High Sierra Topix

South Lake to Palisade Lake plus Dusy Basin
6/7/22 to 6/15/22


I reserved an 11-day South Lake entry/exit Bishop Pass permit with a very generic trip plan. It was a bit too early for “The Plan”, but squeezed by family commitments, I would have to just see what I could do day-by-day. Side trips to Simpson Meadow and Amphitheater Lake were scrapped when I looked at the crossings of Palisade Creek. Looping back to Dusy Basin via the High Route was scrapped when I looked at Knapsack and Thunderbolt Passes going in. Going north over Muir Pass to fish Davis Lake was scrapped when North Lake to South Lake hikers told me of snow conditions. It is one thing to quickly get over Muir Pass; another to slop around in possible snow/boulder mess getting to Davis Lake. It ended up reduced to Bishop Creek, Dusy Basin and Palisade Lake.

A major goal was to photograph Dusy Basin. On a 2016 trip I accidently set my camera on reduced size images more like thumbnails than real photos. The trip was not fishing focused, but I did get a few fish dinners. For the first time, I used micro-spikes that I bought years ago. Although not my style of hiking, I got a taste of layover days and tested the concept of not getting up until sun hit my tent. This also was first trip of the season at higher altitudes; most nights at about 11,000 feet.

I do not like car camping before or after a trip, so the first and last of the 9-day/51-mile route included the 6 hour drive to and from South Lake with only a few hours of actual hiking. In retrospect, I over packed for the conditions, which were much more mild than expected.


Day 1. South Lake Trailhead to Long Lake
2 miles, 1.7 hours, 910 elevation gain (plus 2hrs fishing and 6 hour drive)

After driving from sea level to about 10,000 feet and hauling a 32-pound pack I quickly felt a bit altitude challenged in spite of the short hike. I was huffing and puffing just putting up the tent! I poked around and found many more established campsites at Long Lake, better than the one I chose. Although not needed, I enjoyed an icy-cold bucket-bath. There was plenty of time to fish Long Lake, but between the wind and uncooperative fish a fish dinner did not materialize. A few mosquitoes popped out at dusk, but none were biting. As usual, I slept poorly the first night.





Day 2. Long Lake to Dusy Basin Lake 10742 outlet
8 miles, 7.2 hours, 1690 elevation (including fishing lower Rainbow Lake)

Daylight comes mighty early in June! I left at 7:30 just as the sun poked over Chocolate Peak. The trail became full of hikers, and even a trail runner. I was surprised at the number of PCT hikers who were either going in or out to resupply. There were snow patches on the trail going up to Saddlerock Lake. I asked PCT hikers about conditions on Bishop Pass. On my previous trip I encountered a short stretch of treacherous “fall you die” snow on the lower switchbacks. It really unhinged me at the time. The PCT hikers, after all they had gone through, said it was no problem.




Upon viewing the same switchback with snow, I decided to detour east for about 200 feet of elevation gain, following some faint footprints. The detour involved more snow and was rigorous, but runouts were safe in case I fell. I used my micro-spikes for the first time and was impressed. There was a bit of post-hole hell near the top before I got back on rock to intersect the trail. The hikers who took the trail were just a bit ahead of me and we all ended up on the pass the same time.

When I reached the outlet of Lake 10742 (the edge of Dusy Basin), I was so hot that wading across the outlet to the better campsites was a relief. Much of the ground was still moist from the recently melted snow. I had to set up on a tight but dry location where several annoying re-angles of the tent were required to drive in tent stakes. I grabbed my fishing rod and took off to the lower Rainbow Lake. It was beautiful and I wished I had camped here instead! Fish nibbled but did not bite. There was a perfect rock slab to slither down into the lake for a bath in total privacy. Back at camp, between the altitude and heat I was feeling a bit punky. After dinner and photographing I retreated to the tent. In spite of a few difficulties, it was a wonderful day.




Day 3. Lake 10742 to Lower Palisade Lake
12.6 miles, 9.5 hours, 2685 elevation gain

I left at 8AM, crossed the creek and quickly descended 1260 feet to the PCT junction in the cool morning enjoying wonderful views of the peaks north and south in LeConte Canyon. I gleaned information about Muir Pass from two fellows and a family with four young kids who were finishing the North Lake to South Lake Loop. Based on their input, I decided to instead go south on the PCT and camp at the Simpson Meadow trail junction, in hopes of a day-trip at least down to Devils Washbowl and perhaps a side-trip to Amphitheater Lake on my way to Palisade Lake. Waterfalls were gushing from every hillside, the largest from Ladder Lake. I nearly tripped over myself as I gawked up so much!




