Circle of Solitude 2024 = Feedback Sought

[Lenier]

Your 2nd point is a good one ranger, my desire is just to camp in good places - I can do big miles if I really have to for a great campsite. I'd totally push downhill until darn near sunset to get to the right place!

[oddtiger]

Lake South America to Lake Reflection and East Lake is less crowded and more scenic IMO. I really like the view at East Lake. Here is my camp photo a couple of years ago.

[Wandering Daisy]

Getting from Lake South America to Reflection Lake involves some serious off-trail travel. Just be sure you have the experience to do it and conditions are favorable. North sides of passes could be very dangerous if still holding snow.

[zwoij]

A ranger suggested camping at Avalance Pass and it was excellent. From the pass itself, which is pretty much flat, we walked straight north a couple hundred yards until we had views down into Kings Canyon. We had to pack in water, but it was a wonderful place to stop after a longish day from Colby Lake.

[comfygoodness]

I saw this post a while back and was planning on doing it over Memorial Day this year, but given the snow, has anyone done a route like this early in the season? My plan was to do most of this loop, but continue to the HST/PCT and then head north instead of heading north towards Lake South America. In 2022 I did the north half of the Big SEKI loop over Memorial Day and felt fine with microspikes while heading south over Mather + Pinchot, but I'm curious how Kearsage, Colby, and Forrester might be early season.

[paul]

2022 was a low snow year, this is not, so conditions will be quite different, a lot more snow.

[Wandering Daisy]

You can glean some information about Forrester Pass from old PCT Journals since they are often the first over Forrester Pass. 2019 was a high snow year, I think. Of course, last year was an epic snow year. This year is looking a lot like 2008.