rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 15, 2016 19:10:39 GMT -8
Take note only a fraction of the total trailhead quota is reservable. They hold back 60% of the total for "walk ups". Good point. And if you go in with an open mind about where you are willing to go, you can almost always get something.
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speacock
Trail Wise!
I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on Aug 16, 2016 17:35:36 GMT -8
As another has suggested the Eastern Sierra (up US 395 from Lone Pine) provides a good number of hikes that will take you to lakes in 6 miles. That turns out to be, starting at 8-9AM, a lunch at a lake, and time to spend some time exploring. I'm going to guess that a healthy 10 yo will leave you in the dust - mainly because they recover quicker than adults. You should be as aerobically fit as you can be in the Sierra. Everything is up.
The road trip from LAX to Lone Pine is 5-6 hours. 4 hours shorter than to west side trail heads and especially car heavy Yosemite. The down side is that almost all trailheads start above 9,500'. Several of the east side trailheads give you an overnight and base camp and a try at a 11-12,000' pass for an early lunch. Plenty of places to car camp off of US 395 near Lone Pine, Bishop, Mammoth - just need to check if you can reserve. Otherwise sleep out under the stars, with a wood fire in some places and wake up for an earlier start. You can always wimp out with a motel in Lone Pine, Independence, Bishop, etc with a restaurant breakfast and hit the trail running.
You need a permit to spend the night most anywhere in the Sierra. If interested several here can give you options on the east side.
Dropping into Ontario airport will knock off an hour to the eastern side of the Sierra
By end of September the visitor population thins drastically as the kids are back in school. We had our 6 and 8yo kids on almost all of the trails on eastern side of the Sierra. They were mostly packing their own clothes. Just have to take it slower than you might think. 1.5mph gets you most places in 3-4 hours. Gives you the rest of the time to explore.
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Post by johntpenca on Aug 18, 2016 21:46:12 GMT -8
Most of the east side hikes are pretty steep other than Little Lakes valley. Well worth a shot. Gorgeous area.
edit: just be prepared for cold and possible snow storms.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 26, 2016 20:54:26 GMT -8
Most of the east side hikes are pretty steep other than Little Lakes valley. Well worth a shot. Gorgeous area. I'm not sure where Little Lakes Valley is, but the trail out of South Lake is pretty easy, and gets to some fantastic lakes in short order.
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Post by hikerchick395 on Aug 27, 2016 12:24:32 GMT -8
I've been to the Saddlebag Lake area a few weeks ago. People were camping at Greenstone Lake, in the trees...very close, maybe a half of a mile, to the ferry landing. The family was wearing neon orange. Very hard not to notice them.
rebeccad Little Lakes Valley is my backyard...Rock Creek Canyon.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 27, 2016 13:25:52 GMT -8
That area along there seems popular with campers, I've always seen quite a number of groups sprinkled in the trees along that stretch of the Saddlebag loop. Farther back towards Shamrock is nicer IMHO.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 27, 2016 20:19:46 GMT -8
Little Lakes Valley is my backyard...Rock Creek Canyon. Ah. The only time I've been up that trail was in winter, and in fact we only went up the road.
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Post by hikerchick395 on Aug 28, 2016 8:01:27 GMT -8
rebeccad I was curious, so I looked through my records of hiking and backpacking history, which I just found a couple of days ago. I've kept track of most years since my first backpack/heli ride. Missing a few years, which I'll have to, some day, match up with photos. I've hiked out of the Rock Creek area 106 times. (That doesn't include the Hilton Lakes trail, though.) My favorite beauty fix outside of Yosemite.
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rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,685
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 28, 2016 10:09:18 GMT -8
rebeccad I was curious, so I looked through my records of hiking and backpacking history, which I just found a couple of days ago. I've kept track of most years since my first backpack/heli ride. Missing a few years, which I'll have to, some day, match up with photos. I've hiked out of the Rock Creek area 106 times. (That doesn't include the Hilton Lakes trail, though.) My favorite beauty fix outside of Yosemite. Obviously we need to put it on the list!
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 29, 2016 2:12:56 GMT -8
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Post by hikerchick395 on Aug 29, 2016 7:46:45 GMT -8
It is a nice XC ski for exercise. I'm not very accomplished with the XC skiing and I can handle the road and even the back trail to the lodge. I tried to go up there twice this winter but conditions were lousy.
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speacock
Trail Wise!
I'm here for the food...
Posts: 378
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Post by speacock on Aug 30, 2016 12:54:28 GMT -8
Rock Creek is a popular area for me too. When out of state visitors want a quick one day chance to see something spectacular (Mosquito Flats is always an intimidating concept anyway), it is a long(ish) and early(ish) car trip to there from Pasadena, CA. The scenery begins from the parking lot and doesn't require an all day assault up hill. After a walk to the farthest lakes and back they usually have had their fill of scenery, 10,000+' and fresh air. I agree, hikerchick395, Hilton Lakes are spectacular. Mono Pass is another beautiful day hike for the fit. For a few days, one could spend a lot of time up any of the Recesses. Achievable cross country to most places up a Recess. Not a lot of people. Rock CreekH-chick has a great back yard!
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Post by johntpenca on Sept 4, 2016 17:20:11 GMT -8
Oopsie, wrong thread. Post deleted.
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Post by johntpenca on Sept 4, 2016 17:56:01 GMT -8
Obviously we need to put it on the list! Just get to the trailhead early to get a parking spot, even mid-week. There is overflow parking about a half mile down the road. but that fills up fast as well. hikerchick395: what are the current regs/availability of staying at mosquito flats?
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Post by hikerchick395 on Sept 6, 2016 16:06:09 GMT -8
johntpenca I believe that you are supposed to hold a backcountry permit and can stay the night before your entrance date
but I've seen a large tent, complete with woodstove, stay for months during the winter. Not lately...they may've had a special use permit.
I like Hilton Lakes but don't care for the trail (deep dust and dirt due to packer traffic...)
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