I hit the “PCT Bubble” going north while I was going south. I quit counting; there must have been over 50 hikers. I was impressed by how cheerful, polite, helpful and willing to share the trail were most of the thru-hikers. I was shocked to see a woman with a toddler in a baby carrier, with a little girl about 3 years old following her and shortly behind a boy about 4 or 5 and the dad. They looked very spent and miserable. At Grouse Meadow a group of PCT hikers were swimming. The North Fork of the Kings River was roaring! Palisade Creek crossing at the junction was more than I wanted to do. It was early so I continued up the trail, taking a break while chatting with a German PCT hiker. Amazingly, there were few mosquitoes, but it was hot as hell.

I stupidly must have left my map at an earlier rest stop, so continued blind. I missed Deer Meadow, my intended stop, because it is NOT a meadow. Before I realized it, I was climbing up the Golden Staircase the sun beating down with no shade. Wherever there was a small site to camp, there was no water; wherever there was water there were no flat sites. So on I trudged. I really had not planned on going all the way to Palisade Lake, but that is where I ended up at 5:30, quickly took a bath and set up. Other PCT hikers dribbled in throughout the evening and set up nearby. We were all illegal and tired. After dinner I immediately jumped into the tent, totally exhausted, took two Advil and a Benadryl.

Day 4. Layover at Lower Palisade Lake
Move camp, fishing and wandering around

I slept in until the sun hit the tent. The PCT hikers were gone as I leisurely ate breakfast. I decided to do a layover day; a no brainer since it was so beautiful and the lake was full of fish. As grueling as my previous day was for me, I really enjoyed a full day layover. Granted, for a PCT hiker my previous day was nothing!

Wanting a more private campsite, I wandered up to the bench to the north and after much mulling options, set up on a nice site below a huge waterfall gushing down cliffs and rock slabs (I think the High Route goes up these slabs; I had considered SHR back to Dusy Basin but was worried about snow on the north sides of passes, particularly Cirque Pass). By the time I moved, set up, gathered water, washed clothes and generally relaxed it was early afternoon. PCT hikers steadily walked below my perch, not even seeing me. I fished the north shore of the lower lake until I hit a cliff, returned and fished near the outlet. After 2 hours I had five fat 8-9 inch fish that I cleaned, put in a plastic bag and set beneath a rock in the little stream below the waterfall. Then I wandered about, taking photos and exploring nooks and crannies. By early evening, a steady stream of PCT hikers passed by, most continuing down the Golden Staircase in the heat and beating sun.

Although a beautiful setting, the area is over-used and full of quite old horse droppings. Not sure why; but it appeared that the big meadow at the outlet of the lower lake, both below and up on my perch, had in the past been used as pasture for horses.




Day 5. Return to Lake 10742 in Dusy Basin
12.6 miles, 10 hours, 2840 feet elevation gain

The mirror image of Day 3 let me really enjoy the Golden Staircase, this time downhill in the morning shade. I shortly met a woman PCT hiker and we bumped into each other several times. She joked that she was “homeless”, living part time with her daughter in Sacramento helping with grandkids, part time with her mother in Georgia between thru-hikes. She said several hikers in her “bubble” were in their 60’s.



Although Grouse Meadow was beautiful and I was intrigued if it had fish, the mosquitoes were pesky enough that I decided to continue. The less pleasant mirror image of Day 3 was a grueling uphill hike in oppressive heat going back to Dusy Basin. About half way up, amazingly, here comes a fellow carrying a kayak! Evidently he was going to descend the Middle Fork of Kings River. After continually looking at the roaring river, with deadfall hazards and waterfalls, I was shocked anyone would kayak it, later learning it is one of the top Class V+ routes, taking 4-5 days. Shortly another fellow with a kayak on his back appeared. This fellow had a harness of sorts that he used to carry the boat. Just after the bridge at the upper waterfall, here came another! How in the world did these fellows get their kayaks up Bishop Pass, over the exposed snow filled tight switchback? These gutsy young fellows make me realize I am getting old.



The last hour I struggled and was so tired that I went right back to the campsite I used before. A group of guys were camped across the lake so I had to go downstream a ways to have a private bath. In the intervening day, a batch of mosquitoes had hatched. They were annoying but tiny but did not bite.

