Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Newbee

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a good 1st time backpacking weekend trip. Its going to be my wife's first backpacking trip and I want to make it a good one so she will want to go again. Something not too long mile wise but with some nice views would be nice. She has made it to trail camp one year and trail crest the next but that was pushin it. Any idea would help

Thanks.

Depending on what time of year. I believe this will be a late season for our friend, the giant mosquito.

The North Fork out of Big Pine to the numbered lakes is specatcularly beautiful and you can make the trip as long/short as you like with many variations. Not too extreme.



Then there is always Sabrina Lakes area.



Both places are easy to get permits and have lots to offer.

Hope this helps.

Traci, looks like you were having a good time in that first photo.

I have two very good first time and first time to the Sierra backpacking trips.

Cottonwood Lakes Trail to Cottonwood Lake #3. It's about 5 1/2-miles one way, +1,000'

Or....

Mosquito Flat to Chicken Spring Lake in the Little Lakes Valley...<3-miles one way, +800'. If this isn't the most beautiful place on the east side, its in the top 2.

They also can get very crowded...because they are easy and beautiful.

Then there the Bishop Pass Trail...

Ruby Lake. Take a day trip up to Mono Pass, you can see the Never-ending-elastic-infinity-valley down to Edison. Please report back.

I second that. The setting for Sardine Lake is gorgeous as well.

Greg,
There is a west side of the Sierras too. There are many trips starting on the west side of Yosemite and if you are interested I can suggest several.
If you are an east side bigot then never mind.

Regulars on the board can see this coming, but the Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak area is my particular favorite. (Hey, the mountain has my name on it, can you blame me???)

Seriously...from Agnew Meadows to Ediza Lake is about 8 miles. The scenery, especially around Shadow Lake and once you get up to Ediza, is drop-dead gorgeous. It isn't called the Ansel Adams Wilderness for nothing! The Mt. Ritter section of my web page has shots from several of our trips up there.

If you want to climb "my" mountain check out the route description in the '99 Mt. Ritter trip report. Ice axe and crampons are required but it's quite doable. Even if you don't climb and just hike into Ediza for a couple of days, it's worth the trip.

For a longer hike (10 miles each way), you can go up the High Trail (PCT) to Thousand Island Lake and see the other side of Banner and a little bit of Mt. Ritter peeking over his shorter brother. Then hike back via the River Trail (along the San Joaquin) for a different return path with a lot of pretty rapids and short falls.

You might guess a certain bias here...guilty as charged, Your Honor.

Another nice short backpack would be South Lake to Treasure Lakes. Especially in September when the aspens are starting to change.

greg, in your profile, you don't state where you are from, which makes it a little hard to answer. Time of year also makes a big difference (some great places not open early, or mosquitoes horrible)

Your question is a little like, "are there any good places to eat in Europe?"

There are literally thousands of great hikes in the Sierra, but it would really help to know where you are coming from. All the trips mentioned by folks are good, but I'd strongly recommend that you make the hike no longer than about 5 miles in, and about 1-2 thousand feet of climb max. For a beginner on their first trip, more can be discouraging, and you want her to be wishing at the end, that it had been a bit more, not a bit less.

G'luck!

Out of the Onion Valley TH head over Kearsarge Pass and camp around Kearsarge Lakes. Easy trail up and over the pass with great views. Bullfrog Lake is beautiful but you can't camp there due to restrictions.

-Rudy