High Sierra Topix

Hello, my friend and I are interested in embarking on a 6-night backpacking adventure. Fortunately, we have access to two cars, which allows us to plan a shuttle trip. We both have a moderate level of backpacking experience, which we'd classify as level 4. However, we'll be accompanied by my friend's dog, so we're in search of trails and passes that don't require any hand climbing. We'll be starting from the Bay Area, and we're hoping to find a suitable route along Highway 395 or the western side that hasn't been affected by last year's wildfires.

Hey Eric,

I'll throw out one of a thousand possibilities for your two car capabilities. Our last trip (late Sept.) was an out and back from Courtright Res./ Maxon Trailhead. We originally hoped to place our car at Wishon Res./Woodchuck TH, hitch a ride up to Courtright, and travel all around the LeConte and White Divide, ending up at Woodchuck TH. There is a lot to see and do on the west side of these divides, it's dog-friendly terrain, and you have the ability to descend a bit here and there along the route to fire-friendly elevations-- it was freezing at times for us! Another benefit of this route for late season trips is the fact that you don't cross any high passes, which minimizes the risk should a heavy snow fall on you.

Highlights of this area are Confusion Lake; the Battalion and Regiment Lakes area of Blackcap Basin; the Cathedral Lake area-- also in Blackcap Basin; and the fishing in the lakes on the way down to Woodchuck TH. Some of the mountain climbing options are Mt. Hutton (easy from up on Lucifer Pass); Mt. Reinstein (bouldery climb-- how big/agile is your dog?); Red Mountain, easy from the Red Mountain Basin, around beautiful Hell For Sure Lake...
You could begin at Devil's Punchbowl (fires?), and then cross the interesting Lucifer Passes to Bench Valley, and move south along the range from there. It's a beautiful, and quiet area; we have seen no one for many days in there over the years. It doesn't have the high mountain amazement that you would feel traveling around the Bear Creek Spires area out of Rock Creek. I had a great time with my dog moving from Mono Pass, up 2nd Recess, over Gabbot Pass, and finally North Col, to drop into the south end of Rock Creek, but that is a bit more of a gamble should the weather turn on you. Here's that trip:
TR: LL Valley Circle- Mono Pass, Gabbot, Cox Col, 6/26 - 6/30/2022
https://www.highsierratopix.com/communi ... 22#p173426

Good Luck, and let us know how it went, Ian.

Are you planning your trip for this month, October? This late in the season, there is always the risk of an early dangerous snowstorm, especially if you go out for such a long trip. Weather forecasts six days out are not very reliable in this "shoulder season", in my opinion. And even if such a snowstorm doesn't trap you in the backcountry, it can trap your car if you park on a minor road that is not plowed!

On the other hand, if you are thinking about a trip next summer, then you have numerous possibilities.

Please clarify your timing.

Hmm. I thought I posted a long answer to this, but it doesn't seem to be here. I agree that a long trip during shoulder season is a high-risk adventure. But I did suggest a few options, but if you REALLY want a shuttle you could go east to west over Mono Pass to Lake Thomas Edison, with a wide range of side trip options along that route---but a ton of driving for the shuttle. And it would have the same risk as Harlen's suggestion---if a storm comes and snows in Kaiser Pass, you are well and truly up the creek.

Best bets would be including heading south from Mammoth to North Lake...North Lake to South Lake via Lamarck Col would not be a good choice with a dog, but from Mammoth the route is doable. And you could go north from Mammoth as well, to one of the June Lake trailheads.

Eric, now that balzacom has found this, you might ask him about a pretty wild , mostly downhill trip you might put together around and through the Emigrant Wilderness. Balzacom would know the best two sites for your in and out-- Something like in Kennedy Meadows, or Leavitt Lake (do you guys have a truck?), or ???, and then out either Crabtree, or Cherry Lake, or ???

There are so many cool two car options! Off the top of my head-- how about one car at Onion Valley--Kearsarge Pass,... north over Glenn Pass, or Dragon Pass for more adventure, and on over Pinchot Pass, climb up Split Mountain, or ???, and then return to your second car at Taboose Creek. (Again, that Taboose TH might need a higher clearance vehicle.). Or, if you guys can burn some miles, your second car could be placed at South Lake, and you might explore some of the High Route areas between Mather Pass and Bishop Pass? That would be a trip in a stunning, big mountain area.
You are making us turn a dark shade of green Eric.



Taboose Pass




LeConte Canyon, from Dusy Basin/ Bishop Pass area-- can you go in the Spring?

Now that Harlen has put that into play--and we are well off 395 now--we did a trip a few years ago from Leavitt Meadows over the crest and then down Jack Main Canyon to Hetch-hetchy. A memorable hike! And I don't think we saw more than about five people once we got a few miles up the Leavitt Meadows trail, except for one trail crew working deep in the wilderness.

bringing the dog narrows your choices down to between bishop and mammoth as you cannot enter the national parks with the dog.

still lots of choices and you cant really go wrong with any. mcgee creek and north of there will be harder on the dogs paws.

if it were me I would probably do a north lake to pine creek shuttle