Advice on Trip Options

[Gogd]

@ Rider 51: Your buddy is in good company. Ansel Adams considered the portion of the JMT that is part of the North to South Lakes P2P as among the most beautiful of the range. Likewise Outdoors Mag rated it as among the top 50 hikes of the US. There are multiple side trips en route at least as appealing as Davis lake, that warrant taking as many days as you can commit to this project. Going this late in the season you'll encounter only a fraction of the traffic normally encountered on the JMT, nowadays. As for transportation logistics: I've always managed to commission one of the employees working at Parchers or Cardinal Resort to drive me from whenever I leave my car - South Lake - then drive me to the trailhead at North Lake. Arrive a day early to make these arrangements; anticipate starting the day at first light so the employee can be back in time to start their work shift.

Ed

[Rider51]

Thanks @Gogd and @stevet. Very much appreciated.

Going back some 20+ years now I've found post Labor Day to be the time to backpack through the Sierras. Crowds and bugs are mostly gone, cold nights are remedied with a high quality sleeping bag. The only issue is in dry years forest fire danger/smoke/haze. Fingers crossed this year the fires will be minimal and relegated to the low country and grasslands.

[williegoat]

Another vote for the Bear Lakes basin. Not based on actually being there, just because of what I have heard and if I were to plan a trip, this would be up there at or near the top.

On the North Lake to South Lake loop, know that there is a major bridge out across the San Joaquin. I believe if you went up over Lamarck Cole you'd be fine. This is another classic, I've hiked up Bishop Pass and Paiute Pass and they are both spectacular.

Merriam Lake is exquisite. So is the French Lakes basin. I stayed at Merriam and summited Royce Peak and really enjoyed it. Would definitely go back. While I did not go up to/ over Feather Pass, that is the one I'm most familiar with and what I would attempt.

Nice job on that Iceberg Lake traverse. I hiked up to Iceberg when I stayed at Ediza this summer and that traverse looked very intimidating.

Good luck and post a trip report after!

[Rider51]

Thanks Williegoat. I'll take that note about the bridge out under advisement. There is another bridge out in the AA wilderness along the PCT north of Minaret Falls along the San Joaquin as well. I ended up going upstream where I found a fairly sketchy log over fast, deep water that was a bit unnerving with a full pack. I later came across a ranger who told me most people were crossing a wide section downstream where the water was knee deep, but manageable. Doh!

I will definitely give a trip report, wherever I go, whenever that is.

[scottmiller]

I'm going to 60 lakes basin this September and plan on the northern exit to JMT. I've heard that it is easy.
I've done the Bear Creek access to Seven Gables twice, and it is easy.
Bear Lakes basin is my favorite place in the Sierras. I got there via Bear Creek but next time I will try the Pine Creek/Italy Pass route. I attempted to exit Bear Lakes Basin via Dancing Bear Pass down to Lake Italy and could not find the pass. That was because the exit was an improvisation and I had not done my homework, so I didn't even know where the pass was. Har. But really, Bear Lakes Basin is very special. I'm going to try the White Bear route next, or the Granite Bear pass, which looks sloggish from the east, but gravy going down to the west.