Day 6. Lake 10742 to Lake 11388 in upper Dusy Basin
2.6 miles, 2 hours, 770 feet elevation gain

The sun hit the tent early. It was immediately warm enough that I just put on my hiking clothes, cooked breakfast, re-crossed the outlet, and started up the trail at 9:30. At about 11,150 elevation I saw a grassy slot heading towards my destination. I left the trail, crossed a creek, head east to a small pond, traversed southeast to another grassy slot that ascended to a small saddle and dropped to the ponds below Lakes 11388. For the first time this trip, I was alone; the sole person in all of upper Dusy Basin.

I dropped my pack at a marginal campsite. The wind was really picking up. I went towards the upper lake hoping to find a site near the outlet where I had caught a lot of fish before. A long snow stringer blocked my path and the wind was even worse. Then I scouted down to the middle lake (11388) outlet, finding a good site with a line of trees for a windbreak, up on a hill with dry ground. The weather report said 10% chance rain, and setting up on a moist site would just ensure a flooded tent if it rained. Wind increased and black clouds blew in. All day there was a huge lenticular cloud to the south. I spent nearly an hour setting up the tent, placing huge rocks on every tent peg.



By mid-afternoon the tops of the peaks were in dark clouds and the temperature dropped drastically. I retreated inside the tent. In a short lull about 5PM I cooked dinner. Then all hell broke loose. The wind continually howled, gusts shook the tent while I grabbd my trekking poles that held the tent. (Later I heard going out that a bunch of tents down at Four Jefferys Campground were blown flat.) This continued until well after midnight. As much as I am not fond of my tent because it sets up on trekking poles and is not free-standing, it passed the wind tunnel test! Needless to say, I got little sleep that night.




Day 7. Layover at Lake 11388 upper Dusy Basin (fishing/hiking/scouting)
3 miles, 5.2 hours, about 250 feet gain and loss

After a sleepless night, morning dawned near freezing, brilliant blue skies, with a reduced but still steady wind. I put on all my layers, although I could have done without one fleece pull-over. But it was nice to actually use what I haul on my back for a week. I decided for another leisurely layover day. I dropped to the lower lake, circled it fishing along the shores. This lake was significantly more vegetated and definitely had the best camping in the upper basin. There were tons of small fish, which I caught and released.



After lunch I went to the upper lake, found a path through the snow stringer and then walked over rock to the outlet where there were tons of bigger fish. But they were not in the least interested in my fly, even after I changed it. There were still wind gusts to contend with. Walking back to my tent I ran into three people who said the mosquitoes were so bad at Bishop Lake that they aimed for the highest lakes in Dusy Basin. They set up at the inlet end of Lake 11388. In the late afternoon I scouted the ridge between Lake 11388 and the lake to the north (adjacent to the trail) and found a marked use-trail to the lower lake. I loved being up in the basin but sort of ran out of things to do, so took an unneeded bath, washed more clothes and dumped out the bear can to survey and organize food. Evening provided more photo opportunities.

Day 8. Lake 11388 to Ruwau Lake + day hike and fishing
5.8 miles, 4.8 hours, 1170 feet gain

I was getting into a late start mode; not leaving until 9AM. I followed the use-trail I found the day before and dropped to the unnamed lake to the north and intersected the trail to Bishop Pass. Shortly I met two young fellows who had done the PCT last year, and two older fellows doing the PCT this year. One older fellow had a Santa Clause beard, boots (most PCT hikers wear trail running shoes) leggings and a kilt! Well, I wore knee high gaiters, 20 year old baggy knickers, garden gloves, a patched old Bergans of Norway pack with an unmatched GG Crown 60 lid and a blue foam sit-pad on my back so the hip belt would tighten enough. The two younger fellows were the picture of the modern day thru-hiker. We all meandered up to Bishop Pass exchanging stories.

The dreaded snow covered switchback had significantly melted and I did not even use micro-spikes. We parted ways at Bishop Lake, where I stopped to eat lunch and contemplate fishing. I decided instead to get to Ruwau Lake, set up and then come back to fish Bishop and Saddleback Lake if I had extra energy. A cross-country route from Saddleback Lake had a use-trail that dropped to the south end of Ruwau Lake. Unfortunately there was steep snow; instead I stayed on the lumpy ridge (somewhat a bushwhack) and dropped to the outlet where I found a nice established campsite under beautiful trees.

After setting up and a bath, I fished the southwest shore and caught two 10-inch fish. I could have caught more, but I wanted to day-hike up to the little “pass” to Chocolate Lakes to photograph with the better afternoon light. A group of day-fishermen and a dog were on the north shore. I was low on fuel so unfortunately just boiled the fish and added instant potatoes. I ate my last square of dark chocolate.



