Sierra Club Outings | High Lake Basins of the Southern Sierra

High Lake Basins of the Southern Sierra
August 3-12, 2008

Highlights:

Experience the spectacular High Sierra scenery on the west side of the Sierra Crest.
Enjoy timberline lakes and alpine meadows
Explore or relax on two planned layover days

Includes:

Hearty vegetarian-friendly meals
All cooking equipment and bear-proof canisters
Campground near the trailhead on the first night
Packer food drop on the west side of the Sierra Crest

We'll explore the region of high peaks and sparkling lakes that surrounds Mt. Whitney. The two highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada -- Mt. Williamson and Mt. Whitney -- are found here, as well as four more peaks over 14,000 feet and a dozen more higher than 13,000 feet. This is some of the highest, most rugged, and most spectacular country on the continent.

The vast majority of visitors to this spectacular region are drawn to the summit of Mt. Whitney. We will avoid Whitney and instead explore the surrounding peaks and basins, an area of equally striking beauty but without the overwhelming crowds of Mt. Whitney.

Our trip follows the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which traverses the rugged alpine terrain beneath the dramatic peaks of the Whitney Crest. We will travel cross country from the PCT into Miter Basin, Wallace Lakes Basin, and Wright Lakes Basin. The off-trail hiking and scrambling is not technically difficult, but will be enough to add some adventure. A highlight of our trip is two planned layover days, one near Miter Basin and one near Wallace Lake, which will provide excellent opportunities for exploring peaceful and secluded lakes, or just relaxing. All our camps will be over 10,000 feet.

Nine days and 40 miles after we begin, we follow a lightly-used trail over Shepherd Pass and leave the alpine beauty of the High Sierra to descend steeply into the Owens Valley.

Day 1: We will meet in the early afternoon to run the shuttle, then proceed to a group campground near Cottonwood Lakes and get further adjusted to altitude. After our first dinner, we will talk about the trip and get to know each other.

Day 2: We plan to cover about seven miles and climb from our trailhead at 10,000 feet up about 1,200 feet to a camp near Long Lake. We will be carrying some of our heaviest loads of the trip, so previous altitude acclimatization and excellent conditioning will be required from the very start.

Day 3: We cross the Sierra Crest at New Army Pass, (12,300 feet), descend the west side to Rock Creek, and leave the maintained trail. We follow a faint trail up Rock Creek into Miter Basin. Here we plan to camp near Lower Soldier Lake, near The Miter, The Major General, and Mt. Langley, the southernmost 14,000-foot peak in the Sierra. A half dozen "minor" 13,000-foot peaks surround Miter Basin.

Day 4: We will take a layover day to enjoy this beautiful place.
Ambitious hikers may elect to climb to secluded lakes high above Rock Creek. Lakes with names like Sky Blue Lake and Iridescent Lake reflect the Miter. We will have a packer bring in the rest of our food, so we didn't have to haul all of it over the Sierra Crest.

Day 5: This will be one of our hardest days. We will hike down Rock Creek, up around Mount Guyot and down into Crabtree Meadow. The trail is sandy, and the elevation loss then gain is about 1,400 feet, followed by a descent of about 600 feet, making for a long 11 miles. Mount Whitney will come into view as we approach camp.

Day 6: We will follow the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail north for about four or five miles to Wallace Creek, where we turn east on the trail that follows the creek upstream. We will camp along the creek below Wallace Lake. Again, we are surrounded by 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks.

Day 7: Our second planned layover day. This is a great place to explore spectacular Wallace and Wales Lakes, or, if feeling particularly ambitious, hike to the highest lake in the Sierra,
12,800-foot Tulainyo.

Day 8: We resume our trek by hiking back down Wallace Creek. This time we leave the creek before reaching the Muir Trail, instead heading cross-country around the west ridge of Mt. Barnard and north into Wright Lakes Basin. We will make camp high in the basin, just south of an unnamed 13,540-foot "foothill" of 14,000-foot Mt. Tyndall.

Day 9: We continue hiking off-trail, climbing 800 feet to cross a 12,000-foot ridge and then descending 500 feet to the Shepherd Pass trail. We climb 500 feet on this trail to the summit of Shepherd Pass. Although we will be on trail for the rest of the trip descending into the Owens Valley, this trail is lightly used and we shouldn't meet many people. We will be thankful we are heading down this rough trail rather than up. Our final night is spent 1,800 feet below Shepherd Pass at Anvil Camp, where we enjoy fine views of the Owens Valley below.

Day 10: We hike down into the high desert. Our descent is interrupted by a 500-foot climb, but mainly we just go down, descending 4,400 feet in six miles to finish our trip at the Symmes Creek trailhead. When we reach the exit trailhead, we will still have to pick up cars left at Cottonwood Creek, which will take about three hours. To be safe and allow enough time for the long drive out, we advise that participants who are flying in should not plan their return flights before the next day.

The route and itinerary should be regarded as preliminary and is subject to change. Snow conditions, runoff, progress of the group, campsite availability, and other factors may require the leaders to make adjustments, so participants must be flexible and be able to maintain a good sense of humor.

