eastern sierra trip advice

[mckee80]

Hi,
Finally signed up after 85% of the google searches I did ended up with me on these pages anyway. What a wonderful resource!

Anyway, I found a cheap airfare from out east into Las Vegas and realized it is a short 4+ hour drive to the Eastern Sierras. I've been looking at loop hikes from the Eastern side.

I'm around level 2, several backpacking trips, not very much x-country. I'm cool with class II terrain. I'm interested in lakes, mountains, campsites, and photography. I like to go relatively low mileage and get camp set up early and explore, sans pack, and especially swim (I'm all about swimming holes). Less than 10 miles a day, I'd say, depending on elevation change. I wouldn't mind a layover. I'm looking at a 4 night trip, most likely. Probably have to be a loop. I've done some day hiking in Yosemite (Mist, little hikes around Glacier Point) and I didn't experience any altitude related stuff. Mostly, I just want to be out there. It would be the first or second week of September. I'll be trying to get a walk-up permit, I'm fine with having to get one for the next day. Also, I guess I'm assuming the fire(s) out there will no longer be an issue. That could be a bad assumption:)

I've come up with a possibility, but I wanted to see if anyone had any other suggestions, backup plans, or poke holes in my idea. Thanks! And thanks for all the stuff that is already on here.

Day 1: Onion Valley -> Charlotte Lake
Day 2: Charlotte Lake -> Rae Lakes
Day 3: Rae Lakes -> 60 Lakes Basin via Basin Notch (looks like short, well traveled x-country)
Day 4: 60 Lakes Basin -> Kearsarge Lakes
Day 5: Kearsarge Lakes -> Onion Valley

[maverick]

Agnew Meadows-1000 Is Lake-Garnet Lake-Lake Ediza-Shadow Lake Trail exit back to Agnew Meadows or you can do it in reverse, more climbing.
For variation, you can go over Garnet Pass (class 1) http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... ss#p122171, located at the far southwestern end of 1000 Is Lake, this will give you an opportunity to visit the western end of both 1000 Is Lake and Garnet Lake.

Big Pine North Fork Trailhead-Second Lake (layover day to take in the magical scenery) -Forth Lake-continue on to Summit and Black lake trail to exit.

Sabrina Lake-Blue Lake-Baboon Lakes-Midnight or Sailor Lake-Trailhead

All of these areas offer plenty of places to explore, so taking a layover day to see what makes it so special, is well worth the time.
Just got back last week from a photo shoot in North Fork Big Pine, have been there numerous times, the places is gorgeous, Temple Crag is one of the most impressive pieces of granite in the Sierra, it is awe inspiring, and then add in the the 3 emerald green lakes from the glacier feed creek, makes it even more special.

Here is also link to what Lake Ediza, out of Agnew Meadows looks like: http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 17&t=15386

Disclaimer, there is are no guarantees that these places will look like these art pieces. Most of the time, I have to go back to these location many, many times to get what I have visualized in my mind, and mother nature does not always cooperate.

Let me share with you a shot from my recent shoot to NFBP, this special piece will make it into my purchasing/investment gallery, very few do (click on photo to enlarge):

[mckee80]

First of all, wow, you are a very talented photographer! Thank you for the suggestions. The ediza lake loop looks pretty amazing. Although I imagine that I'll be pretty amazed wherever I end up.

[lomarena]

What permit and how I obtain to backpack NFBP or Sabrina/Blue lake..?

[Ska-T]

What permit and how I obtain to backpack NFBP or Sabrina/Blue lake..?

Here is an explanation for obtaining a wilderness permit for most of the east side trailheads, that is, routes starting in the Inyo National Forest.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passe ... recreation

By the way, it is good form to start a new thread if you are not addressing the original post.

[mckee80]

OK, I convinced my fiancee and mom that I wasn't going because I was "depressed". Flight and rental car booked. I decided on the thousand island lake / ediza loop (with BPNF and Sabrina as backups if I fail to get a walk up permit).

Thinking of the following itinerary:
Sept 6 - arrive in LV around 8:30. Get car and head to Lone Pine permit station. Get permit, bear can, fuel. Camp or hotel as near Agnew Meadows as I can get.
Sept 7 - Head up the high trail, cut down to camp at Altha Lake, or the lake southwest of Ruby, if I make it that far
Sept 8 - Loop around 1000 is lake, camp at western end of lake or western end of garnet
Sept 9 - check out whitebark pass, if I'm not 100% cool with it, go the long way around. Either way, end up at Ediza. Camp with a lakeview or at the meadow just past
Sept 10 - dayhike to iceberg, cecile, possibly cut down the hike out if I can find a legal spot past shadow lake
Sept 11 - hike out (and find the small waterfall / swimming hole referenced here https://www.gardenbetty.com/backpacking-to-ediza-lake/ ) and drive back to LV

Now that I typed it out, I don't have any lounging around days. There is just too much I want to see! Given that itinerary, is there anything I could cut out that wouldn't have me kicking myself for the next 10 years? Also, I usually bring my hammock to relax at camp, is that worth it for this trip (are there any trees where I am planning on camping)?