Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

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
maddkeys
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:16 pm
Experience: N/A

Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by maddkeys »

A quick first-post introduction -- I'm Nate, and the Sierras have a very special place in my heart!

My dad and I will soon be heading to the mountains for a 4-5 day trip. Last year, we did our first off-trail hike, an easy mile from the French Canyon trail up to Merriam Peak/Royce Lakes. This year, we are looking to expand on that victory and see more of what lies beyond the beaten path.

That said, I could use some help with off-trail trip recommendations. We (like most) are looking for natural beauty -- specifically, we love lakes, and prefer dramatic mountain/canyon scenery over forests. We are pretty open to any area between Kings Canyon and Yosemite. That said, we have already backpacked Thousand-Island-Lake and French Canyon, so ideally we'd like to explore some contrasting scenery.

So...what are your favorite off-trail gems?

(A little more about us: we are in-shape, comfortable crossing up to Class 2 terrain, and average 6-10 miles/day (depending on elevation loss/gain).
User avatar
ManOfTooManySports
Topix Regular
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:58 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by ManOfTooManySports »

You've set a high bar with Royce Lakes.

Sixty Lakes Basin above Rae Lakes, although it barely qualifies as off-trail. It's generally a 1 1/2-day trip in and out.

We just visited McGee Lakes Basin in the Evolution area. That's a tough 2+ days in no matter your route. But we had the whole danged basin to ourselves.

There are some trip reports for Dusy/Palisades Basins that have a lot of serious XC. Reading those put that high on my list of trips.
User avatar
sparky
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1029
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:01 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by sparky »

I really liked the crabtree pass loop. New Army Pass to Crabtree Pass, to Crabtree Meadows, to Guyot Pass out via Cottonwood Pass.
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by rlown »

ManOfTooManySports wrote:That said, I could use some help with off-trail trip recommendations. We (like most) are looking for natural beauty -- specifically, we love lakes, and prefer dramatic mountain/canyon scenery over forests. We are pretty open to any area between Kings Canyon and Yosemite. That said, we have already backpacked Thousand-Island-Lake and French Canyon, so ideally we'd like to explore some contrasting scenery.

So...what are your favorite off-trail gems?
Do you fish? because some of those destinations seem like fishing spots.

Here's a concept. Post a TR from your last trip.

Russ
User avatar
maddkeys
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:16 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by maddkeys »

rlown wrote: Do you fish? because some of those destinations seem like fishing spots.

Here's a concept. Post a TR from your last trip.

Russ
No, neither my dad or I fishes. I would post a TR, but it's been two years since my last trip in the mountains and my memory of the trip is pretty faded.
User avatar
Hobbes
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1120
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:09 am
Experience: N/A
Location: The OC

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by Hobbes »

maddkeys wrote:We did our first off-trail hike, an easy mile from the French Canyon trail up to Merriam Peak/Royce Lakes. This year, we are looking to expand on that victory and see more of what lies beyond the beaten path.
Here's a short list of lolipops/loops which have some XC that seem to be popular with the HST crew:
1. NAP-Crabtree-Cottonwood
2. Piute-Puppet-French-Piute (or Pine)
3. Piute-Lamarck-Darwin-Piute (or Bishop)
4. Bishop-Dusy-Ionian-Bishop (or Piute)
5. Kearsarge-Rae-60 Lakes-Kearsarge
6. Kearsarge-Forester-LSA-Tyndall-Shepherd
7. Agnew-TI-Iceberg-Shadow-Agnew

#2 would allow you to connect part of the route you've already done out of Pine Crk. Ditto with #7. #3/4 are the Evo loop if you continue through.

What you might consider, since you've already gone out of Pine Crk, is to simply head over Italy from Granite park, through the Bear drainage over Feather and back.
User avatar
TehipiteTom
Founding Member
Posts: 953
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:42 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by TehipiteTom »

If you're up for 5,000'+ elevation gain up-front, the Monarch Divide has tons of great off-trail possibilities. Take the Copper Creek or Lewis Creek trails up, and then go from lake basin to lake basin (most of the ridges between have a class 2 or better route over).

My Monarch Divide routes, over the years:

1990: Up the Copper Creek Trail to near the Granite Basin rim, then off to Grouse Lake and over Mungoat Pass to Kid Lakes Basin.

1997: Up the Lewis Creek Trail over Kennedy Pass, via East Kennedy Lake to Volcanic Lakes, over to the lake NE of Granite Pass, then via Glacier Lakes to Kid Lakes Basin, out via Mungoat Pass/Grouse Lake/Copper Creek Trail.

2001: Up the Lewis Creek Trail to Frypan Meadow, to Grizzly Lakes, over Harrington Pass to Swamp Lakes, to Slide Lakes, West Kennedy Lake, out via Kennedy Pass & Lewis Creek Trail.

2006: Up the Copper Creek Trail to Granite Pass, cut off to lake NE of the pass, to western Glacier Lakes, via highest Glacier Lake to North Fork Kid Creek basin, to Kid Lakes, out via Grouse Lake & Copper Creek Trail.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by maverick »

Hi Maddkeys,

Welcome To HST!
- A hike up to Vee Lake, and then a night at Orchid Lake
- Graveyard Lakes to Peter Panda, Annie, Minnie, Olive Lakes
- LLV to Forth Recess Lake and then up to Pioneer Basin
- Cottonwood Lakes, Soldier Lakes to Miter Basin
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

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.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
Ska-T
Topix Regular
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:59 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by Ska-T »

Easy to moderate CC:

Park your car at Wolverton, Lodgepole or Crescent Meadow in Sequoia NP. Take the High Sierra Trail (HST) past Hamilton Lakes and over Kaweah Gap. For the CC section, continue up thru Nine Lake Basin, go over Lion Rock Pass (either one), and down to Tamarack Lake. Pick up the trail and either return to the car via the HST, or if you want more CC, then turn north on the Elizabeth Pass trial. Leave the trail at about 9,960 ft and go west over Pterodactyl Pass to wander thru the Tablelands and back to the car.
User avatar
maddkeys
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:16 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Off-Trail Backpacking Suggestions?

Post by maddkeys »

Wow -- thanks for all the suggestions! I'll start checking out these routes.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 129 guests