High Sierra Topix

I want to introduce my oldest to the wonders of the High Sierra this summer, it was supposed to be last year but schedules got convoluted. Originally I was planning on Humphreys Basin and setting up camp and then lots of dayhikes/exploration. But it looks like the whole family is going to spend some time checking out the North CA coast and the redwoods (viewtopic.php?t=23392) so I'm going to add on an extra week with just my daughter and I after we drop everyone else off at SFO. This would be July so I'd need a permit to drive through Yosemite to get to 395 and I don't think I want to deal with that.

I have no problems with altitude and I think my daughter would be ok based on skiing in CO this December. But to be safe, we would car camp for a couple nights, ideally at 7-8000' to help acclimate.

So, I'm thinking west side of the Sierra. I've had the Tablelands on my radar for a couple of years and that seems like easy off-trail travel with the possibility of setting up a basecamp and poking around for a couple days. If we did this, I would hope to get a walkup permit for the Lakes Trail and stay at Emerald or Pear Lake for the first night and then move up to the Tablelands. Or permits for the Alta Trail look like they aren't getting scooped up, so first night at Alta Meadows and then move up. Either way, I'd plan on making a loop (Alta, Tablelands, Pear Lake or reverse).

Does this sound like a stupid plan? Is there anywhere else you would recommend? Ideally within 5ish hour drive of SFO and a big payoff with lowish miles for a 4 night trip. Oh yeah, we don't fish

wsp_scott wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:18 pm Does this sound like a stupid plan?

Not at all. Tableland is a great choice.

wsp_scott wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:18 pm Is there anywhere else you would recommend?

If you're not limiting yourself to SEKI, Bear Lakes Basin is wonderful. I took my son and daughter up there for the first time when they were about the same age that your daughter is now and they loved it. Ideally, I would make it a five-night trip, but four nights is doable. If you have a 4WD, you could start at the diversion dam, hike up Bear Creek to ~8800 feet to camp and count it as your second acclimation night.

It does not sound like a stupid plan, but there are options. If you are willing to settle for something just a mite less challenging than the tablelands, you can still hike Jennie Lakes Wilderness and see wonderful stuff---and really only be about a day's hike from the tablelands, if push comes to shove. Or Dinkey Lakes for a more modest adventure, with lots of fun stuff to see, and a few lakes that can only be accessed off trail. And you can probably get a campsite in SEKI, or neaby, as you suggest to get acclimated.

If you wanted a memorable drive (as in "I never want to drive that road again") you could also hike out of Lake Thomas Edison towards either Mono Creek and Pioneer Basin, or up to Graveyard Lakes and beyond. Or take that same road to get to Florence Lake and all sorts of fun...or Bear Creek.

Too many choices, too much fun! But your first idea is a good one.

The Tableland trip is a fine choice (I did one last year); securing an Alta trail permit will almost certainly be easier than one for a Lakes Trail entry. This only affects your direction of travel on your loop, but won’t limit what you can see.
The quota for Pear Lake campsites fill up before those for Emerald Lake; I thought Emerald was stunning and shouldn’t be considered a “lesser” choice. You do, I think, have to tell the desk ranger which lake you intend to camp at, at the time you are picking up your permit (unless the process has changed since I went).

Some other options, assuming "normal" snow conditions in July ...

Desolation Wilderness next to Lake Tahoe is well within your 5 hour drive constraint, has fine granitic High Sierra scenery, but lower elevation if you are concerned about altitude effects, and lots of trails and trailheads to give you loop options. Yes, it is popular, but you have plenty of time to reserve permits. One idea for a Desolation loop is to start at Eagle Creek trailhead at Emerald Bay, hike up to the Velma Lakes (search trip reports here on HST for camping suggestions), then down to Camper Flat and up the Rubicon River and over Mosquito Pass to Lake Aloha. Spend a day exploring the Aloha basin (the actual "Desolation Valley"). Pick up the PCT to hike north over Dicks Pass and down to Dicks Lake. Then pick up the Bayview trail heading east along the ridge and down to the Bayview Trailhead (great views of Emerald Bay on the way), which is less than a mile from your starting trailhead. Or do the loop in reverse. A side trip from Gilmore Lake up to the top of Mt Tallac gives great views of the whole Lake Tahoe region. Bonus: spend your first day acclimating on a day hike on the Rubicon Trail by Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe to admire that amazing lake.

