High Sierra Topix

Planning a 7-8-day trek up Mono Creek from Lake Thomas Edison on the West Side, for late June of this year...and would be interested to hear packers' recommendations regarding which side basins--Laurel/Grinell, Hopkins, Pioneer--and Recesses 1-4-- are most worth day hikes, or backpacking up to camp there? I'm Level 3 backpacker, leading a mix of mostly newbie teenagers and adults, mostly interested in solitude, XC scrambling, maybe climb an easy Class 1-2 peak, scenery and fishing...and averse to mosquitoes. Your experience appreciated!

Entering from the east side or the west side?

Entering from West Side, from Lake Thomas Edison ferry drop-off.

Pioneer Basin and Fourth Recess Lakes are okay, Hopkins Lakes is better, and possible Upper/Lower Mills Creek Lake according to older reports.

All are great for scenery, but Grinnell Lakes and Upper Mills Creek Lake stand out for outstanding scenery.

June/July may be mosquitoes galore, so plan accordingly, and depending on snow fall June may be early for most of these location, check snow level updates as you get closure to your dates, especially for some newbies.

What Mav said about upper Mills Creek Lake plus it is a non technical climb up Mt. Gabb from there. (At least from my memory of a trip almost 49 years ago.)

Mills from Mono Creek can be tricky for newbies. There is a trail, but it is easily missed and if you do, it can be difficult. Agree it is beautiful. Plus, the Mono crossing can be difficult at times - may not be an issue this year if we have a low snow year.

Not sure young folks would appreciate Pioneer Basin. It is more subtle and a fishing destination. Fourth Recess is pretty impressive and easy to get to. I have been up Third, and thought the effort was a bit much for the worth. If you are going to do that much effort, Laurel/Grinnell has more bang for the effort.

+1 to Mills Creek. Lower Mills Creek Lake is one my singular favorite spots in the Sierra.

Also, FWIW, 4th Recess Lake is probably the easiest side-trip along Mono Creek, and there's nice campsites that accommodate groups on its northern shore.

Absolutely agree to beware Mono Creek crossing--at least into Second Recess. We bailed on a trip there over 4th of July weekend a few years ago. Instead we went up towards Grinell and loved it. But Mono Creek looked like this:



Even Silver Creek was tricky--we watched a young woman get swept off her feet there--but there were logs over the creek as well, and we used those on the way back. Yeah, there was a long over Mono Creek--about 18 inches wide, about 15 feet over the creek, and about 40 feet to walk on it. Like I said, we bailed on that one.

Fourth Recess and Pioneer Basin are both lovely

Thank you, everyone! I appreciate the experience and tips.

Unless current weather patterns and forecasts change dramatically, it doesn't look like either bugs or stream crossing are likely be much of an issue this year....we're bouncing along the bottom of the lowest snow water content ever recorded...
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/swcchart.action