Sierra Nevada Backpacking Trips
Disclaimer: the author is not responsible for the accuracy of any information reported on this page.
Distances and elevation gains in particular are very rough estimates, and conditions vary from year to year.
Clickable overview map with links to clickable maps of all the hikes
Clickable overview map with links to photos of all the hikes
Flickr Backpacking Collection (only the most recent trips are geotagged and uploaded to Flickr)
Saddlebag Lake & Twenty Lakes Basin
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Twenty Lakes Basin 2024)
-Flickr map (Twenty Lakes 2024) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Twenty Lakes Basin 2024)
-Hoover Wilderness
-August 2024
-4 days, ~12 miles, ~1800 ft elevation gain & loss
Lyell Canyon, Evelyn Lake, Boothe Lake
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Evelyn Lake 2022)
-Flickr map (Evelyn Lake 2022) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Evelyn Lake 2022)
-Yosemite National Park
-August 2022
-5 days, ~23 miles, ~2600 ft elevation gain & loss
Treasure Lakes
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Treasure Lakes 2021)
-Flickr map (Treasure Lakes 2021) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Treasure Lakes 2021)
-John Muir Wilderness
-June 2021
-4 days, ~11 miles, ~2600 ft elevation gain & loss
Twin Lakes
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Twin Lakes 2019)
-Flickr map (Twin Lakes 2019) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Twin Lakes 2019)
-Hoover Wilderness
-September 2019
-6 days, ~26 miles, ~6000 ft elevation gain & loss
-Barney Lake, Peeler Lake, Rock Island Pass, Snow Lake, Mule Pass, Crown Lake, Robinson Lakes
Little Lakes Valley
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Little Lakes Valley 2018)
-Flickr map (Little Lakes Valley 2018) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Little Lakes Valley 2018)
-John Muir Wilderness
-September 2018
-4 days, ~15 miles, ~2000 ft elevation gain & loss
-Mosquito Flat, Mack Lake, Heart Lake, Box Lake, Long Lake, Chickenfoot Lake, Treasure Lakes, Gem Lakes, Hidden Lakes
Kearsarge Pass, Lake Reflection, Little Joe Pass, Shepherd Pass
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Lake Reflection 2017)
-Flickr map (Lake Reflection 2017) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Lake Reflection 2017)
-Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks
-September 2017
-7 days, ~42 miles, ~11000 ft elevation gain & loss
-Kearsarge Pass, Bullfrog Lake, East Lake, Lake Reflection, Little Joe Pass, Shepherd Pass
Silver Lake, Marie Lakes, Davis Lakes, Thousand Island Lake, Clark Lakes
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Marie Lakes 2016)
-Flickr map (Marie Lakes 2016) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track
-Ansel Adams Wilderness
-September 2016
-5 days, ~34 miles, ~8000 ft elevation gain & loss
-Silver Lake, Agnew Lake, Gem Lake, Waugh Lake, Marie Lakes, Rodgers Lakes, Davis Lakes, Island Pass, Thousand Island Lake, Clark Lakes
Lake Edison, Silver Pass, Olive Lake, Goodale Pass, Graveyard Lakes
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Lake Edison 2015)
-Flickr map (Lake Edison 2015) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Lake Edison 2015)
-John Muir & Ansel Adams Wilderness
-August 2015
-6 days, ~42 miles, ~10000ft elevation gain, ~9000ft elevation loss
-Lake Edison, Silver Pass, Olive Lake, Wilber May Lake, Goodale Pass, Graveyard Lakes, Lake Edison
Young Lakes, Mt Conness, Roosevelt Lake
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Roosevelt Lake 2014)
-Flickr map (Roosevelt Lake 2014) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Roosevelt Lake 2014)
-Yosemite National Park
-September 2014
-4 days, ~40 miles, ~7000ft elevation gain, ~7000ft elevation loss
-Tuolumne Meadows (Lembert Dome) via Glen Aulin trail to Young Lakes, cross-country/use trail up Mt Conness, cross-country to Roosevelt Lake and up "Don't Be A Smart Pass", back to Lembert Dome via Dog Lake
Evolution Basin (2013)
-Geotagged photos on Flickr
-Flickr map (Evolution Basin 2013) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Evolution Basin 2013)
-Kings Canyon National Park, John Muir Wilderness
-August 2013
-6 days, ~40 miles, ~11200ft elevation gain, ~11600ft elevation loss
-North Lake, Lamarck Col, Darwin Canyon, Darwin Bench, Evolution Basin, Muir Pass, Le Conte Canyon, Dusy Basin, Bishop Pass, South Lake
Sabrina Basin (2012)
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Sabrina Basin 2012)
