marie Lake on the side opposite the JMT, you won't have anyone camping next to you.
Also, I know I went 1 day over the length that you were looking at, but I suggest spending 7 days and enjoying each of those campsites is well worth it. I find them well worth return visits (except for the Piute Creek junction site).

[JosiahSpurr]

Hey!
I'm planning out which backpacking trips I want to do this summer, and there are a few options I'm mainly considering (though always open to other suggestions!). They are:
New Army Pass -> Miter Basin -> Mt Whitney
Benson Lake Loop
Sawtooth Pass -> Timber Gap via Kaweah Gap + Nine Lakes Basin

THAT ONE !!! Nine Lake Basin (it's ok, that's a common typo). I talked to a ranger at Lodgepole and he said.... do Nine Lake Basin. Like, he knew what he was talking about. And, man, was he right. It's got a quaint FOX TAIL pine forest in the lower souther elevation, close to the High Sierra Trail. Amazing. The 9 lakes are spread out over a very flat, desolate area- like walking on a cloud. THE LOOP: head over Lion Rock pass to Lion Lake. Hit the pass on the southern end of Cloud Canyon, or just continue to Tamarack lake and the usual trail, back to that high sierra camp with a kitchen. Not a lot of people. There's a massive talus field in the direction of Black Kaweah- you've never seen so many damn hunks of rock in your life (same with the slopes around Lion Lake). Ah, the great outdoors! ***

[mxoyez]

Hey!
I'm planning out which backpacking trips I want to do this summer, and there are a few options I'm mainly considering (though always open to other suggestions!). They are:
New Army Pass -> Miter Basin -> Mt Whitney
Benson Lake Loop
Sawtooth Pass -> Timber Gap via Kaweah Gap + Nine Lakes Basin

THAT ONE !!! Nine Lake Basin (it's ok, that's a common typo). I talked to a ranger at Lodgepole and he said.... do Nine Lake Basin. Like, he knew what he was talking about. And, man, was he right. It's got a quaint FOX TAIL pine forest in the lower souther elevation, close to the High Sierra Trail. Amazing. The 9 lakes are spread out over a very flat, desolate area- like walking on a cloud. THE LOOP: head over Lion Rock pass to Lion Lake. Hit the pass on the southern end of Cloud Canyon, or just continue to Tamarack lake and the usual trail, back to that high sierra camp with a kitchen. Not a lot of people. There's a massive talus field in the direction of Black Kaweah- you've never seen so many damn hunks of rock in your life (same with the slopes around Lion Lake). Ah, the great outdoors! ***

Sounds great! I'm planning on doing the Mcgee pass trip mentioned before you in august, but I wonder if you'd expected nine *lake* basin to be passable in early june in a lowish snow year? Usually there's a good bit less snow in the southern sierra, but I'm not totally sure. Since it's early season, I would probably stay on trail though.

[Wandering Daisy]

Cannot speak for Timber Gap/Sawtooth for entry and exit, but I did this trip: Crescent Meadow-Hamilto Lake- 9 Lakes Basin-Little and Big 5 Lakes, exit Tablelands on June 24-29 2014. I think that was a low snow year. There was little if any snow at all, but streams were high. Lots of wading.

Not sure when the road to Mineral King would open. It opens later than Lodgepole area. Although I think it should be open by late June.

It was a quick trip with long days, but the purpose of the trip was to give a friend a preview for a later trip. We did a death march out from Lonely Lake area the last day. It is a beautiful route, worthy of more time.

Sawtooth entry is a lot harder. There really is no trail up the steep rocky pass. The route I took was all trail until x-c out Tablelands. If you were to come back via Keweah Gap and Hamilton Lake, would you have to wade the river?- not sure that would be possible late June if there is not a bridge. The crossing just below Hamilton Lakes is significant, but feasible late June.

I wrote a trip report, but the photos do not show because at that time I used Photobucket and they quit linking the photos. I could re-load some photos if that would help you.

