SEKI itinerary question
Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:42 pm
SEKI itinerary question. Have carefully read info on the SEKI web site and tried calling Inyo NF several times this week but line just rings. SEKI contact page suggests emailing but that could take days for an answer.
A few areas in SEKi like Rae lakes, Hamilton Lake, and Dusy Basin have camping limits of a day or two. In the case of Dusy Basin it is two days maximum. Their web site does not elaborate on whether one can say hike in there from South Lake, spend 2 days, the continue on down to the Middle Fork of the Kings in Le Conte Canyon to camp a few days, and then on the return spend another 2 days in Dusy Basin before returning to the South Lake trailhead. Same thing for Hamilton Lake that has a one day limit. Can one camp there a day, then go over the Kaweah Gap and camp in Big Arroyo x days, and then on the return camp a second time for one day at Hamilton Lake before returning to Giant Forest?
My expectation is yes. But then what if one camps say at Dusy Basin 2 nights, then goes beyond that basin proper through Knapsack Pass into Palisade Basin for one night, and then goes back through the Knapsack into Dusy Basin? Can one camp there again 2 nights? Same thing at Rae Lakes going into Sixty Lakes Basin and the returning to Rae Lakes.
My suspicion is there is no policy for such a circumstance because those creating the policy of simple mind were trying to reduce impacts in places like Rae Lakes that have lots of groups on loop trips or thru hikers going in and out to resupply. My own experience is 95% of visitors don't ever go beyond short distances from the trails and trailside lakes so they ought not be concerned of a few peak baggers or others with different styles as long as they technically meet their simple policies as stated. Note I rarely camp anywhere near trails or popular lake edges and tend to be LNT minimalist, so am not at all the intended target of their policy.
A few areas in SEKi like Rae lakes, Hamilton Lake, and Dusy Basin have camping limits of a day or two. In the case of Dusy Basin it is two days maximum. Their web site does not elaborate on whether one can say hike in there from South Lake, spend 2 days, the continue on down to the Middle Fork of the Kings in Le Conte Canyon to camp a few days, and then on the return spend another 2 days in Dusy Basin before returning to the South Lake trailhead. Same thing for Hamilton Lake that has a one day limit. Can one camp there a day, then go over the Kaweah Gap and camp in Big Arroyo x days, and then on the return camp a second time for one day at Hamilton Lake before returning to Giant Forest?
My expectation is yes. But then what if one camps say at Dusy Basin 2 nights, then goes beyond that basin proper through Knapsack Pass into Palisade Basin for one night, and then goes back through the Knapsack into Dusy Basin? Can one camp there again 2 nights? Same thing at Rae Lakes going into Sixty Lakes Basin and the returning to Rae Lakes.
My suspicion is there is no policy for such a circumstance because those creating the policy of simple mind were trying to reduce impacts in places like Rae Lakes that have lots of groups on loop trips or thru hikers going in and out to resupply. My own experience is 95% of visitors don't ever go beyond short distances from the trails and trailside lakes so they ought not be concerned of a few peak baggers or others with different styles as long as they technically meet their simple policies as stated. Note I rarely camp anywhere near trails or popular lake edges and tend to be LNT minimalist, so am not at all the intended target of their policy.