HST denied. Golden trout ideas?

[TurboHike]

In my experience, Trail Pass is usually the first to melt out, then Cottonwood Pass, then the Army Passes. There is no quota for Trail Pass. Why not enter there and head to Tunnel Meadow first? Then make your way towards the Miter Basin. Then pick the safest pass to get back to Horseshoe Meadows.

[richlong8]

I have hiked all these areas quite a bit, and I think unless it gets very hot soon, for a couple of weeks, Miter Basin would be tough a month from now. On a recent trip in GTW, I was at about 8500' NE facing slopes, and that was about snow line. I could see the peaks around Miter, and they still are pure white with snow. Even Olancha Peak still has good snow cover. Rocky Basin will melt out a little sooner than the Army Passes or Miter Basin, but going west and south from Trail Pass is usually accessible fairly early, as is Mulkey Pass, the next little pass to the east of Trail. Not near as scenic as Miter, which is where the real High Sierra begins, in my opinion. I think the real issue this year is going to be the Horseshow Meadows Road: the campgrounds are going to be closed, until something changes with covid policy, and the question is, will they open the road at the time they normally open it, if the campgrounds are closed? It is not unusual for them to have that road open by Memorial Day or earlier, once they clear the rock slides, but it will be interesting to see what they do this year. The trails are open, but if the campgrounds and other facilities are closed, will they open the roads,i.e; many trailheads are close to the campgrounds. If they don't open up the Horseshoe Road, it is a long haul in, still doable, but a long way to get to the trailheads from lower elevations.

[ironmike]

Old Army is a POC (piece of cake) if reasonably dry. Park Service tries to scare you away but the trail is solid. Did it last August (a fairly heavy snow year) with absolutely no issues. June/July might be a different game.

[bobby49]

Old Army is a POC (piece of cake) if reasonably dry. Park Service tries to scare you away but the trail is solid. Did it last August (a fairly heavy snow year) with absolutely no issues. June/July might be a different game.

Old Army Pass is not within the national park.

[Wandering Daisy]

I was at Lake #5 last August too (8/12 about noon)! Were you one of the people I saw?

[ironmike]

Old Army is a POC (piece of cake) if reasonably dry. Park Service tries to scare you away but the trail is solid. Did it last August (a fairly heavy snow year) with absolutely no issues. June/July might be a different game.

Old Army Pass is not within the national park.

Didn’t say it was. But that is a route to get there, and when you stop at ESIA Center to get your permits for that area, you get a warning about OAP. Just covering their asses I get it. The snow does last until late in the season and falls might have ugly consequences when wet/icy conditions exist. Barring that it is a straightforward entrance to the Rock Creek drainage, Miter Basin, and so on (including, after not too many miles, an actual NP).

[ironmike]

I was at Lake #5 last August too (8/12 about noon)! Were you one of the people I saw?

Negative WD. We were there the last week of August. Did Canp at #5 as well. That is one windy place!!

[BaneSierras]

In my experience, Trail Pass is usually the first to melt out, then Cottonwood Pass, then the Army Passes. There is no quota for Trail Pass. Why not enter there and head to Tunnel Meadow first? Then make your way towards the Miter Basin. Then pick the safest pass to get back to Horseshoe Meadows.

I think this is what we are planning than. Once we get there maybe we will know more about the snow around miter basin and make decisions then about the end of the trip. If too much snow we will just take it slower and fish more.

Thanks!

[BaneSierras]

I have hiked all these areas quite a bit, and I think unless it gets very hot soon, for a couple of weeks, Miter Basin would be tough a month from now. On a recent trip in GTW, I was at about 8500' NE facing slopes, and that was about snow line. I could see the peaks around Miter, and they still are pure white with snow. Even Olancha Peak still has good snow cover. Rocky Basin will melt out a little sooner than the Army Passes or Miter Basin, but going west and south from Trail Pass is usually accessible fairly early, as is Mulkey Pass, the next little pass to the east of Trail. Not near as scenic as Miter, which is where the real High Sierra begins, in my opinion. I think the real issue this year is going to be the Horseshow Meadows Road: the campgrounds are going to be closed, until something changes with covid policy, and the question is, will they open the road at the time they normally open it, if the campgrounds are closed? It is not unusual for them to have that road open by Memorial Day or earlier, once they clear the rock slides, but it will be interesting to see what they do this year. The trails are open, but if the campgrounds and other facilities are closed, will they open the roads,i.e; many trailheads are close to the campgrounds. If they don't open up the Horseshoe Road, it is a long haul in, still doable, but a long way to get to the trailheads from lower elevations.

Yeah, I think trail access is my biggest concern right now.

If it's closed, can anytime suggest other routes in the area with access? Maybe coming in from Kennedy Meadows?

While we are hoping for Alpine lakes, at this point I need a backup and just want to be in the Sierras.

[TurboHike]

In my experience, Trail Pass is usually the first to melt out, then Cottonwood Pass, then the Army Passes. There is no quota for Trail Pass. Why not enter there and head to Tunnel Meadow first? Then make your way towards the Miter Basin. Then pick the safest pass to get back to Horseshoe Meadows.

I think this is what we are planning than. Once we get there maybe we will know more about the snow around miter basin and make decisions then about the end of the trip. If too much snow we will just take it slower and fish more.

Thanks!

You're welcome. Let us know how it turns out.