High Sierra Topix

Hi folks, new to the site and glad to be here. I've got a permit for the HST mid July but having second thoughts on if it's the best use of my time. Of course anywhere in the Sierra is a delight to be in, but looking for gorgeous alpine views with minimal crowds. I'd love to do the Sierra High Route, but that's a few years off for me, as I have no off trail experience. My experience includes the JMT and many 1-5 night excursions in the Sierra since then. Thanks in advance!

I would do the Rae Lakes loop

Hello z98, welcome to HST. I too love the sights around Rae Lakes, but it does get crowded. If you take that advice, I recommend that you also explore the nearby 60 Lakes Basin, and pop over into Gardner Basin too for some even more remote country. Dragon Lake is just as nice as the popular Rae Lakes, and another quiet option. There are some recent trip reports from that area, here's one:
viewtopic.php?t=24072

If you have a whole week, and want to avoid crowds, look for anywhere that isn't on the JMT/PCT, and is more than one day's hike from the trailhead. You should be fine.
The Upper San Joaquin, Red Mountain Basin to Goddard, Black Cap Basin, Lake Basin above Muro Blanco, Nine Lake Basin.

I mean, you have an HST permit and a week. It is a spectacular area, and it is easy to detour and find isolation along the way.

Adding some off-trail detours to you HST trip is a great way to get away from crowds, and get "off trail experience" (it is not that hard for most people). Exploring the 9 Lakes Basin or loop back via Pterodactyl Pass & the Tableland. Or head over to Little Five Lakes Basin, explore that and then retrace your steps. No one is forcing you to do that ridiculous shuttle from Lone Pine to Visalia.

yeah, i would agree that if you would like to do the high route eventually, there are some beautiful and (relatively) easy cross country routes just off the high sierra trail. may as well start learning now?

the simplest would probably be lonely lake/pterodactyl pass and through the tablelands, as c9 says.

you could also go over elizabeth pass down into deadman canyon, xc up to big bird lake, then tablelands pass, and again through the tablelands.

on either of these routes, you could extend your xc time once into the tablelands by heading NW to descend to crescent lake, beville lake, and finally back to trail over silliman pass.

Better ideas from C9:

Adding some off-trail detours to you HST trip is a great way to get away from crowds, and get "off trail experience"

You could also add some rambling around the upper Kern Basin. Sam is dead right-- you are already set to be in some of the very finest of the southern Sierra. Were you planning to loop back around via the shuttle? Maybe save Whitney for another trip in from the eastside. There are many amazing places to veer off into on that Whitney trip as well, eg., Crabtree Canyon; Wallace Creek... All the best!

I third the motion - stick with the HST since you have the permit already, and get your solitude in chunks by stepping off the HST here and there, either easy off-trail or on side trails, and especially to find campsites off the beaten path. Not always easy to get that HST permit for when you want it, so use it while you have it, and the less traveled areas are easier to get a permit for your next trip.
Easy ideas off the HST might be a jaunt up into Little 5 lakes, or wandering around the Chagoopa Plateau; a quick visit to Crabtree Lakes. Or from Crabtree Meadow, go north on the JMT a few miles and then wander up into the Wallace Creek basin.

Hi @z98, I'm adding to the pile of encouragement. The HST visits some fine scenery, and I think great solitude can be found along it. Remember that your permit is for the starting trailhead, and you can change the itinerary (although you probably know this). This means you're not locked into actually doing the HST. You already have a starting permit, a week, and the world is your oyster.

There's many good/introductory cross-country opportunities along the HST. Here's my +1 to ideas mentioned above:
- Take a one-mile detour to the uppermost lake in Nine Lakes Basin. Camp there for stargazing over southern skies.
- Wallace Lake is ~three miles off the HST. The HighSierraTopix Meetup was held there many years ago.
- Climb Mount Kaweah. Its SW slopes are strenuous, but not technically challenging.
- If you're ambitious, skip the Whitney section of the HST. Instead circle west via Colby Pass, Deadman Canyon, and Elizabeth Pass. Although this section is on a trail, it's much less traveled than the JMT/PCT corridor.

Good luck!

I assume you realize the complicated transportation issues with your route. If I only had a week I would not want to have to spend a day or more just to get back to my car. Where to go always is impacted by where you live. Personally I prefer the classic South Lake to North Lake route where it is fairly easy to hitch back to your car. The off-trail over Lamark col is not that hard, as long as you do not do it too early in the season when there is a lot of snow.

But if you already have your permit, you could also make a loop of it. I do not think the permit requires you complete it. I think the only issue is not coming back on the HST to Crescent Lake. You could return via The Tablelands, as others suggest. Then there is a shuttle bus back to Crescent Meadow from Wolverton.