Need help finding a multi-day solo hike in the US on Labor Day weekend
Hi all,
I hope it's okay to ask for trip advice in this subreddit. I already posted another one and it was deleted. Nevertheless, I already got three answers I will add as a comment below.
Here's my situation:
- I'm on a work trip in the US and have the labor day weekend to do some hiking
- Leaving Chicago Thursday night, need to be in LA Tuesday morning for work — so this is squeezed into Fri Sept 4 – Mon Sept 7
- I have to fly regardless, so I'm flexible on where — doesn't have to be the LA area specifically, just somewhere I can fly into and then drive a couple hours to LA afterward. But looking into flights only LAx, SFO and LAS seem to have non stop connections Thursday night
What I'm looking for:
- 3 nights, tent, solo hiker, relatively fit :)
- Looking for ~15 miles/day on the two full days, ~10 miles on the first and last [as i might have to drive to/from e.g. LAX for 4-5 hours]
- Want some elevation change — not just a flat stroll
- Scenery is important to me: I want nice views — ocean or mountains, not just forest. We've got plenty of forest hiking in Europe already :)
- Nothing crazy high-altitude, just good views
- Given it's Labor Day weekend and this is last-minute, I need something where permits are still available or not required, and where campsites/dispersed camping are realistically open.
Maybe somewhere on the East side of the Sierra Nevada? Cottonwood Lakes... I checked recreation.gov and if i understand it correctly a lot of permits are still going to be released later this month.
Do you have any recommendations for a route that fits this?
Comments from previous post. I started looking into the recommendations but are still a bit lost as I don't know the Sierra at all.
By u/Fast-Weird7491
>Fly into BIH (Bishop) or RNO (Reno) and rent a car. BIH has extremely limited service via United but will get you into the mix for Eastern Sierra hiking. RNO is perfect for Yosemite as it is about 2.5 hours from Tuolumne and has many more flights and cheaper rentals.
>Hike out of Tuolumne Meadows if you can get a permit for Rafferty Creek or Lyell Canyon. Head to Vogelsang and do a loop that includes Ireland Lake, Evelyn Lake, Vogelsang Pass, Bernice Lake and Emeric/Babcock/Boothe Lakes. The are also cross-country routes that go to Budd Creek (Echo Lake/Cathedral Creek) or Nelson Lake via Elizabeth. Fewer spots but easier to get permits. Going via Cathedral Lakes and over Clouds Rest might be interesting but hiking back from Tenaya to Tuolumne is no fun; there is a free limited Tuolumne hiker shuttle bus this summer that could bridge that gap.
>Or look at Kearsarge Pass (Independence) and a hike to and from Rae Lakes via Glen Pass. Consider a loop from Horseshoe Meadows (Lone Pine) over Cottonwood Pass to Miter Basin/Upper Soldier Lake to Mount Langley over New Army Pass to Cottonwood Lakes. Both of these have starts and ends at or near the same trailhead.
>If you can stretch a bit then the North Lake to South Lake loop of 56 miles is worth considering. The issue is the 22 miles between trailheads (park near North Lake, exit South Lake) but there are plenty of people to get a hitch from. Or go in Piute and come out Lamarck for a start and end at North Lake. This is trickier since you have to catch the use trail in upper Evolution Canyon.
>My suggestion is to go over Piute Pass first then down to the John Muir Trial, up into Kings Canyon NP over Muir Pass via Evolution and then finish via Dusy Basin over Bishop Pass. Great hike. Muir and Bishop Passes are around 12,000' elevation. Note that you could get permits for Piute Pass, Lamarck Col (some cross-country in the beautiful Darwin Canyon area) or Bishop Pass.
>Finally, I really like the Mineral King area near Visalia. That would mean flying into FAT (Fresno) and heading down to Sequoia NP. There are loops over Sawtooth Pass to Lost Canyon and back over Glacier but it has been years since I have been there.
>Enjoy. That time of year is often the sweet spot for backcountry travel here. It is pretty dry now and many creeks are low or running below normal levels.
>Driving from Tuolumne to LA will be about 5.5-6 hours while it is 4.5 hours from Bishop or 3.5 hours from Indy or Lone Pine.
By u/cakes42
>Cottonwoods pass and head out of kearsarage pass vise versa. Get down there and take the bus back to LA. More than one bus but if you stick your thumb out you might get a ride back to LA. If you don't do Whitney you could do this in 3 days (4 with) See how your body reacts to being at that elevation before you go up. Permits for 9/4 is available on 8/21. Permits leading up the most recent date is plentiful so it shouldn't be too competitive.
By u/zh3nya
>Yeah Eastern Sierra would be a great choice especially with the LA connection. I haven't backpacked there enough, but so many options. Make a few routes and see which ones you can get a permit for. The quota limits are available online, you're bound to get something. Pine Creek/Granite Park/Italy Pass/Royce Lakes, Piute Pass to Humphreys Basin and beyond, McGee Creek out to the JMT...
