What to do in the southern Sierra Nevada....

[roadtripper]

Hey Everyone!

I was hoping to pick some of your brains for what there is to see & do in and around the Southern Sierra. I think I have a good handle on what's not-to-be-missed in Sequoia and Yosemite, but I'm pretty clueless on all the other national parks, monuments & wilderness areas.

The trip is going to be 12-13 days long, and the last 3 days we're hoping to climb Mt. Whitney (or White Mountain Peak if we can't get a permit).

Anybody been to these places?
~ Sequioa National Forest
~ Kings Canyon National Park
~ Death Valley
~ Inyo National Forest
~ John Muir Wilderness
~ Sierra National Forest
~ Devil's Postpile National Monument
~ Mono Lake
~ Minaret Wilderness
~ Hoover Wilderness

Specifically, I’m looking for a few of the premier 1 or 2 night backpacking trips, a few easier day-hikes, and a ton of local hotspots.

Also, are there any more interesting 13K or 14K peaks than Whitney or White Mountain Peak? The group I'm going with wants to go high but White Mountain seems (relatively) dull. We'll definitely do Whitney if we score the permits, though.

All suggestions/recommendations are accepted, including cool towns, swimming holes, waterfalls, breweries, restaurants, campgrounds, cabins, etc.

THANKS!

 

[halfmoon]

I have only been to California twice, both for the purposes of backpacking. My first backpacking trip ever was in King's Canyon National Park, and it was a popular route called the Rae Lakes Loop. IIRC the route is about 45 miles, so it would would be perfect for a 2 night, 3 day backpacking trip. My inspiration for the trip was this website:

http://kevingong.com/Hiking/RaeLakesLoop.html

To this day I think it was one of the better backpacking trips I have taken. KCNP is tailor made for backpackers, there are no roads which significantly penetrate the backcountry.

I won't bore you with my Yosemite trip, everyone has been there, and everyone knows the "don't miss" spots. FWIW, we did stay at a very nice campground in Yosemite that was not in the Valley. The campground is called Tioga Lake Campground (or something like that). It sets right on Tioga Pass, and under the shadow of Dana Mountain. The campground is about 15 minutes from Mono Lake, which was one of my favorite parts of the Yosemite Trip.

When I go back to the Sierras, first on my agenda will be a backpack trip to Thousand Island Lake near Devil's Postpile. I wanted to go there when I went to Yosemite, but there was too much snow, and the roads were not passable.

Have fun!

 

[poison ivy]

I went to Mono Lake when we climbed Mt. Whitney a couple years ago... I wasn't all that impressed... though I have other friends who said they really love it there. I left there thinking, what was I missing? It just seemed like a big lake to me.

Also in that area is Bodie, an old ghost town from the gold mining era. Many of the buildings are preserved in a state of "arrested decay" from the late 1800's. We thought that was pretty neat and it was deserted when we were there, which made it all the more fun.

Just also wanted to mention that if you don't luck out in the Mt. Whitney lottery, don't give up on it. We were unable to get overnight permits initially (but accepted day hike permits instead.) The day before our trip, we went to the office in Lone Pine and they had tons of overnight permits that were not going to be claimed. Mt. Whitney was one of my all-time favorites... definitely worth the permit headache.

- Ivy

 

[Kevin Rooney]

When are you going? Deep snows can have a real impact on when you can get into some of the backcountry. So far this winter is about average for snowfall, a bit higher the further north you go (north of Bishop).

Quotas for Whitney have changed a bit for 2008 - last year the USFS required permits for the Mountaineers Route, but there was no quota. This year the MR is within the quota system.

If you can't get a permit via the lottery, don't sweat it, particularly if you can be a bit flexible with the dates. As Ivy points out, walk-ins for unclaimed reservations abound. Have been up Whitney many times, and only once via the lottery system.

Post the dates, and I will be happy to give you other suggestions.

 

[roadtripper]

It's looking to be anywhere from mid-July to early-September. The whole plan is still in the works, and it's pretty dependent on whether or not we get the Whitney permits or not.

It's going to be a group of 6 or so of us, so I really don't want to risk getting enough day-of permits.

 

[audrey]

I've been doing my homework for our July trip - we'll be staying in Mammoth, doing dayhikes. I bought the "1000 Hikes in California" book from Amazon which gives lots of info on trails and access into the backcountry and campsites. From there, a topo map and lots of hiker websites will show you many possibilities. All of these sound like great portals for backpacking, with the caveat that once you are on one of the long distance trails, you'll have plenty of company: Twin Lakes, Virginia Lakes, Lundy Canyon, Saddlebag Lake, Agnew Lake, Bloody Canyon. As crowded as Mammoth can be, the forests are sparse and you can step off trail and disappear and find your own private lake for the night. And there are loads more possibilities south of Mammoth.

Here's a great website, and the owner (Richard Muller) seems like a great guy who is happy to help you with any questions:

http://muller.lbl.gov/

 

[Kevin Rooney]

It's looking to be anywhere from mid-July to early-September. The whole plan is still in the works, and it's pretty dependent on whether or not we get the Whitney permits or not.

It's going to be a group of 6 or so of us, so I really don't want to risk getting enough day-of permits.

Once you have your permit, let us know the details. I now live in the Eastern Sierra, so am becoming more familiar with the many recreational opportunities.

If you have enough time prior to Whitney, you might consider doing Langley, a 14'er just south of Whitney, using Cottonwood meadows (10K') as the trailhead. Camp overnight at one of the many lakes in that basin, and do Langley via Old Army Pass. Great acclimation hike, not as tough as Whitney, and a chance to adjust to the altitude and low humidity. Hell, you can even fish for Golden trout in one of many lakes up there.

It's all eye-popping scenery - tough to make a bad choice.