High Sierra Topix

Hi Everyone

I am doing a 3 week trip mid July to early August starting at Shepard Pass TH then heading North. I have done a previous trip similar to this once before in 2018 but started at Cottonwood Lakes and it was just magical! I had planned to return in 2020 but COVID travel restrictions have delayed the trip until now so REALLY looking forward to getting back out there again. This time I hope to do the sections of the SHR I have not yet done along with sections of the JMT not already done and a few extras.

In particular I am interested in this years snow conditions - at this stage I am thinking some boots, light crampons and ice axe may be needed starting mid July rather than the trainers I used on the previous trip!

Angela - Auckland, NZ

Hi Angela,

Welcome to HST!
Follow our Backcountry Condition thread to get an idea on of snow conditions, so you can prepare accordingly.

Hi there this is for Mark Zarka I am responding to your post on March 22. I am still not sure if this will get to you
I did the Minarets Lakes in 2021. I posted earlier about this in detail. Not a good year to do this, smart to find other plans
Here are my plans
My husband and I want to hike from 88 to hwy 50 in The Carson Iceberg Wilderness. We will see Meiss lakes, Dardonelle Lake and Showers lake. Part of this will be on the PCt, most of it not.
I wish there was a loop back to 88. So we may shuttle a car to 50. Shuttle will be a pain. The flowers will be outrageous. I have been to Showers lake before about 10 years ago and the flowers were waist high. You could see lake Tahoe at times. So if you are interested in this hike we could start from opposite ends and meet halfway and swap keys drive each others cars to a rendezvous point--Just throwing it out there. I am interested in doing this hike first or second week in August .

I''m an east coaster, who tries to make it out to the Sierra at least once a year.

Currently looking at route options for my August permit starting from Lukens Lake, I'll be out for about 7 days total.

Photo from last summers SEKI trip.

That is a gorgeous photo. I am not hiking JMT or PCT in the Sierras. What I might do is the Cherry Creek Drainage. Entry off of 108 Or Showers Lake, Dardenelle lake Route88 near Kirkwood pull off to L go into Meis Lake and keep going. Hard to find a loop but I am thinking of hiking to hwy 50
This area was not burned from the fires 2 years ago and the wildflowers were spectacular last July in this area per friends. Wild flowers are amazing here when I hiked to Showers Lake 12 years ago.
Another want to do is Castle Craggs which is near Shasta along the PCT Eerie place

Please limit your post in this thread to introductions only. If you have route inquiries or advice, please, post them in the appropriate section. Thank you.

Hi everyone,
my name is Cole. I grew up in west Shasta county, Ca (Whiskeytown lake anyone?) but have been in Santa Cruz since 2004. That first semester of school I made friends with a fella that grew up near Markleeville and we have been taking a sierra trip every summer together since then. He taught me a lot for sure. (I shoot for 3-4 a year, usually 20 or so days of hiking) I am a musician and a carpenter and just got engaged to a lovely lady.

Hiking cross country in the Sierra is absolutely one of my favorite things in the world (at least by day 3 or so, once I've acclimated:). Some of my favorite trips:
Courtwright< HFS pass< Martha< Goddard Summit< Blackcap Basin. Incredible
North Lake<Piute pass< Alpine Col< Darwin Bench< Evo basin< Lamarck exit
Taboose< Lakes Basin<Dumbell basin< Observation peak< Amphitheatre basin< no name pass to upper basin + Split Mountain, exit Taboose
Triple Divide zone, Merced headwaters,
Fernandez trailhead in Ansel Adams> Blue lake> Bench valley> headwaters of north fork San Joaquin.. Dreamy.
Trinity HR. Fuuuuun XC
I have fun on class 3-4 and am in shape, but there is a whole other level of fitness that some of yall achieve out here. I mentioned in another post that i vomited getting to Sphinx Lakes basin. Part of that is altitude sickness for sure, But still, i know people on here eat that for breakfast.

A glaring hole in my resume that i can't wait to fix: Ive never been to Sequoia NP.. nothing on the generals highway (Does Roads End Count?), no Kaweah, No Kern etc.. So much to see.
Cheers

Welcome to HST! Thanks for the intro.
Congratulations on the engagement. Wedding in the backcountry?

maverick wrote: ↑Mon May 29, 2023 10:22 am Welcome to HST! Thanks for the intro.
Congratulations on the engagement. Wedding in the backcountry?

Thanks!
Maybe the honeymoon:)
cheers

My name is Leif and I'm from Wilmington, Delaware!
This year will be my seventh year thru-hiking in the Sierra and since I'm from the East coast, I must say that there is nothing like the West coast mountains, especially the Sierra.

- 2017: High Sierra Trail,

- 2018: section hiked the John Muir Trail,

- 2019: I attempted The SEKI Loop but was snowed out, only made it to Lower Vidette Meadow,

- 2020: The SEKI Loop,

- 2021: An unsuccessful hike of the Southern High Sierra route,

- 2022: The Southern High Sierra route (SOBO) From Onion Valley to Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead,

- 2023: Hiking the Southern High Sierra (NOBO) from Cottonwood lakes to Bishop pass.

Future hikes consist of the originally planned HST in 2024,
the Kings Canyon High Basin Route in 2025,
the Sierra High Route in 2026.

Each year increases in its intensity.

I'm here to learn about mountaineering of the more obscure passes, get and give perspective about thru-hiking in my capacity as an intermediate hiker, find out about snow conditions, etc. I'll be back in the Sierra from July 24-August 8, 2023, and to say that I'm excited is an understatement!!!