Our meeting place is located near the town of Independence on highway 395 which runs south from Reno which is five and a half hours away. No public transportation serves the area. Independence is a day's drive from the San Francisco Bay Area or from Los Angeles. To assist participants who want to share rides with other trip members, we will provide a group roster well before the trip begins. You will probably need to arrive in the Sierra a day or two early to adjust to the altitude. Mammoth Lakes is a great area to acclimate, and there are many beautiful campgrounds on the east side of the Sierras.

Our first meal will be dinner at the campground on the day we meet. Our last meal will be lunch on the last day. The meals will usually be high in carbohydrates to be high in energy, with cheeses, dried fruit, nuts, and some freeze dried meats to provide fats and protein. We will be providing all meals and snacks. Vegetarians are welcome, but please let us know well before the trip. Trip members will share responsibility for cooking and clean-up duties.

The trip is rated moderate/strenuous (M/S), which requires significant stamina and should not be underestimated. Daily hiking distances range six to eleven miles with packs of 40 to 45 pounds.

The average elevation gain is about 1,300 feet a day for the first two hiking days, starting at over 10,000 feet. The total distance of our trek is about 40 miles. On a typical hiking day, we plan to be on the trail before 9 a.m. and hope to get into camp by mid-afternoon. We plan to have two layover days where we can stay at our campsite and use the time for day-hiking without a heavy pack, fishing, swimming, or just relaxing. About three-quarters of our hiking will be on established trails and the rest, cross country travel. Day hikes on our two layover days are off-trail. Wet creek crossings are possible. Hiking across steep snow may be encountered at our highest altitudes.Enjoying the back-country travel is just as important as our destinations, so you owe it to yourself and the other participants to be in very good physical condition. You will be hiking with others who have taken their training very seriously and expect you to have done the same.

Regular aerobic exercise at least a half an hour three or four times a week (such as a Stairmaster or treadmill, running, swimming, biking, hiking) during the 3-4 months before the trip is essential. The best physical preparation for a backpack trip is doing serious day hikes with 40 lbs of weight in your pack. Make sure your hiking boots are well broken-in. Include in your conditioning plan an occasional long walk while carrying weight on unstable terrain. You need leg strength as well as endurance. A good measure is to be able to lift yourself and your pack the equivalent of two stairs at a time. Don't procrastinate. Your enjoyment of this trip depends on your level of preparation!

Regardless of the rating, every backpacking trip at high elevation is strenuous. Do not expect to fly or drive in from a low elevation and be able to backpack the next day at 10,000 feet, even if you are in great aerobic shape. You will need to come out early to acclimate to the altitude. The High Sierra is renowned for its excellent summer weather. Extended storms, however, can occur at any time of the year. Expect warm days (65-75 degrees) and cold nights (30-40 degrees)

The normal Sierra Nevada climate is very dry, with low humidity, but late-afternoon thunderstorms often occur, requiring waterproof raingear and tents. Be prepared for rain and the possibility of freezing weather. Being at or above treeline most of the time, we won't find much shade when the sun is shining. Sunscreen,lotion, hats, and sunglasses are required. Boots should be of medium weight or heavier and well broken-in. Trekking poles are very useful.

In addition to food, the Sierra Club will provide all cooking gear (stoves, fuel, pots, pans), iodine tincture for water treatment, group first-aid kit, a dining tarp, ropes, and the bear-proof canisters that we will use to store our food. We will send a suggested list of gear to bring to all accepted participants. Your total pack weight should not exceed 25 pounds. Bear canisters and group food and equipment will add about 15 pounds per person. To accommodate this load, you will need extra space in your pack equivalent to a very full, large paper grocery bag. If you have any questions about the proper equipment, please feel free to contact one of the leaders. If you have a large tent (for more than one person), you might want consider sharing it with another trip member in order to keep your pack weight down.

You may wish to bring your own map and compass as part of your ten essentials and for enriching your trip in spotting peaks and realizing where you have been. The leader is quite willing to help anybody improve their map & compass skills.

Sierra Club Outings has the motto, "Safe, Happy, Inspired," as an indicator of a perfect trip. The first two are obvious and the third point is the original reason that Sierra Club started an outings program over a hundred years ago. It is hoped that if you can just get people out into the wilderness to see its beauty, then it will be easy for them to become inspired to act toward the preservation of these special places. On our trip, after dinner is a good time to gather together to hear the history of Sierra Club and to discuss the challenges that face environmentalists today. Even after a place is set aside, the demands of an ever increasing number of users threaten to damage the very places we intended to protect. Therefore, it becomes very important that all visitors practice the principles of Leave No Trace, which we will discuss and implement.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Paul Scudder is a college professor and Sierra Club life-time member. He lives in Florida but is most at home in California's Sierra Nevada. He fell in love with backpacking as a boy at Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico and has spent many summers since hiking in the Sierra, leading trips for friends and participating on Sierra Club national outings. He has also backpacked in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, the Rockies, the Appalachians, and the Grand Canyon. His interests include photography, orienteering, minimum-impact backpacking, kayaking, and helping others discover, as John Muir did, that "going to the mountains is going home."

E-mail: scudder@ncf.edu