-Flickr map (Sabrina Basin 2012) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Sabrina Basin 2012)
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2012
-4 days, ~22 miles, ~6000ft elevation gain, ~6000ft elevation loss
-Blue Lake, Dingleberry Lake, Blue Heaven Lake, Midnight Lake, Topsy Turvy Lake, Sailor Lake, Hungry Packer Lake, Moonlight Lake
Miter Basin
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Miter Basin 2011)
-Flickr map (Miter Basin 2011) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Miter Basin 2011)
-Sequoia National Park and John Muir Wilderness
-August 2011
-6 days, ~40 miles, ~10000ft elevation gain, ~10000ft elevation loss
-Cottonwood Pass, Rock Creek, Miter Basin, Crabtree Pass, Upper Crabtree Lake, New Army Pass, Cottonwood Lakes
Isberg Pass
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Isberg Pass 2010)
-Flickr map (Isberg Pass 2010) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Isberg Pass 2010)
-Ansel Adams Wilderness
-August/September 2010
-5 days, ~34 miles, ~7500ft elevation gain, ~7500ft elevation loss
-Granite Creek, Cora Lakes, Sadler Lake, Isberg Lakes, Isberg Pass, Post Peak Pass, Porphyry Lake, Granite Creek
Humphreys Basin
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Humphreys Basin 2009)
-Flickr map (Humphreys Basin 2009) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-Google Earth kml file
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2009
-6 days, ~32 miles, ~7000ft elevation gain, ~9000ft elevation loss
-North Lake, Piute Pass, Humphreys Basin, Lower Desolation Lake, Carol Col, French Lake, Royce Lakes, Pine Creek Pass
Cottonwood Lakes
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Cottonwood Lakes 2009)
-Flickr map (Cottonwood Lakes 2009) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
-GPS track (Cottonwood Lakes 2009)
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2009
-5 days, ~26 miles, ~5000ft elevation gain and loss
Kings Canyon
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (Kings Canyon 2007)
-Kings Canyon National Park
-September 2007
-7 days, ~50 miles, ~6700ft elevation gain and loss
-Road's End Trailhead (5050ft), Paradise Valley (6650ft), Woods
Creek/JMT (8550ft), Rae Lakes (10600ft), Sixty Lakes Basin (10900ft)
-route map (Kings Canyon 2007),
map with clickable arrows (Kings Canyon 2007),
Flickr map (Kings Canyon 2007) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
Hell For Sure Lake &
Bench Valley
-Geotagged photos on Flickr (John Muir Wilderness 2007)
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2007
-6 days, ~40 miles, ~6000ft elevation gain and loss
-Courtright Reservoir Maxson Trailhead (8100ft), Disappointment Lake
(10350ft), Hell for Sure Lake (10760ft), Hutton Pass (11480ft),
Schoolmarm Lake (10800ft), McGuire Lakes (10000ft)
-note that the part from Hell for Sure Lake via Hutton Pass to Filly
Lake was cross-country,
and there was at least one place where it wasn't class 2 as advertised
-route map (Hell For Sure Lake 2007),
map with clickable arrows (Hell For Sure Lake 2007), Flickr map (Hell For Sure Lake 2007) (shows only locations for the pictures currently visible at the bottom...)
Rae Lakes & Sixty Lake Basin
-Kings Canyon National Park & John Muir Wilderness
-September 2006
-5 days
-Onion Valley (9140ft), Kearsarge Pass (11823ft), Kearsarge Lakes
(10900ft), Glen Pass (11978ft), Rae Lakes (10570ft), Sixty Lakes Basin
(10600ft)
-route map (Rae Lakes 2006), map with clickable arrows (Rae Lakes 2006)
Sabrina Basin (2006)
-John Muir Wilderness
-September 2006
-3 days
-Sabrina Lake Trailhead (9000ft), Blue Lake (10450ft), Baboon Lakes
(10976ft), Midnight Lake (10988ft), Hungry Packer Lake (11071ft)
-route map (Sabrina Basin 2006), map with clickable arrows (Sabrina Basin 2006), combined clickable map from all 3 Sabrina trips
Fallen Leaf Lake to Emerald Bay via Dicks Pass
-Desolation Wilderness
-October 2005
-5 days, ~22 miles, ~4700ft elevation gain and loss
-Fallen Leaf Lake Trailhead (6550ft), via Lake Aloha
(8200ft), Heather Lake (7900ft), Susie Lake (7800ft), Gilmore Lake
(8300ft), Dicks Pass (9450ft), Dicks Lake (8450ft), Fontanillis Lake
(8300ft), Middle Velma Lake (7950ft), and Eagle Lake (7000ft), to the
Eagle Falls Trailhead at Emerald Bay (6570ft)
-note that the trail from Lily Lake to near Triangle Lake is officially
an "unmaintained trail", in reality not even a "use trail" in places - at
least we didn't see any cairns on the rocky/bouldery/talusy parts...
