High Sierra Topix

Hello HST community. I’m generally a lurker but wanted to solicit some help. I had an overnight permit at Onion Valley Campground (Friday) and a wilderness permit to enter via Kearsarge Pass on 8/26 Saturday. I was planning to do the Rae Lakes loop in 5 days 4 nights (plus one night of acclimatization in Onion Valley) Yesterday my overnight at Onion Valley was cancelled. They have not yet cancelled my wilderness permit but I did read an update from the Forest Service that Onion Valley Road is closed until 8/28. It appears likely that I won’t be able to utilize my wilderness permit and since I’m flying into LA from Texas for the week I was hoping for some good alternate ideas that I would be able to scoop up a walk up permit. Ideally looking for something that would get me into the mountains for 4 to 5 nights. Any ideas are welcome. Is a walk in permit for Yosemite coming from the east side of the mountains even feasible?

Yes, I bet you could get a walkup permit for Walker Lake/Sardine Lakes that would let you camp at Lower or Upper Sardine the first night, then into Yosemite and LYell Canyon or Parker Pass and beyond.

You could also look at South Lake over into Dusy Basin, not sure how that trail looks right now, or certainly over Mono Pass into Pioneer Basin. Lots to see there.

I think you should lots of options, if you're willing to adapt on the fly.

Seconding balzaccom. There looks to be a single reservable permit for Mono Pass right now. That's an easy way into Pioneer Basin and the Mono recesses. I was there last year if you need any trip planning ideas.

-Mark

Check recreation.gov for what is currently reservable right now. A bit longer drive, but you can probably get a permit for Virginia Lakes or Green Creek or Robinson Creek in the Hoover Wilderness, and then also head over into Yosemite Park. They release the "walkup" permits three days in advance on recreation.gov. Search for "Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Wilderness" on recreation.gov.
-Phil

To follow up on above, doing the Mono Pass sort of entry but by way of Dana Meadows (Yosemite) is also likely to be open. The reason is that there is a camping restriction coming out of Dana Meadows which forces folks to camp beyond Mono Pass. This makes Dana Meadows a relatively unpopular entry point.

I currently have wilderness permits for Kearsarge Pass for Fri so also waiting on pins and needles re: the road being closed. My buddy on the trip was able to snag 2 permits for Sabrina Basin as a backup, so that was reassuring...

jfbruin34 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:16 pm … My buddy on the trip was able to snag 2 permits for Sabrina Basin as a backup, so that was reassuring...

here’s a nice (and very recent) TR on a Sabrina Basin trip:

https://www.highsierratopix.com/communi ... hp?t=23140

If you're coming up from LA, you should do something in Sequoia or Kings. Walk-up permits are rarely an issue for any west side trailhead. There's some lollipop loop routes you can do off the High Sierra Trail that are comparable in length and dramatic scenery to the Rae Lakes Loop.

As a Plan B entry point basin, Rock Creek offers a lot of options during a week looking for walk-up fun. In any case, the discussion has little value for the OP unless the recreation.gov Eastern Sierra trailhead on the specific dates for their trip show enough open spots. So that is task 1 then present what is possible for advice. Of course one may recommend favorite east side destinations but seriously, there is a reason such quota'd routes fill.

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=37.4342 ... z=13&b=mbt

Thanks all for the recommendations. I've looked into each one and Mono Pass looks like a good backup. I'm still holding out hope for Onion Valley Road to reopen by Saturday. I see that they haven't canceled Onion Valley camping permits that start on Saturday so i think its a possibility. FIngers crossed.