Critique my High Sierra Trail Itinerary
Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:15 am
Hi folks,
New to the board, and am doing the HST in a week and a half so I've been reading everything on the internet for a few days now. I am thinking of a slightly different itinerary than I've seen most do, motivated partly by my desire to even out the miles each day and partly to stay in less populated areas if the trail is really busy that week. I'd love to get some feedback on whether or not I've put the longer mile day(s) in the right place and also the best camping sites. FYI, this is my first solo trip and I'd say I'm about level 2/3 hiker.
(The numbers following the day's path is the mileage, although I've seen so many different numbers, that hopefully they are within at least a mile of being correct...)
Itinerary Option 1:
1. Crescent Meadow to Buck Creek: 10.5 - I've heard this is slightly nicer than Bearpaw
2. Buck to Precipice: 8.5 - Going only to Hamilton seems like too short a distance, and Precipice sounds like a great place to stay. I've heard there are not many tent spots, but I have a Home Alone bivy, so I feel like I should be able to find something; I know this would be a hard day and I've heard climbing past Hamilton in the morning is preferable to the afternoon, but I just don't know if I can abide doing so few miles on day 2 and stopping at Hamilton. ??
3. Precipice to Chagoopa Plateau: 10.6 - Big Arroyo Junction seems too short a day, but Moraine seems a bit far, not so much for the day, but to make the spacing of the next several days work. However, I've heard Chagoopa can be mosquito-ridden. Which of these three is the nicest place to camp?
4. Chagoopa to Upper Funston Meadow: 10.7 - just seems like a good distance, and maybe not worth it to push on to Kern Hot Springs so late in the day? Better to get there earlier?
5. Upper Funston to JMT/HST Junction: 13.9 - With an early break at KHS. Worried that this might be too much...
6. JMT/HST to tarn above Guitar Lake: 7ish?: I've heard staying above guitar lake can be less crowded and it would also be nice to be a little further along to start the big day.
7. Whitney and all the way down to the Portal
The other option has some shorter days, which makes me nervous, but seems more standard
Itinerary Option 2:
1. Crescent to Buck: 10.5
2. Buck to Precipice: 8.5
3. Precipice to Moraine: 12.8
4. Moraine to Kern Hot Springs: 6.5
5. KHS to JMT/HST Junction: 12.1
6. JMT/HST Junction to tarn above Guitar: 7
7. Whitney and out
Which do you think you would choose and why? Thanks!
New to the board, and am doing the HST in a week and a half so I've been reading everything on the internet for a few days now. I am thinking of a slightly different itinerary than I've seen most do, motivated partly by my desire to even out the miles each day and partly to stay in less populated areas if the trail is really busy that week. I'd love to get some feedback on whether or not I've put the longer mile day(s) in the right place and also the best camping sites. FYI, this is my first solo trip and I'd say I'm about level 2/3 hiker.
(The numbers following the day's path is the mileage, although I've seen so many different numbers, that hopefully they are within at least a mile of being correct...)
Itinerary Option 1:
1. Crescent Meadow to Buck Creek: 10.5 - I've heard this is slightly nicer than Bearpaw
2. Buck to Precipice: 8.5 - Going only to Hamilton seems like too short a distance, and Precipice sounds like a great place to stay. I've heard there are not many tent spots, but I have a Home Alone bivy, so I feel like I should be able to find something; I know this would be a hard day and I've heard climbing past Hamilton in the morning is preferable to the afternoon, but I just don't know if I can abide doing so few miles on day 2 and stopping at Hamilton. ??
3. Precipice to Chagoopa Plateau: 10.6 - Big Arroyo Junction seems too short a day, but Moraine seems a bit far, not so much for the day, but to make the spacing of the next several days work. However, I've heard Chagoopa can be mosquito-ridden. Which of these three is the nicest place to camp?
4. Chagoopa to Upper Funston Meadow: 10.7 - just seems like a good distance, and maybe not worth it to push on to Kern Hot Springs so late in the day? Better to get there earlier?
5. Upper Funston to JMT/HST Junction: 13.9 - With an early break at KHS. Worried that this might be too much...
6. JMT/HST to tarn above Guitar Lake: 7ish?: I've heard staying above guitar lake can be less crowded and it would also be nice to be a little further along to start the big day.
7. Whitney and all the way down to the Portal
The other option has some shorter days, which makes me nervous, but seems more standard
Itinerary Option 2:
1. Crescent to Buck: 10.5
2. Buck to Precipice: 8.5
3. Precipice to Moraine: 12.8
4. Moraine to Kern Hot Springs: 6.5
5. KHS to JMT/HST Junction: 12.1
6. JMT/HST Junction to tarn above Guitar: 7
7. Whitney and out
Which do you think you would choose and why? Thanks!