More on the Red Mountain Basin

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
bytwerk
Topix Novice
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:29 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Contact:

More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by bytwerk »

Yet another report on the Red Mountain Basin: http://www.bytwerk.com/sierra/2010.htm

This is an area I've somehow overlooked in 40 years of hiking in the Sierra. Now that I've been there, I wonder how it escaped my notice all these years.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by maverick »

Thanks Bytwerk for posting your TR and pictures.
User avatar
balzaccom
Topix Addict
Posts: 2952
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:22 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by balzaccom »

Yep--we love this area. And while Lower Indian has a lot of skeeters...the fishing can be unbelievable!
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-R ... 0984884963
User avatar
ndwoods
Founding Member
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:48 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Contact:

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by ndwoods »

I think of all the cross country I've done....I might have loved Red Mountain Basin...and where it led to.... the most!
http://ndeewoods.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Cloudy
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:08 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: Central California

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by Cloudy »

Nice trip report. I too like the Red Mountain Basin and Courtright areas and this reminds me of a Courtright story.

I was coming back from doing a section of the JMT (started at Courtright) and came back past Muir Trail Ranch, walked around Florence Lake and climbed a bit to hit the Dusy-Ehrshim 4WD trail to follow back to Courtright. I had been out for 11 or so days and after some dusty plodding down the trail, I kept thinking "It would sure be great to have a beer". Well, not 1/2 hour after wishing for one, I saw something sticking out of a dusty pothole on the trail -it was an unopened can of Bud! It had probably bounced out of someone's jeep, had a "born-on" date of a month earlier and had simply been pressed into the soft dust of the pothole. I put it in my pack and cooled it in a stream that night and had a much-enjoyed cold one later that evening. I can't help thinking that I wasted the one wish in my life when I could have wished for a million dollars...

The next bit of excitement was when I followed the trail to the top of "Chicken Rock" and wondered where in the heck the trail went to get down to lake level. I poked around a bit and discovered that it went down straight over the side of the the granite dome at an approximate 45 degree angle! There really wasn't anywhere else to go so I crouched/slid/walked down that rock face and nearly crapped my pants in doing so due to sheer terror... I now have a healthy respect for ORV drivers that can master something like that. I certainly wouldn't want to do it. :-)

Alan
User avatar
rightstar76
Topix Expert
Posts: 776
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:22 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by rightstar76 »

Glad that you had a fun relaxing trip Bytwerk. When I went up there I could have used a horse to carry my things between Post Corral Meadow and Disappointment Lake. That's a really nice area.
Cross Country
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1328
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:16 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by Cross Country »

Red Mountain Basin and Dissapointment Lake is a great place to take kids. Mike and I hiked out from Dissapointment Lake (picture) in one day, easily. Mike was 8 yo.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by kpeter »

For a moment I thought we nearly crossed paths, but I see we missed each other by a day...and nine years :) Or was your trip in 2019 rather than 2010? If so, we missed at Post Corral by a day, you going out, we coming in.

We missed Rae Lake due to exhaustion but it looks lovely and I wish me made it there.
Last edited by kpeter on Sun Aug 11, 2019 1:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by kpeter »

Cross Country wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:20 pm Red Mountain Basin and Dissapointment Lake is a great place to take kids. Mike and I hiked out from Dissapointment Lake (picture) in one day, easily. Mike was 8 yo.
That is where we camped :)

Hiking out in one day is a lot more reasonable than hiking in in one day! But I am glad we did it in two, and got to see the Meadow Brook and Middle Fork by going the long way out.
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: More on the Red Mountain Basin

Post by rlown »

kpeter wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2019 1:20 pm For a moment I thought we nearly crossed paths, but I see we missed each other by a day...and nine years :)
CC has been unable to get back online for a while. His trip wasn't 2019.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: maverick, TahoeJeff and 146 guests