High Sierra Topix

Hello my friends,
My daughter who barely day-hikes and hasn’t backpacked in 2 years has a much needed 5 day break starting June 14th. I was thinking that we could go from Road’s End Up Bubb’s Creek and maybe do a 4 day out and back to East Lake.
Here are my questions, please:
1) Is this the best choice In King’s Canyon considering our circumstances and time frame?
2) Can I expect reasonably easy creek crossings? We do not care if they are wet, so long as they are not running fast.
3) I expect mosquitos, but do you think that they will be swarming demons?
4) If we go Monday- Friday, can we avoid most of the crowds?
5) we also could do an out and back on HST from Crescent Meadow to Hamilton Lake. Is that a better choice?
Thank you so very much!

A few thoughts:

1. You don't say where you live, but Road's End is a long drive from anywhere. If you don't want to spend half of your time in the car, you might look for trailheads that are a shorter drive. And that trail goes up, up, up, and then down, down, down on the return. If you want to enjoy your hike, you might find something with a little less pure uphill on the way in, and downhill on the way out.

2. Snow levels are low this year, so creek crossings will be lower than usual for June. But June is still a month where you should worry about creek crossings. Early morning crossings mean the creeks will be lower---plan your hike accordingly, if you are worried.

3. Yes. You can expect Mosquitoes. Take lots of bug juice and buy a headnet. Sometimes they literally vary from mile to mile on the trail. Adjust your trip accordingly.

4. If you can get a permit. The biggest crowds do hike on the weekends. But this year is already turning out to be a high traffic year for a lot of places.

Thank you @balzaccom Do you think that the HST out and back just to Hamilton Lakes is a better choice? Should we just avoid SEKI? We live in So Cal and usually have a 6-8 hour drive no matter where we go!

Twin Lakes trail out of Lodgepole has lots of available permits for that week.

Anything that can reduce your drive by an hour and still get you to a nice adventure is a step in the right direction, in my opinion. And Hamilton Lakes does that, as does the Twin Lakes that Robow8 suggested.

robow8 wrote: ↑Sun May 30, 2021 8:52 am Twin Lakes trail out of Lodgepole has lots of available permits for that week.

That is the trail the head’s North to Ranger Lake, correct?
Do you recommend a loop northwest to Rowell Meadow and then out through JO pass (or will that be too crowded going through Jennie Lakes) or head northeast to Sugarloaf? Which route will be prettiest?
Thank you so much, I had not noticed the available permits!! I will snag them now!

Hi,
One more question. Please do not get angry since I am asking so that I can do what is right.
It appears that, very conveniently, there are bear boxes at all of the campsites. I have never backpacked Yosemite and SEKI because of the crowds and have always used Ursacks. Since there are bear boxes where we would camp, is a bear canister necessary? I would take the Ursacks just in case.
Thank you!

The climb up from Lodgepole to Twin Lakes is still a big climb. An easier 4 day loop for someone who hasn't backpacked much would be to start at the Rowell Meadow trailhead in the Sequoia NF between Sequoia NP and the Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon NP. The first day hike over to Seville Lake. Second day up to Ranger Lake and then over Silliman Pass down to Twin Lakes. Third day up over JO Pass to Jenny Lake. Last day back down to Rowell Meadow and the trailhead. My wife and I did this in 3 days in our 60s, but then, we hike all the time. I'm not sure what the permit is called for this area, but you get it from the national park visitor center at Grant Grove. Easier to drive up directly from Fresno to Grant Grove that to navigate through all of Sequoia NP.
-Phil

wildhiker wrote: ↑Sun May 30, 2021 4:19 pm ... I'm not sure what the permit is called for this area, but you get it from the national park visitor center at Grant Grove. Easier to drive up directly from Fresno to Grant Grove that to navigate through all of Sequoia NP.
-Phil

the permit name is Belle Canyon in the NPS system (and on Recreation.gov). Permits for “Sugarloaf” trail also begin at same trailhead, but only legal for heading east from the Rowell (or Marvin Pass) trail junction, not if you’re heading to Ranger Lake / Silliman Pass.

That's a nice trip. And yes, we did it in three days, too. But plenty of places to explore more if we'd had the time.

SEKI may require you to use (or show them) your bear canister. I know there are bear boxes at Twin Lakes (and a memorable open air outhouse) but don't remember any at Ranger Lake, for example...