Here's a report from someone who hiked the "Southern Sierra High Route", covering the mountains between South Lake out of Bishop, all the way to Horseshoe Meadow.
The Southern Sierra High Route - A Guideby Alan Dixon and Don Wilson
Much of the route covers the John Muir Trail, but avoids the trail (staying closer to the Sierra crest) from Leconte Meadows (below Bishop Pass) south to Palisade Lakes. It follows the JMT from there over Mather Pass, Pinchot Pass and Glenn Pass. At Center Basin (N of Forrester Pass), they took the old JMT route over Junction Pass and Shepherd Pass.
Then they stayed close to Mt Tyndall, visited Wright Lakes and Tulainyo Lake, climbed Russell/Carrillon Pass, descended to Upper Boy Scout Lk, up the Mountaineers Route of Mt Whitney, along the crest, then descended from Trail Crest to the uppermost Crabtree Lake. Over Crabtree Pass, Sky Blue Lake, Army Pass, out to Horseshoe Meadow.
I think I recall Rogue Photonic covered the section north of Palisade Lakes to South Lake in his last report.
Next summer, I am thinking about the southern end of that route. I'd like to see Sky Blue Lake, maybe climb Langley as a side trip.
Here's my favorite picture from the report.
Caption:
Don explores the shoreline of beautiful Golden Bear Lake. The lake lies at 11,171 feet in pristine Center Basin, on the way to Junction Pass. Lots of solitude here as it is on a portion of the old JMT that has been "decommissioned" for years.
