[Bloated Chipmunk]

Yep, 1.5 yrs. behind but it's all good, I'll get caught up someday. Below is a very brief summary of my solo day hiking & car camping trip in 2020 to the eastern Sierra. Great variety of hikes & good weather, minus one short-lived windstorm that tried very hard to take my tent away. Enjoy! DAY 1, 08.10.20: San Diego to Lone Pine, camp @ Cottonwood Pass Walk-In CG Drove to Lone Pine, camped @ Cottonwood Pass Walk-in CG ($6/night). Wandered around campground area after setting up tent, did no real hike on this day as I wanted to acclimate a bit first.

DAY 2, 08.11.20: Cottonwood Lks. Chatted w/neighboring camper in the AM during b’fast. Packed up camp, hiked to Cottonwood Lakes (about 12.75 mi. RT). Camped @ primitive spot off of Onion Valley Rd. (just w. of Foothill Rd., the right), FREE.

Fatty

@ camp that evening:

DAY 3, 08.12.20: Golden Trout Lakes Morning @ camp:

Packed up camp. Hiked to Golden Trout Lakes (north spur, upper & lower). Just under 6 mi. RT but HARD – steep, unmaintained trail, loose rocky sections. Not many ppl. Drove back down to Independence, then on to Goodale Creek CG (BLM, $5/night). Warm night! Practically had the place to myself.

@ camp that evening:

DAY 4, 08.13.20: Big Pine Lakes #1,2,3 Packed up camp. Drove north to Glacier Lodge Rd. Took rd. to end, no available bear box, drove back short distance to o/n parking where I found an available bear box to stash food for the day. Hiked to 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Lakes. GREAT!! Greenish color, perfect – especially 3rd Lake which was green & had a backdrop of a craggy peak. Will happily do again, despite the large # of ppl there. 😊 11.52 mi. RT. Got Mexican takeout in Bishop (too hot to sit on patio). Camped @ Horton Creek CG (BLM, $8/night). Nice CG w/great views. Water spigots near restrooms.

@ camp that evening:

DAY 5, 08.14.20: Upper Gem Lk., Morgan Pass, Chickenfoot Lk. Packed up camp. Drove north on 395 to turnoff @ Tom’s Place for Rock Creek Rd. Took it to the end for Mosquito Flat TH/Little Lakes Valley. Hiked to Upper Gem Lk., Morgan Pass, & Chickenfoot Lk. 9.53 mi. RT. Popular trails. Stopped @ Lk. Crowley area for gas, then set up camp @ Crowley Lk. CG (BLM, $8/night). This CG is more in the open & was fairly crowded, though probably due to the fact that it was a Fri. night.

@ camp that evening:

DAY 6, 08.15.20: Convict Lk. to Mildred Lake

Packed up camp. Drove to Convict Lake. Hiked up Covinct Lk. To Mildred Lk. Talus fields, creek crossing w/o bridge, sketchy trail along exposed slope. Nice lake. 10.34 mi. RT. Stopped @ Convict Lk. General Store for water & snacks. Drove back to Horton Creek CG for camp. WINDY! – Tent almost blew away, even tho it was staked. Wind died down b4 bed. Warm. Great CG, tho more ppl than on 2 nights prior.

@ camp that night:

DAY 7, 08.16.20: Piute Pass & back to SD

Packed up camp. Drove up rd. toward Lk. Sabrina, then side rd. for Piute Pass TH. Hiked by nice lakes & up to pass. Good views to other side. Shortly after leaving summit, met thru-hiker of JMT “Brendan”. Chatted @ lake while he swam & I dipped feet. He seemed overly curious about my dating life. Ultimately told me I should "take on a couple of 25-yr old lovers". Lil did he know that wasn't far from the truth. He got out of the lk & sat on a rock, then not-so-inconspicuously changed out of his swim shorts. We hiked down together. 11.06 mi. RT. He asked for a ride to a motel in Lone Pine, & I said "OK but I'm going to a Mexican restaurant in Bishop 1st!" He offered to buy me the dinner as thanks. Free meal & marg wasn't a bad way to end the trip! Drove home, late arrival (around 1am :-o). Had Monday off to recover b4 returning to work on Tues.

[Nancyann]

Looks like a really wonderful trip, thanks for sharing. It’s so nice to look at those beautiful lakes and sunny skies right about now!

[Bosterson]

Good stuff, Bloatie. Doesn't matter how after the fact the TR is if it has great Sierras scenery! I discovered Horton Creek CG on a climbing trip to Bishop a little over 20 years ago - it was great not only for the view, but because it was free! I think the last time I was there was on another trip in 2004, and it was still free. No one else there but a few vagabonds in run down RVs. Times are a'changin'... So what was a randy JMT "thru-hiker" doing at Piute Pass, was he lost?

[Sculpin]

OK, now I have cabin fever!

[Bloated Chipmunk]

The randy thru hiker claimed that his hiking companions ditched him (he described the leader as too fast & unwilling to let ppl rest very long, as well as a control freak), & so I guess they parted ways @ some point. Then he hiked to where he had a re-supply waiting, only to find it gone cuz his former companions picked it up as they thought he quit the trail entirely. So @ the time I met him, I think he just wanted to get to town & refuel & plan what to do next. But after talking w/him awhile & witnessing his obsession w/first talking about, then drinking, loads of Mr. Pibb @ the restaurant...yeah, I can maybe see why his companions took off.

[Brucester]

Awesome adventures! I love how simple your camp set up is!

[BlameTheDogz]

Beautiful area! Great report and pics! I was there the first week of November so here are some different views. Big Pine #3!!! Cheers!

I

[Nancyann]

Gorgeous pics! I want to go there. Looking for June backpacking and dayhiking in the Sierras. Would this area still be snowed in?

[Sculpin]

[Nancyann]

Thanks Sculpin, I really appreciate your information, even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I like how you refer to it as “ the June problem”.

[BlameTheDogz]

Shasta Trinities? I have only been in late season (October and November), but early season is supposed to be amazing with all of the water from the snowmelt. I can't recall which lake(s), but some are more like infinity pools early season when it is blue, green, and white as opposed to little ponds by late fall when it it is blue, tan and brown. The colors of the rocks are awesome, regardless. I, too, have wondered about the June backpacking problem (the big mountains are accessible, though!) but found CA at least helps solve the (early) November problem. Cheers!

[rubywrangler]

Every year is different of course, but June backpacking was great in the Sierra this year. Except for the mosquitos! I did four trips between last week of May and third week of June and only the first one had snow. All of the others were pretty much snow-free. I'll get around to posting them eventually! Onion Valley trailhead (9600') was accessible by early May.

[Eric Hansen]

"June problem"? Great Basin ranges are typically in their prime then. Lingering snow patches on the crest but manageable. My favorites are Mount Moriah in the North Snake Range (north of Great Basin NP in eastern Nevada) and also Ibapah in the Deep Creek Range north of there in western Utah.

[Sculpin]

[bkellygr]

Thank you for sharing. I've only taken one backpacking trip in the Sierras and look forward to the day I can return for more. There is a lot to see there as you've shown by car!