I think the Hoover Wilderness on the northeast side of Yosemite Park has great mountain scenery, including interesting reddish metamorphic rocks in some areas, with high trailhead quotas and relatively easy to get permits. You can access it over Sonora Pass within your 5 hour drive constraint. The best high mountain scenery with short loop options would be to start from the Robinson Creek trailhead (next to Twin Lakes), with possible campsites at Barney Lake (easy first day), Crown Lake, Rock Island Lake (easy cross-country from the trail), and Peeler Lake. A longer loop that we did with our pre-teen kids starts at the Buckeye Creek trailhead and ends up at Robinson Creek, requiring a shuttle - I've always been able to hitch-hike. Head up Buckeye Creek with some large meadows bordered by big peaks (cows are allowed to graze here, so use a water filter) - we camped at "The Narrows", beyond the cows. Next day up to Kirkwood Pass and camp at a little tarn just off the trail on the pass with outstanding views down the West Walker River drainage to the hulking Tower Peak. Then head cross-country up the ridge directly south of Kirkwood Pass to an easy pass into broad gentle Thompson Canyon; head down the canyon a short ways and then contour over to a low cross-country pass that leads down to Kerrick Creek. Camp along the creek or at Peeler Lake. Loop around Rock Island Pass to Crown Lake, and then down to the Robinson Creek trailhead.

-Phil

Are you looking at moving every day or more of a base-camp/day hike plan? What time period in July are you considering?

I would not write off going to the east side. You do not have to go through Yosemite. Sonora Pass is an alternative. I thought you could do the 120 drive after 4 or 5PM without a permit.

I agree with WD that you shouldn’t rule out the East side. Sonora Pass is a possibility and Tioga, as she pointed out, has no restrictions after 4:00 pm. So you can drive through after 4:00 and spend the night in Bishop. Plus, I found when they did reservations the last time, getting a day-use permit was not that difficult unless you were going on a weekend. A lot of the weekdays remained available. Plus, since they hold back quite a few until one week before, if you know when you’re going, than getting one of those one week out reservations is also pretty easy for weekdays. Then you could go to Humphreys Basin as you originally planned.

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies.

I'm not limited to just SEKI, that is just what I am most familiar with. On top of that, my limited experience with the Sierra is all from entering through Inyo on the east, so I'm just not aware of possibilities on the west side.

I think a basecamp trip vs moving every day would make for a more relaxing trip and give flexibility around potential weather issues. I think my daughter is a little nervous since she has heard about my trips over Taboose and Shepherd Passes. I'd never do that to anyone else, but she is thinking really hard days and I've tried to reassure her that this trip won't be pain and misery

Since everyone seems to think Tablelands sounds good, I'm probably going to do that. But, I'm going to do some research on Dinkey Lakes, Jennie Lakes, Bear Lakes, Deso and Hoover.

Since you are adding an extra week to camp/hike with your daughter in the Sierras, perhaps consider the following option to enjoy the stunning escarpment of the Eastern Sierras:

After dropping off the rest of your family at SFO, from SFO fly on United nonstop to Bishop.

At the Bishop Airport, pick up an Enterprise rental car. Alternatively, take a private shuttle or public transportation (Eastern Sierra Transit Authority) to get to your East Side destinations.

Sounds like your family is going to have a wonderful vacation!

Jim

If you can hike past the 7 miles to Pear Lake on day 1 then you can get a "Lakes Trail pass through" permit. These are non-reservable and aren't popular enough to ever be entirely booked. (The downside is that you aren't allowed to camp at Pear lake.)