High Sierra Topix

The wonderful thing about the sierra and playing with google maps is finding areas I've never considered going. After some digging and reading some trip reports (fewer online than others), I'm having trouble understanding if a loop is possible and at what difficulty/length

I'd like to do a loop, either starting from the end of Florence or at Courtright, and hit the following areas: Goddard canyon, Hell For Sure Pass, Lake Davis and Martha Lake

Now what I can't figure out is - if I start from Florence lake, go up through Goddard, hit Davis Lake and Martha, over Hell for sure into Hell for sure basin, is the mosquito pass back over (therefore bypassing going back over hell for sure pass and down goddard) doable, and also, interesting? Would this be an overall 'enjoyable' route?

Or, I could start and end from courtright reservoir, go into hell for sure lakes area, over the pass, hit davis lake/martha lake, and then what? Does the blackcap pass/blackcap basin or any other class 2/3 allow me to loop into the ionion basin and backtrack to courtright?

I don't mind a lollipop - but am trying to figure out the best way to avoid out and backs. Hopefully whatever loop I try is 4N/4D (example, camp at trailhead thu night, hike out monday afternoon)

Welcome @Sierrasnob
(hopefully you are just a snob about the Sierra Nevada )

First, you might want to look at this:
viewtopic.php?t=4205

Taking a quick look at your Florence (start and end) idea, it looks to be ~45 (or more) miles and almost 10k feet elevation gain/loss if you include Davis (the one on the Goddard side), Martha, Hell For Sure, and return via Mosquito Pass … assuming you catch the Florence ferry on first and last days. Sounds fun (and strenuous).

In the “Cross Country Passes” sub-forum, you can find a couple of very nice descriptions of Mosquito Pass:
viewtopic.php?t=16268

Hopefully, wiser minds will weigh in with some useful advice on your plan(s).

I will say the drive to Courtright is about an hour shorter than the drive to Florence. I'd rather start there for that reason alone. Check the XC passes page, there's plenty of ways to get from Ionian back to the TH.

^This is super helpful thank you. I'll do my homework before I ask for any further help on this one!

grampy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 1:03 pm Welcome @Sierrasnob
(hopefully you are just a snob about the Sierra Nevada )

First, you might want to look at this:
viewtopic.php?t=4205

Taking a quick look at your Florence (start and end) idea, it looks to be ~45 (or more) miles and almost 10k feet elevation gain/loss if you include Davis (the one on the Goddard side), Martha, Hell For Sure, and return via Mosquito Pass … assuming you catch the Florence ferry on first and last days. Sounds fun (and strenuous).

In the “Cross Country Passes” sub-forum, you can find a couple of very nice descriptions of Mosquito Pass:
viewtopic.php?t=16268

Hopefully, wiser minds will weigh in with some useful advice on your plan(s).

Check this out:
http://www.sierrahiker.com/DavisLakes/index.html

I've gone up over Mosquito pass and enjoyed it enough to hope to do it again soon. I'm contemplating a similar loop this year, perhaps pushing over Hutton pass instead of towards Davis lakes. I remember the bottom portion as less obvious but no serious brush on the route.

on a mosquito pass route, where does one cross the south fork san joaquin? my memory upstream of there on both the JMT and piute creek/canyon is of two fairly serious waterways!

I remember it as wide but only knee deep. Problematic at peak flow but otherwise safe enough. No waterfalls.

thegib wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:02 am I've gone up over Mosquito pass and enjoyed it enough to hope to do it again soon. I'm contemplating a similar loop this year, perhaps pushing over Hutton pass instead of towards Davis lakes. I remember the bottom portion as less obvious but no serious brush on the route.

Is hutton pass a rather difficult one?

Did you try using the “Search” feature ?
> Check these entries from the “Cross Country Passes” sub-forum:

Hutton Col:
viewtopic.php?t=8873

Hutton Pass:
viewtopic.php?t=10717

These both describe the same pass/col, by the way.

A related question that maybe you should ask (I’d like to know the answer, anyway) is whether Hutton Col/Pass is easier/harder than using Lucifer’s Saddle 1 & 2 (known to some folks as “Two Passes”), as this route would accomplish the same thing … more or less. Anybody want to weigh in on that ?