High Sierra Topix

Friends! I am having a tough time choosing where to go for one of my trips that I am planning. I have a (solo) permit for Mono Pass (Rock Creek) in mid-July. I have a campsite at East Fork Campground the night before my permit, so I can get an early start on my first day. I have 5 days (4 nights) or possibly 6 days (5 nights) if the last morning is an early out / short distance so that I can be back in north Tahoe by mid-afternoon. I've read several threads from this area, including this and this. I've started sketching a couple really rough ideas on CalTopo, which you can see here.

Thoughts:

I really want to see Hortense Lake and Grinnell Lake.

I have never been to any of the Mono recesses.

I'm interested in exploring the cross-country passes around the area between Tully/Fish and Mono.

I'd rather go up complicated / steep / talus routes than down them.

I'd be interested in any Class 2/3 peaks in the area.

I am open to a layover day with peak bagging / exploring as my only activity on that day.

I have some kind of bone in me that wants to do all the JMT passes even if not doing all the JMT in one go, and I haven't been over Silver (though I have been just below it at Lake of the Lone Indian and north to Tully Hole). Honestly this is a low priority though.

Experience:

I'm a Level 3.5/4 according to the HST scale.

I like big mountain scenery and lakes. I don't fish. I like photography, especially alpenglow.

I am happiest hiking about 12mi / 3,000-3,500ft per day on trail, or 8mi / 3,000ft cross country, but I have had plenty of 15mi/4,500ft days under my belt.

I don't mind sleeping high and in slabby Sierra terrain, or carrying water for a dry camp (I've camped atop Junction Pass).

I am comfortable with Class 3 terrain but prefer to keep it Class 2 most of the time when carrying a full pack.

I prefer to avoid steep loose scree/sand, but can get through it if necessary.

It seems like a lot of your goals are better done from Silver Lake or even McGee TH. Hortense and Tully Lakes are a stretch if you still want to bag a peak in 5-6 days. To avoid too much repeat miles, here is a loop. I have not figured the miles so not sure it would go in the time you have.

1. Over Mono Pass, side trip to 4th Recess, down Mono Creek
2. Continue down Mono Cr, up Laurel Creek, camp at Grinnell.
3. SHR past Rosy Finch and to Tully Lake, day hike to Hortense, or camp at Hortense.
4. Over McGee Pass to Big McGee Lake
5. Hopkins Pass, down Hopkins Creek, camp 4th Recess, Trail Lake or Golden Lake
6. Out over Mono Pass

Or just do the Recesses.
1. Fourth Recess
2. Laurel Creek-Grinnell
3. Second Recess, lower Mills Cr Lk, dh to upper
4. Third Recess and/or Hopkins
5. Over Mono Pass to Ruby Lake/ or Golden Lake
6. Very short out

I really like Mills Creek Lakes. Pioneer Basin is nice but you really need a couple of days to really explore it. You could get there on the first day, but it really is not worth the effort if you cannot get to the upper lakes. I have not done McGee Pass, but it is on a trail, nor have I done Hopkins Pass. Big McGee Lake is wonderful. Tully is very scenic but Grinnell Lake deserves some time too. Just day-hiking to Rosy Finch and Bighorn Lake while base camp at Grinnell is very scenic, and save Tully and Hortense for another trip. Although Ruby Lake is very close to the trailhead it is really nice. You can find secluded campsites on a bench north of the outlet.

Hm. Yeah, you're right. I was planning to be building out a van this summer so minimal backpacking, but that's delayed due to chip shortage / supply chain, so I'm late in planning my trips, and with the weird walk-up situation I just snagged what I could get in an area that I haven't visited too much, and that is Mono. I probably should make this trip just about the recesses and do a separate McGee TH trip for Hortense/Tully bench area. Thanks for the proposed itineraries! I'll map out mileage and think through camps and days.

The good news is that you can't go wrong in this area. We loved camping at 4th Recess, exploring Pioneer Basin, Grinnell....Golden Lake is also nice. Lots of places that are worth a visit...and a campsite to let them sink in.

I think Fourth Recess or Golden Lake would be an easier target for Day 1, if you start early based on your preferred miles, you could get up into Pioneer basin and the upper lakes. If you do get up into Pioneer basin, I would definitely stop by Fourth Recess to take a look, it's really pretty.