[mxoyez]

Cannot speak for Timber Gap/Sawtooth for entry and exit, but I did this trip: Crescent Meadow-Hamilto Lake- 9 Lakes Basin-Little and Big 5 Lakes, exit Tablelands on June 24-29 2014. I think that was a low snow year. There was little if any snow at all, but streams were high. Lots of wading.

Not sure when the road to Mineral King would open. It opens later than Lodgepole area. Although I think it should be open by late June.

It was a quick trip with long days, but the purpose of the trip was to give a friend a preview for a later trip. We did a death march out from Lonely Lake area the last day. It is a beautiful route, worthy of more time.

Sawtooth entry is a lot harder. There really is no trail up the steep rocky pass. The route I took was all trail until x-c out Tablelands. If you were to come back via Keweah Gap and Hamilton Lake, would you have to wade the river?- not sure that would be possible late June if there is not a bridge. The crossing just below Hamilton Lakes is significant, but feasible late June.

I wrote a trip report, but the photos do not show because at that time I used Photobucket and they quit linking the photos. I could re-load some photos if that would help you.

I see! I was considering going in early june but the creek crossings sounds like they'd be far too dangerous. It seems like more of a july trip I guess, especially since we already have higher snowpack than april 1 2014, so the creeks will be that much worse. I guess I might consider something in the southeastern sierra for an early june outting.

[JosiahSpurr]

Sounds great! I'm planning on doing the Mcgee pass trip mentioned before you in august, but I wonder if you'd expected nine *lake* basin to be passable in early june in a lowish snow year? Usually there's a good bit less snow in the southern sierra, but I'm not totally sure. Since it's early season, I would probably stay on trail though.

Yes, it's expected to be passable in early June. It's early April and have heard the snow is 34% of average. There's no trail thru Nine Lake (no "s") Basin as I saw when there was no snow on the ground. It's flat and slightly sloped, like one football field after another. I wonder if the Ranger suggested NLB because they never do SAR there(?!). Just be careful of the "glacier" that fills the canyon on the North side of Lion Rock Pass, which is between Lion Lake and NLB. *

[Wandering Daisy]

I went to Nine Lake Basin late June 2014 (a very low snow year) and there was no snow at all along the trail. The only crux if there is snow is the "tunnel" part of the trail above Hamilton Lake. If it does not go, you just come down. You could alternatively to up towards Tamarack Lake.

The other issue is stream crossings. The stream below Hamilton Lake can be nasty. And to get to Tamarack Lake you also have a crossing. But I think the snowmelt will be basically done so streams should be fine.

When you go early season, you have to have a "Plan B" to still enjoy your trip if you cannot pass some obstacle. Be willing to turn around if you encounter unsafe conditions.

In a high snow year (2001), I went up to Nine Lake Basin July 4. All snow above Precipice Lake. It really was not hard to walk on and the route is obvious.

above Precipice Lake 2001 July 4, high snow year

not sure but I think this is Nine Lake Basin

Non-quota/self-register winter season ends about May26. Getting a permit for this popular trail after that date, can be difficult. Check on that before you get your heart set on this trip.

[grampy]

Cannot speak for Timber Gap/Sawtooth for entry and exit …

Not sure when the road to Mineral King would open. It opens later than Lodgepole area. Although I think it should be open by late June …

… If you were to come back via Keweah Gap and Hamilton Lake, would you have to wade the river?- not sure that would be possible late June if there is not a bridge. The crossing just below Hamilton Lakes is significant, but feasible late June ..,

According to the SEKI road conditions web page, the normal opening for Mineral King Road is “Wednesday before Memorial Day”. Not sure if residual damage from the KNP Complex fire will have an effect on this. Timber Gap permits are easier to get than High Sierra Trail permits.

As for the creek crossing at “Big” Hamilton Lake, early Aug 2017 my friend and I did an easy thigh-deep wade across the shallow end of the lake itself (very close to shore near the outlet), to avoid any issue with the creek … no current involved. Could think of this as a backup strategy, but you probably won’t have a problem with crossing the creek itself by then. The trail actually crosses the creek twice, but I don’t remember the downstream crossing being an issue.