Recommendations for Sierra Backpacking Trip

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Quasimodo

Trad climber
CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 29, 2013 - 04:32pm PT
In the last two years I have backpacked with my son in August. The first trip was Tuolumne Meadows to Mammoth Lakes. Last year we backpacked from South Lake through Evolution Valley to North Lake. This year I am considering:

1) Loop from Mineral King over Franklin Pass to Little Five Lakes Basin and back over Black Rock Pass.

2) Hoover Wilderness; Twin Lakes to Smedberg Lakes and back through Matterhorn Canyon.

Is one better than the other? …any other suggestions?

I am looking for something more obscure and less crowded than say Kearsarge Pass, Whitney or Army Pass. I was thinking about Sheppard Pass but the low start makes this kind of a grunt.

Thanks for your suggestions!
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Jul 29, 2013 - 04:50pm PT
Both of those sound nice. Shepherd is a grunt, but if you can arrange a shuttle you can hike up over Kearsarge and then down Shepherd. There's the Woods Lake loop out of Road's End. There also a nice loop in Sequoia over Silliman Pass north of Lodgepole, up Deadman Canyon and back via the High Sierra Trail. So many places to go really...
Inner City

Trad climber
East Bay
Jul 29, 2013 - 06:59pm PT
So many incredible options to pursue. Trying to get a bit off the beaten track is more difficult.

We once did a Sierra traverse (east to west) that went over Taboose Pass, stayed a night at Bench Lake and then went down the Muro Blanco (the south fork of the Kings) This lets out to the Paradise Valley trail and down to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon. Five day trip and was great. Car shuttle was a little harder to figure out..

I think that your Northern Yosemite route sounds appealing.
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Jul 29, 2013 - 07:18pm PT
Terrible idea. Go to Colorado. Rockies better.
Quasimodo

Trad climber
CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2013 - 09:34pm PT
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Would love to explore the Colorado Rockies or Sawtooth Range. Time is the big issue. I only have one week. The Hoover/Yosemite loop is likely our route of choice.
ruppell

climber
Jul 29, 2013 - 09:38pm PT
Sewellymon

Gould pass is a beast of a pass from either side. Did it last year to "save time" getting into the sixty lakes basin. It ended up costing time. Amazing place that I'm sure few have been. Go check it out and let me know whether I was just having a bad day. lol
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Jul 29, 2013 - 09:41pm PT
1) Loop from Mineral King over Franklin Pass to Little Five Lakes Basin and back over Black Rock Pass.

That is a good one, as is any hike over Kearsarge Pass.
ruppell

climber
Jul 29, 2013 - 10:20pm PT
QITNL

I recommend Gould Pass on the way in. lol You can hit Mt Gould and Dragon peak from there. Here's a fun trip report I found on the interweb to confirm my belief that I actually wasn't having a bad day. I hiked up and over that thing with a 60lb pack full of climbing gear for four days of fun in the Clarence King area. I planned on stopping to tag both Gould and Dragon on the way in. It didn't work out that way. If your going in with just a hiking weight pack I think you should be fine.

Gould Pass(or not)?
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
Jul 30, 2013 - 01:45am PT
it's not the route, it is who you are with, sounds like good company to be in, have fun! rent a beacon in case you need more power bars,

Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 30, 2013 - 03:32am PT
I had some nice uncrowded trips from Leavitt Meadows ending at Kennedy Meadows. Tower Peak and the Emigrant Wilderness and some nice lakes and plenty of back-country rock and fish were also involved.
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
Jul 30, 2013 - 08:40am PT
My wife and I have been hiking the Sierra High Route in sections and got one more to go to finish. Steve Roper but it together in this book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sierra-High-Route-Traversing/dp/0898865069

There's some really cool sections mostly cross country hiking off established trails up at timber line or above. You'll love it, quintessentially hiking through the heart and soul of the Sierra.

Charlie D.
aguacaliente

climber
Jul 30, 2013 - 01:37pm PT
1) Loop from Mineral King over Franklin Pass to Little Five Lakes Basin and back over Black Rock Pass.

I did this loop in the opposite direction a few years ago with some friends. It was spectacular. We saw few people, not none, but nothing like the circus people describe on Whitney or the JMT. This may have been because it was marginally early season, or due to permit limits, I dunno.
ahughes03

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Jul 30, 2013 - 01:57pm PT
Mineral King is the best!

I'd suggest heading over timber gap and up to hamilton lakes, over kaweah gap, and back via black rock... lets you walk through some giant sequoias, among other amazing sights.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Jul 30, 2013 - 02:11pm PT
One trip I had planned several years back that I cut short was Road's End to East Lake, up the drainage toward Harrison Pass and over that (tagging Mt. Harrison along the way). South past Lake South America, tag Milestone Mt. and over Milestone Pass, back north thru Cloud Canyon and over Sphinx Pass back to Road's End. I got as far as Lake Reflection. I was by myself and it started feeling pretty remote heading toward Harrison. Still, terrific scenery and still on my to do list when I find a partner in crime (oh yeah, and get a pass from the wife and kids).
Bargainhunter

climber
Jul 30, 2013 - 02:32pm PT
I'd second exploring a path out of Mineral King. Try the Sawtooth trailhead up the old Empire Mountain trail over Glacier Pass then pass Spring Lake and the ~1000' white granite Spring Lake Wall (=similar to the Incredible Hulk), Hands and Knees Pass then drop north over a ridge to Little Five Lakes down to the Big Arroyo. Scramble up Black Kaweah's SW chute, then pick and scenic loop out. I'd suggest popping over Kaweah gap to Hamilton Lakes then looping back to Mineral King. Almost anywhere along the way will have spectacular camping and peaks to scramble.
LB4USC

Trad climber
Long Beach
Jul 30, 2013 - 03:45pm PT
For what it's worth, take a look at the McGee Pass area (near Convict Lake).

For a trail that is easily accessible, there wasn't that much traffic ... especially once you dropped west of McGee Pass and into the Tully Lake / Tully Hole area.
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