Re: Wilderness Permit Information

[BSquared]

If you have a permit already for Green Lakes entry, you can still use that for your base-camping idea. They really don't care what you do once you enter the Wilderness, only that you enter on the date of your permit. I think you would find plenty to do for two to four days in the branches of Green Creek, going over the crest past Summit Lake to upper Virginia Canyon (Return Creek), and up to the pass to Virginia Lakes for the view. If I were doing this, I would probably actually have two base camps. First night an easy one to Green Lake so I could explore the next day on the use trail up Glines Canyon or the maintained trail to West Lake (or both). Then move camp to Hoover Lakes or even Summit Lake and explore into the upper reaches of Virginia Canyon or up to the pass over to Virginia Lakes. Lots of pretty lakes and dramatic peaks (both granite and reddish metamorphic rocks) in this area.
-Phil

Thanks, Phil! That's an excellent suggestion; I'll explore that area (which is new to me) on the map a bit more carefully now.

[paul]

Years ago I went into Return Creek from Green Lakes, and came out via Virginia Pass and down Glines canyon to Green Lake. I don't remember if it was use trail or what, and this was a long time ago, so what it's like now may be different, but a loop is possible via Summit Lake and Virginia pass if that looks interesting to you.

[BSquared]

It shows as a use trail on CalTopo, and I was wondering about it. Thanks for the info! Glines Canyon wasn't a particularly demanding cross-country route?

[LMBSGV]

Glines Canyon had a clear trail all the way down when my wife and I did it in the 1990s. The biggest problem was the mosquitoes were horrendous. Otherwise, the trail was easy to follow. We did the loop from Green Creek up to Summit Lake to upper Virginia Canyon, over Virginia Pass. and down Glines Canyon. One thing to be aware of is that the trail up to Virginia Pass goes off to the right right before the Return Creek crossing in upper Virginia Canyon. There are excellent campsites across Return Creek at that point up in the whitebarks. There's also an excellent campsite a little past where the trail turns and heads up to Virginia Pass along the right hand fork of Return Creek.

One thing to add to this is that when my wife and I did the loop in the 1990s, there was no set trail going over Virginia Pass. It was a class 1 cross country route back then. When I was in upper Virginia Canyon last year, there was a signed trail going up Virginia Pass. I suspect that the trail in Glines Canyon is now also an even clearer trail than it was back then.

[giantbrookie]

Glines Canyon had a clear trail all the way down when my wife and I did it in the 1990s. The biggest problem was the mosquitoes were horrendous. Otherwise, the trail was easy to follow. We did the loop from Green Creek up to Summit Lake to upper Virginia Canyon, over Virginia Pass. and down Glines Canyon. One thing to be aware of is that the trail up to Virginia Pass goes off to the right right before the Return Creek crossing in upper Virginia Canyon. There are excellent campsites across Return Creek at that point up in the whitebarks. There's also an excellent campsite a little past where the trail turns and heads up to Virginia Pass along the right hand fork of Return Creek.
One thing to add to this is that when my wife and I did the loop in the 1990s, there was no set trail going over Virginia Pass. It was a class 1 cross country route back then. When I was in upper Virginia Canyon last year, there was a signed trail going up Virginia Pass. I suspect that the trail in Glines Canyon is now also an even clearer trail than it was back then.

I went out of Green Creek up Glines Canyon to Return Lake in 2001 and there was a reasonable path all the to the pass, but I recall one spot in the willows where I briefly lost the track (may have been due to some downed timber). I think that knocked me off the trail for smidge (hundred feet or so) before I regained the path.