From Pioneer Basin, I'd suggest staying high and doing some X-Country along the ridge so you can see Hopkins, Grinnell and potentially Red and White and Bighorn/Rosy Finch. There are a few writeups on the passes connecting all of the basins here on HST and from my reading they are on the tougher end of Class 2, which seems to be within your skillset based on your past trip reports. I think the trickiest part will be getting from Hopkins to Grinnell... An easier option might be to go over Hopkins pass > Mcgee Pass > Pace Col? Or perhaps Hopkins > Mcgee > Rohn > Bighorn would be better? Definitely suggest doing some research here...

If you want to avoid doing trail miles through the forest at the bottom of the canyon, you could cross to the south on Day 4 and go up Second Recess to Mills Creek Lake, and eventually loop out to LLV via Gabbot Pass > North Col. Hiking from Mills Creek Lake to Dade/Gem/Treasure Lakes could be a good day 5, which would setup your easy exit on Day 6. You could probably get all the way back to the TH from Mills Creek Lake if you wanted to push it.

Staying up high and then looping south would also put you in better position to do some peak bagging, but I'm not sure which mountains are worth bagging (fishing is more in my wheelhouse).

This area is wonderful and you really can’t go wrong. Here are some thoughts from my experience in the area:

- Silver Pass is beautiful, but the south side gets kind of boring as you descend toward Quail Meadows…dusty and below treeline. Same with the lower part of Mono Creek. I’ve been down that trail a few times before, and while the easy downhill cruising is nice for a few miles, it gets kind of tedious after that.
- If you want to do Silver Pass, I’d recommend leaving the JMT at the Mott Lake junction and going Mott Lake to Rosy Finch Lake and then picking up the route you already outlined. That would let you do Silver Pass while avoiding the less desirable parts of the JMT and Mono Creek trail.
- Hopkins Pass is super fun and connects two beautiful areas. 10/10 would recommend.
- The trail up Laurel Creek is initially steep and painful, but very much worth is. I remember dragging myself up crumbly, forested switchbacks and then…BAM beautiful meadow and easy, gentle trail.
- On your CalTopo, you’re asking if the bit between Bighorn and Rosy Finch Lakes will go. It looks like you’re trying to stay high on that ridge. I don’t know if staying right on top of the ridge is a feasible or preferred route, but it’s definitely possible to travel between Rosy Finch and Bighorn if you stay on the hillside to the southwest of that ridge. That’s part of the Sierra High Route and a commonly traveled off trail route. I’ve hiked this before and it’s very fun. Some tedious talus but generally quite enjoyable. And the north side of Bighorn Pass is beautiful.

Thanks everyone! So much good advice here.

GGC23 wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 11:51 am On your CalTopo, you’re asking if the bit between Bighorn and Rosy Finch Lakes will go. It looks like you’re trying to stay high on that ridge. I don’t know if staying right on top of the ridge is a feasible or preferred route, but it’s definitely possible to travel between Rosy Finch and Bighorn if you stay on the hillside to the southwest of that ridge. That’s part of the Sierra High Route and a commonly traveled off trail route. I’ve hiked this before and it’s very fun. Some tedious talus but generally quite enjoyable. And the north side of Bighorn Pass is beautiful.

Yeah, I can see a long grassy gash on satellite and FatMap that is pretty high up. It looks like it might not connect to the stream above Rosy Finch though. Looks cliffy there. But it does seem to connect to other ramps leading down between Bighorn and Rosy Finch. I'll just have to go explore

Thanks for starting this thread and for the helpful responses. I don't have any answers, but definitely interested in seeing what others have to say as we seem to have very similar plans this year, both backpacking and non-backpacking related. My wife and I also have permits for Mono Pass with the same amount of time allotted (4 or 5 nights), also live in north Tahoe, also have plans to build out a van, which also got delayed due to the chip shortage. I guess the good news with the van delays is it leaves more time for backpacking!

BigSea wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:35 pm Thanks for starting this thread and for the helpful responses. I don't have any answers, but definitely interested in seeing what others have to say as we seem to have very similar plans this year, both backpacking and non-backpacking related. My wife and I also have permits for Mono Pass with the same amount of time allotted (4 or 5 nights), also live in north Tahoe, also have plans to build out a van, which also got delayed due to the chip shortage. I guess the good news with the van delays is it leaves more time for backpacking!

That's so funny! What are the odds!

Izaak Walton is the only peak on my "to-do" list for the area. Secor lists the NE ridge as being a good climb, but that guy isn't always 100% accurate. The rest of the peaks in the area are probably best as a day hike on a different outing.