Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Sierra Basecamp Recommendation

Hello,

My group and I would like to do a sierra trip in summer or fall and would like any ideas on a good basecamp to do some nice dayhikes & fishing.

I tried a dayhike to the summit last year but turned around due to a storm brewing (some snow/hail) as I was near the "windows" section above 13k. It was my 1st time in the sierra's and did not want to push my luck but man was it beautiful.

We would preferably like to hike in to our basecamp the first day (hopefully around 6-10 miles in but no more) and do the hikes and fish out of there. We are flexible, though.
I believe we were thinking of hiking into camp on a Thursday and camp Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights coming out Sunday.
I am in the San Diego area and my friends will be flying in from Arizona to more than likely, Los Angeles (that way I would not have to drive to Vegas or Reno to pick them up).
should we start on the west side and come in?
I recently saw a thread on here about a hike to East Lake (which I believe is near Lake Reflection) which looked like a good basecamp.....

Can anyone help us out w/ some recomendations?

Thanks! Jason

Hi Jason,

Are you planning a Whitney climb in your trip or are you looking for shorter hikes in the area, or anywhere in the Sierras?

HI RAC,

NO WHITNEY TRIP THIS TIME. JUST LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO CAMP 3-4 NIGHTS AND TO FISH / DO DAYHIKES OUT OF ANYWHERE IN THE SIERRA'S.
I KNOW THIS IS BROAD BUT JUST LOOKING FOR A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE I AM NOT TOO FAMILIAR.

THANKS,
JASON

I've spent the last few years each Spring/summer in Sequoia and Kings Canyon and have done some shorter hikes there you may like. Less crowded than Yosemite and easier to find solitude and a few decent places to camp. I have not fished in the waters there though, so cannot give you input on good spots for fishing.

If you want some shorter dayhikes in either place: For great views and trails with few crowds, I would recommend Mitchell Peak and Alta Peak (more like 6-7 hours); On the former, we saw no other hikers. Mist falls is nice with not much gain in Kings Canyon. When I was there, a cougar had been spotted a couple days before, something to keep in mind.

In Sequoia, there are some pretty easy hikes in the Giant Forest area and up to Crescent Meadow where you can quickly get away from the crowds once you begin walking and if you tie some trails together you can make a day out of it. The dogwoods are in bloom in the Spring which makes the walk quite nice. Watch for bears in the mornings/evenings. Saw five there last Spring.
Big Baldy was also a nice little climb with good views on top.

Redwood Canyon is also nice and not too many people in KC.

If you don't mind the crowds, Yosemite has tons of shorter hikes and places (albeit crowded) to pitch your tent.

Jason, another option would be Horseshoe Meadows, just south of the Whitney area and up to either Cottonwood Lakes or Long Lake. It's a beautiful area which would also allow you a relatively easy climb of Mt. Langley which is the southernmost 14K in the Sierra. Much of Cottonwood is catch and release but I think Lake number 5 is open. Another, more adventuresome option would be to go over the pass and stay at Soldier Lake and explore Mitre Basin. Great goldens up there, great hiking and amazing views.

HORESHOE MEADOWS IS TEMPTING. IT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
IS THERE A TURNOFF FOR KENNEDY MEADOWS AS WELL? ANY THOUGHTS ON TRAILHEADS OUT OF THERE?

ALSO, IF WE WERE TO CHOOSE THE WESTERN SIDE, WHAT TRAILHEADS WOULD GIVE US GOOD OPTIONS FOR THE TYPE OF TRIP MENTIONED ABOVE?
AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIKE IN 5- 8 MILES AND PICK AN AREA WHERE WE COULD CAMP 3-4 NIGHTS, DO DAYHIKES (BAG A PEAK OR 2) ALONG WITH SOME FISHING. THANKS AGAIN.

JASON

In Sequoia NP, you could hike in from Wolverton to Emerald or Pear Lakes. Then there are side trips to Moose Lake and Alta Peak.

ON THE EAST SIDE ......IF WE WERE TO HIKE TO SOLDIER LAKE & EXPLORE MITRE BASIN, HOW FAR OF A HIKE IN WOULD THAT BE AND FROM WHAT TRAILHEAD?

ON THE WEST.......IF WE WENT TO EAST LAKE HOW LONG WOULD THAT BE AND FROM WHAT TRAILHEAD?

THANSK FOR ANY ANSWERS AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS .

JASON

Jason:

There's a great guide book called Sierra South: Backcountry Trips in California's Sierra Nevada (and a corresponding Sierra North ) which came highly recommended to me by Ken last year. It lists 84 different trips all through SeKi and beyond, mileages, elevation changes, etc. in great detail.

Between that and getting a Tom Harrison Sequoia and Kings Canyon Map, you should be able to get some really good ideas for trips.

-L

Steve C:

MOOSE LAKE!!! One year (more or less) of trompin' around the Sierras and she's already got a lake named after her?? Jeez!!!

Actually, two of them: Laura Lake is just east of the JMT, south of Thousand Island Lake...





Moose and Alta are on the list for this summer, for sure. But now I'm on a quest to find Burt Lake! OK, y'all KNOW I'm not that presumptuous!!

-L

JASON, All of the above is good info. However, if you seek solitude I rec. Googling trailhead quotas and using those as a guide. For instance, Horseshoe Meadows / Cottonwood Lakes is very popular with the L.A./Orange County crowd, to be avoided on the weekends (was up there in August 2 yrs ago, like a freeway on the trail). My 2 cents worth................steve
p.s. this from a guy who used to spend at least a month every summer in the Sierras/Mineral King/ etc. every summer in the '60s so my comparison memories are all less crowded.

If you want to get away from the crowds, how about going over Cottonwood Pass to Rocky Basin Lakes? SW of Big Whitney Meadow - easily reached in a day.