Day 9. Ruwau Lake to South Lake TH and drive home
2.7 miles, 1.4 hours, 15 feet gain

It was an uneventful walk out, excepting being stopped by a ranger who wanted to see my permit. I left the trailhead at 10:30 and drove home among more traffic than I would expect on a Wednesday. To avoid the construction delays on Echo Pass, I went over Carson Pass and then drove Mormon Emigrant Trail to Highway 50. The Caldor Fire devastation was so sad and huge, contrasted to the lush beautiful forest and deep blue Capels and Silver Lakes. I sure hope this season we can avoid these horrible fires.

Other than two grueling days, it was a leisurely trip, mostly on trails and full of stunning scenery and very interesting people. The full moon was an appreciated bonus.


some extra photos:

The shot of Columbine Peak, with the sun on it and the dark clouds behind, is spectacular. A real gem. And some of the shots coming down into LeConte were very nice too.

What a nice warm up trip. You always impress me with your resourcefulness in adapting to conditions and having spectacular trips. South of Dusy to Rae Lakes is a blank for me that I hope to fill-in in August, but I wonder if conditions will be inhospitable by then. Sounds like you were early enough to avoid the worst of the skeets. I might be too late to avoid the smoke.

I do not think there will be many mosquitoes in LeConte Canyon in a few weeks because it is already quite dry. People who camped down there said there were lots of mosquitoes at dawn and dusk, but I did not have many mid-day (it was very hot). The meadow at the outlet of lower Palisade Lake will likely bloom with mosquitoes soon- there was a ton of standing water. The Golden Staircase is impressive, but I could not get a good photo. Lighting was never right. It certainly is a masterwork of trail building.

Someone sent a private message and asked about Palisade Creek crossing. I said I would put a photo here that shows the crossing.

Great trip in a marvelous area. We love many of these photos, but all the black and whites, and especially the shots with Isoceles Peak, are our very favorites. Thanks to your photos of the Bishop Creek side, we realize that there is a nice short trip for us and our dogs, full of beautiful day trips including one up under amazing Mt. Goode. I saw my first a Pine Marten around Treasure Lake too; did you have any nice animal sightings Nancy?

Thanks for the TR, at least we can enjoy the Sierra vicariously through HST, we'll be back in September. Ian and Lizzie.

In a previous trip I went up to Treasure Lakes on the way out of Bishop Creek. The Bishop Pass permit now specifically says you cannot go up to Treasure Lakes- which has a different trailhead permit/quota. Not sure if that applies to a permit for the east side of Bishop Pass only. I guess the only way you can figure it out is to put Treasure Lake in as the last night and see if "reserve.gov" takes it.

Thanks for reading the report and replying. There were lots of happy dogs at all the Bishop Creek lakes!

Here is a close-up of Mt Goode. I went up there years ago and the moraine is quite loose.

We didn't know those new(?) rules about where you're allowed to go once you head in. I've always assumed that once you're in a few days, you can adapt your route as needed, or desired, other than in a highly regulated area like Mt. Whitney. So Treasure Lakes would be off limits? What if we were to access it via Hurd Pass I wonder? Thanks for the tip. You mention adding in Treasure Lakes for our last day on the WP, to see if it got by; I wonder what the ranger in the field would say to that? Is this gaming the system in an acceptable way? I would think very late in the season, when we're likely to be going, it'd be okay.

It's interesting that for all of our worry about snow conditions on our recent trip to Yosemite/Emigrant[viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22341], we experienced almost no trouble at all. Yet on your trip here, you had more snow than you would've preferred. Just the vast difference in the elevation of our trips. We did run into snow and tough creek crossings once, and aborted the climb up Haystack Peak, but you had to forego your High Route and Davis Lake plans....plus Amphitheater Lake too? We still would've happily traded for your High Sierra area trip, I really want to get to 2 of your planned places--the Lake Basin that begins with Amphitheater Lake, and Davis Lakes. And a third one in between them, where I think you have also been to-- Ladder Lake. Maybe Bearzy will get another injury, or I might overfeed him, till he's happy just lolling about.

L. and I just spent the morning in bed, going more slowly through this great TR of yours. Some of the words, e.g.: "I nearly tripped over myself as I gawked up so much...," and the images, are really inspirational. Thanks again Wild Wandering Daisy.