Key swap possibilities?

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ree
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Key swap possibilities?

Post by ree »

I was looking for suggestions for a possible key swap hikes in the Sierras. I'm looking for either a N-S, or E-W route... something with great scenery, maybe 6 -7 nights long. I'm thinking we could easily cover 10 to 12 miles a day, depending on whether it's trail or not.

We are fit and do off-trail and climbing stuff up here in Washington.

I'm looking to take advantage of having another car and party. I am kind of overwhelmed with choices. Thanks.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by TehipiteTom »

I've done two E-W trips across the Sierra, one from South Lake to Roads End and one from South Lake to Wishon (Rancheria Trailhead). Both are spectacular, and in theory at least they could be done in 6 or 7 days. (I planned both as 7 trail + 3 layover, but in both cases unforeseen circumstances wound up eating one of the layovers.) Plenty of solitude once you get off the JMT.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by wildhiker »

You could try the 70 mile stretch of the PCT between Sonora Pass on highway 108 and Tuolumne Meadows on the Tioga highway in Yosemite Park. The car shuttle is not too long - maybe 1.5 hours around on the east side. It's the PCT, so there will be company, but it does go through a generally lesser used area.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by markskor »

There is always the Mammoth Lakes (Agnew Meadow) to Yosemite Valley route (via Merced Lake or? lots of options...) and take advantage of a convenient YARTS return...only one car needed.
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gary c.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by gary c. »

A great trek that we did you might enjoy as long as you have a second car to park on the eastside. We hiked the Duck Pass trail out of Mammoth to Lake Virginia and over Silver Pass down to Edison Lake. Then we took the water taxi across the lake for a shower/ steak and a night in the free backpacker camp. That morning after breakfast we took the taxi back to the trail and up the Mono Creek trail to second and fourth recess before going over Mono Pass and the waiting car at Mosquito Flats to drive back to Mammoth Lakes. We did this double crossing in your time frame with less miles even.

There are also some options available thru Graveyard Lakes and Cascade Valley that would take you back to your car in Mammoth so you wouldn't need the second car parked at Mosquito Flats.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by Wandering Daisy »

By "key swap" I assume you mean two cars to two different trailheads, each group going opposite directions, and swap keys at a meeting point, then drive each other's car back north to meet at some point or even drive each other's car all the way back to Washington.

The other method is for each group to carry keys for both cars. This eliminates the need for meeting at any point. Each group could actually take different routes entirely, as long as you end up at the other car. In fact, one group could do a 5 day trip, the other a 10-day trip. This assumes you know each other well enough to trust each other with your cars and OK to use their car until you get yours back, at your home location. Also assumes that you do not have a new-fangled car that requires a fingerprint to get in!

Either method, be sure to have the legalities worked out, like insurance information, who is responsible for repairs if needed, etc. That way if things go wrong you will at more likely remain friends. If you work this all out before the trip, there will be less hard feelings after. Also, have an emergency plan - what to do if one group does not show up.

There are hundreds of possibilities. For the key hand-off method, try to make your swap-point the trip's destination with a 1-2 day layover. This place should be worthy of a few days with plenty of fishing, day-hiking and climbing nearby. You really need to sit down and do the math, because the half-mark mileage may not be the half-way time-wise. A day or two at the swap point provides contingency if the planned daily mileages do not work out (either arriving too early or too late). For those more willing to take some risk, you could simply drop (hide) keys along the route. Personally, I would not do that.

Because transportation is a real problem with the High Sierra Trail, this route comes to mind as a good key-swap. However, the logical meeting point would be Kern Hot Springs, which at least in my opinion, is not a place I would want to spend a few days if you had to wait for the others.

One example of a worthy key-swap destination would be Lakes Basin, assuming you can do class 2-3 passes. This is a gorgeous remote location with plenty of great fishing, and day-trips. It is 3-4 days to get there from Roads End via Roper's High Route, 4 days from South Lake via Roper's high route, or 3 days from Taboose Pass TH via Cartridge Pass if you do not have the time for a 4-day approach.

So I would suggested, decide your favorite remote destination, and then work back to trailheads along scenic routes.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by TehipiteTom »

Wandering Daisy wrote:By "key swap" I assume you mean two cars to two different trailheads, each group going opposite directions, and swap keys at a meeting point, then drive each other's car back north to meet at some point or even drive each other's car all the way back to Washington.

The other method is for each group to carry keys for both cars. This eliminates the need for meeting at any point. Each group could actually take different routes entirely, as long as you end up at the other car. In fact, one group could do a 5 day trip, the other a 10-day trip. This assumes you know each other well enough to trust each other with your cars and OK to use their car until you get yours back, at your home location. Also assumes that you do not have a new-fangled car that requires a fingerprint to get in!
I believe I also advised everyone to take duplicate keys so it wouldn't be a disaster if the groups didn't meet.

The way we did our keyswap was to meet before the trip and trade cars, so everyone would walk out to their own vehicles. (Rather than designating one inconvenient meeting point for everyone, I paired up drivers from the two trips based on where they lived or were flying into.) Nobody wants to add a long detour to the end of an exhausting trip.
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ree
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by ree »

Wow, some great advice. Thanks.

The key swap idea was because we'd have two couples going in 2 different cars. It'd be nice to take advantage of the 2 cars available, leaving one at different trailheads. The idea is to meet at some location mid-way, or mostly midway, and swapping vehicle keys.

Mostly I was looking for good long one-way backpacking trip suggestions in the Sierras. I am not highly familiar with the Sierras, and feel overwhelmed picking out a great area to explore.
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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by maverick »

Mostly I was looking for good long one-way backpacking trip suggestions in the Sierras. I am not highly familiar with the Sierras, and feel overwhelmed picking out a great area to explore.
The North Lake to South Lake Loop is just what you are looking for at around 56 miles. Park one car at South Lake and then drive to North Lake to start your trip. :nod:
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

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Re: Key swap possibilities?

Post by LMBSGV »

I totally agree. One bit of advice is to look at the map of the route and come up with possible places to camp off the main Piute Pass Trail, JMT, Dusy Basin campsites. There are lot of choices one can make and nearly all of them can provide an unforgettable afternoon/night/morning in solitude. Many are not far off the main route so relatively easy to get to. The choices depend on how far you want to hike each day.
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