-also did day hikes up Mt Tallac, to Half Moon Lake, and around Upper
Velma Lake (partly cross-country)
-route map (Desolation Wilderness 2005), map with clickable arrows (Desolation Wilderness 2005)
-elevation profile (Desolation Wilderness 2005)
Seven Gables
-John Muir Wilderness
-September 2005
-7 days, ~40 miles, ~7000ft elevation gain and loss
-Florence Lake Trailhead (7400ft), Selden Pass (10800ft), Upper Bear Creek Meadows (9587ft), Ruskie Pass (12050ft)
-note that the stretch from below Seven Gables Lakes to
French Canyon is cross-country
-also note that Ruskie Pass unexpectedly had a short class 3 stretch at
the top on the Eastern side,
and also (at least this year) a long steep
snowfield that was easy enough to go down but which might be problematic
coming up:
definitely not an "easy class 2 gully" as described in (at least our
edition of) "The High Sierra - Peaks, Passes, and Trails"
-complete route map (Seven Gables 2005), detail map with clickable arrows (Seven Gables 2005)
-elevation profile (Seven Tables 2005)
Lake Italy
-John Muir Wilderness
-September 2004
-6 days, ~35 miles, ~6000ft elevation gain, ~6500ft elevation loss
-Pine Creek Trailhead (7400ft), Italy Pass (12400ft), Bear Creek
Trailhead at Kaiser Pass Road (7000ft)
-note that the stretch over Italy Pass is cross-country
-complete route map (Lake Italy 2004), detail map
with clickable arrows
-elevation profile (Lake Italy 2004)
Big Pine Lakes
-John Muir Wilderness
-September 2003
-5 days
-Big Pine North Fork Trailhead (7600ft), Sixth Lake (11100ft), Palisade Glacier (12200ft)
-note that parts of the day hikes are cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Big Pine Lakes 2003)
Ansel Adams Wilderness (2003)
-August 2003
-6 days
-note that the day hikes are cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Ansel Adams Wilderness 2003)
Bishop Pass to Taboose
Pass
-John Muir Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park
-September 2002
-6 days, ~35 miles, ~6000ft elevation gain, ~10300ft elevation loss
-South Lake (9800ft), Bishop Pass (11980ft), Lower Dusy Basin (11100ft),
Knapsack Pass (11680ft), Barrett Lakes (11440ft), Potluck Pass (12120ft),
"Glacier Creek Lake" (11670ft), Cirque Pass (12000ft), Lower Palisade Lake
(10590ft), Mather Pass (12073ft), "Lower Upper Basin" (10420ft), Taboose Pass
(11352ft), Taboose Trailhead (5380ft)
-note that the stretch from Dusy Basin to Palisade Lakes is cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Bishop Pass to Taboose Pass 2002)
Duck Pass to McGee Pass
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2002
-5 days, ~30 miles, ~4500ft elevation gain, ~5800ft elevation loss
-Lake Mary Trailhead (9120ft), Duck Pass (10797ft), Duck Lake
(10482ft), Purple Lake (9930ft), Lake Virginia (10388ft), Tully Hole
(9515ft), Tully Lake (10400ft), McGee Pass (11895ft), Big McGee Lake
(10472ft), McGee Creek Trailhead (7870ft)
-map with clickable arrows (Duck Pass to McGee Pass 2002)
Sabrina Basin (2001)
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2001
-5 days
-note that the day hikes are cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Sabrina Basin 2001), combined clickable map from all 3 Sabrina trips
Humphreys Basin via Piute
Pass
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 2000
-5 days
-map with clickable arrows (Humphreys Basin 2000)
Rock Creek to McGee Creek via Hopkins
Pass
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 1999
-4 days, ~22 miles, ~4000ft elevation gain, ~6200ft elevation loss
-Rock Creek Mosquito Flat (10300ft), Ruby Lake (11300ft), Golden Creek
(10400ft), Mono Creek (9300ft), Hopkins Pass (11520ft), Big McGee Lake
(10472ft), McGee Trailhead (7870ft)
-note that the stretch over Hopkins Pass is cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Hopkins Pass 1999)
Evolution Basin (1998)
-Kings Canyon National Park
-August 1998
-7 days, ~38 miles, ~8200ft elevation gain, ~7700ft elevation loss
-North Lake (9255ft), Lamarck Col (12960ft), John Muir Trail (10640ft), Muir Pass (11960ft), Le Conte Canyon (8800ft), Bishop Pass (11980ft), South Lake (9768ft)
-note that the stretch from Lower Lamark Lake to Evolution Lake is cross-country
-map with clickable arrows (Evolution Basin 1998)
Sabrina Basin (1998)
-John Muir Wilderness
-August 1998
-Sabrina Lake (9128ft), Dingleberry Lake (10489ft), Echo Lake (11602ft)
-map with clickable arrows (Sabrina Basin 1998), combined clickable map from all 3 Sabrina trips
Yosemite
-October 1997
-map with clickable arrows (Yosemite 1997)
Ansel Adams Wilderness (1996)
-August 1996
-map with clickable arrows (Ansel Adams Wilderness 1996)
Favorite Backpacking Pictures:
1996-2001 (Film),
2002-2003 (Digital)
Last modified: August 18, 2024
(sr@csli.stanford.edu)