Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Backpacking in the Sierra, 2016

I’m hoping to get out for another 50-60 mile backpacking trip in the Sierra this summer. I’ve been reviewing my notes from my HST hike, thinking about gear selection, and have started testing out a few items on training hikes and on my snowshoeing trips.

I'll post more details and questions as I get things figured out, but in a normal rainfall year, when are the mosquitos/bugs the worst?


Kearsarge Pass to Whitney (darn construction), North/South Lake Loop through Evo Valley and Rae Lakes Loop are the areas I am considering.

I've been in all three! I'd recommend them in this order of preference:

1: Kearsarge to Whitney (only if you've never done this). The feeling you get dropping into Vidette Meadow feels like descending into some fantasy realm. Whitney is iconic, Forester is iconic, the KKD is scenic, Bubbs Creek is worth the price of admission alone. I've been that way 2-3 times, and Whitney 7 times so I'm slightly "over" this route.

2: Evo Valley. The prettiest of the three, I recommend the first (K-w)only because of the classic nature. Evolution basin is gorgeous, and Muir Pass is a perfect blend of esoteric and iconic. LeConte Canyon is like a smaller hidden Yosemite in my opinion.

3: Rae Lakes. Ive only been on the loop from Woods Creek to Vidette Meadow (when I did the JMT). They are pretty, but the bugs are bad the path is clogged.

Mosquitoes are worst in June/July. They begin to go dormant in mid August and are gone by late Aug and early September.

Personal note: I've just decided to do the JMT again this year (between 8/13-9/5). It'd be really cool to run into you if our paths overlap this summer!

Thanks SB!

I wish I could join you for the JMT, but can't be off that long.

I'll let you know what's happening as I get it figured out. If not on the JMT, it would be cool to meet up with you at some point while I'm out here.

4 days for Kearsarge to Whitney reasonable, or too fast?

4 days is doable if you condition and pack smart. I did a 7 Day trip last year sans conditioning, with a hefty pack and we made Whitney on day 5 (hiking out that day would have been easy).

If you're looking for 4 days, I would shoot for this itinerary:

Day 1: Onion Valley - Kearsarge - Bubbs Creek Bear Box #2 (11-12 mi)
Day 2: BCBB #2 - Forester - Tyndall Creek (w/ Bear Box) (10 mi)
Day 3: TC - Guitar Lake (10 mi)
Day 4: GL- Whitney - Out (16 mi)

Thanks, that's basically what I had planned out:

Day 1 - East Coast to West Coast Travel
Fly from Boston (most likely) to either SoCal or Las Vegas
Drive to Eastern Sierra (4-6 hrs of driving)

Day 2 - Hike Onion Valley to Vidette Meadow
8.7 miles || +2700, -2200

Day 3 - Hike Vidette M. to Tyndall Creek
12.4 miles || +3600, -2200

Day 4 - Tyndall Cr. to Guitar Lake
11.1 miles || +2400, -1400

Day 5 - Guitar Lake to Whitney Portal
15.5 miles || +3305, -6445 || -3140 net elevation gain || 12 hours

I was thinking the first day would be a little shorter because we need to pick up permits that morning most likely.

You can also call ahead and arrange a permit drop off at night, so you can pick them up late or early.

I will note that you have about 1/4-1/2 miles to travel to the first bear box once you reach the Bubbs creek trail junction, but if you tough it out another two miles there is a great campsite with bear box to the right of the trail, making your slog up forester easier the next day.

That way if you have more food than fits in your canister, you can safely store it in the bear box.

Also, if you're facing any sort of weather slated for the day of your Forester bid, do your best to get as close as possible the day before, that way you can be up and over the pass before any weather bursts over your heads.

Descending Forester in wind and rain (+ electricity) is not a good time.

Agree with your scenario OV to Whitney. would aim day 1 for the 11,000 ft camp spots at south (upper) end of Vidette, although as you say you may have late start and not get that far.

Perhaps my all time favorite (and including Rae Lakes) is
start at South lake/Bishop Pass, go over Mather pass, into spectacular Upper Basin , exit it over Pinchot pass, then down to Wood Creek, up to Arrowhead/Rae Lakes, exit from there over Glenn and Kearsarge passes to OV

have done it as 3-nighter, meaning four 16 mile days (that was my favorite way, but need to be acclimatized), and also as a 4 or 5 nighter. Depends on solo vs small group vs larger group. My pace is the same either way, it just depends on how many hours you (or your group) want to be sleeping vs hiking, hint, hint.

I thought this was only for "pure Inyo" trips, not involving SEKI? These routes all involve SEKI.

True!