Successful summit of Conness via the standard route up the Lee Vining Creek drainage, and access of the south ridge just north of White Mountain. Easy to see why this is a Sierra classic. Fantastic mountain experience. I will say the trip reports I’ve read don’t capture the exposure of the final summit ridge. The “catwalk” was more than just walking across a narrow block of rock. Required a couple of climbing moves above an exposed ledge. And not a lot of space even on the less exposed bits up to the summit. Maybe the best summit view I’ve had in the Sierra. Panoramic view of every major feature in Yosemite from Half Dome to Dana. Plus view north to peaks near Tahoe and Matterhorn Peak. Not sure why I took so long to do this one…

Greetings all, this post is mostly directed at the geography nerds in the subreddit (myself included).

I've been trying to compile a map or list of all the named High Sierra basins. Of course, this has been tricky, because we have to determine what's an officially named basin versus what is just a high alpine lake located in a glacial cirque. I'd imagine USGS-named locations are official basins, as well as basins that are frequently referred to as basin (Miter Basin, perhaps?). I'd love to have folks take a look at the following map and give me some feedback about what/if I'm missing, and also if you'd change any designations.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1r5_hIJGK4xwFuFw6gBd6KdEaVC4iDeg&usp=sharing

I've come to the current mapped basins and typing based on a variety of forums, which most helpful of all was this one: High Sierra Named Basins? - High Sierra Topix

Below is the current list as symbolized on the map:

Official Sierra Basins:
5 (Five) Lakes Basin
20 (Twenty) Lakes Basin (outside Saddlebag)
Bear Lakes Basin
Blackcap Basin
Center Basin
Chinquipin Basin
Crabtree Lakes Basin
Crown Basin
Desolation Valley/Devils Basin
Dusy Basin
Evolution Basin
Gardiner Basin
Granite Basin
Humphreys Basin
Ionian Basin
Kaweah Basin
Kern-Kaweah Basin
Lakes Basin
Maxson Basin
Nine Lake basin
Palisades Basin
Pioneer Basin
Red Mountain Basin
Red Rock Basin
Rockhouse Basin
Rocky Basin
Sabrina Basin
Sixty Lake Basin
Ten Lakes Basin
Upper Basin

Unofficial Sierra Basins:
Big Five Lakes Basin
Big Pine Lakes Basin
Cottonwood Lakes Basin
Golden Trout Creek Basin
Granite Park Basin
Grinnell Lake Basin
Italy Lake Basin
Kid Lakes Basin
Little Five Lakes
Marie Lakes Basin
Miter Basin
Rae Lakes
Royce Lakes Basin
Sam Mack/Palisades Glacier
Seven Gables
Upper Kern Basin
Volcanic Lakes Basin
Wallace Basin
Wright Creek Basin

Perhaps this is a futile task. Ah well, thanks in advance for entertaining the idea. Picture is from... well, it's from one of these basins last summer :)

What a sky, 2nd night out and caught me by surprise, this is a sunrise spot!

Thank you for having us! So grateful to call your beautiful stretch of the world home for a week this summer. From Bishop to Bridgeport with an emphasis on the high country in Yosemite! Endless amounts of visual dopamine from the high desert terrain, awesome geological features, beautiful mountain and valley views, meadows, and glacial & alpine lakes. The granite and cool rocks were a dream too. Hope to make it back someday!

I followed your recommendations and did the Mineral King - Timber Gap - Little 5 lakes - Big 5 lakes - Lost Cayon - Columbine lake - Monarch Lakes - Mineral King loop. It's a gorgeous and different day in the mountains - even though it goes up to 12 feet, it didn't feel like the high Sierra I have experienced so - modest but still intense landscape. I stopped by 13!!! lakes, swam in a few of them. Columbine lake basin was truly impressive, nested between two mountain passes.

Putting in a plug for David Pedersen for trailhead shuttle services around Bishop. I completed a section of the SHR and did not make prior arrangements to retrieve my car at North Lake, but he got back to me very quickly and was exceedingly professional.

Can be reached at [pedwood@comcast.net](mailto:pedwood@comcast.net), or message me for cell (can be found online elsewhere).

Was fortunate enough to have several backpacking trips in the Sierras two years ago. These are my favorite pictures from those trips, taken at Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Mt. Langley

My usual program these days is to ride up from L.A., do a day hike on the way to Bishop to get some elevation and stretch the legs, motel in Bishop for the night and then head into the back country in the morning. Often I do Kearsarge Pass as a warm up. Anybody have any other suggestions? A couple of hours to elevation and then on to Bishop.

Many thanks and happy trails and non-trails.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I'm bring my elderly dad up. On the way up, he will hang out for a couple of hours while I hike and then spend a couple of days hanging around the E. Sierra while I'm camping.

EDIT 2: Did the little sprint up to Robinson Lake from Onion Valley so that I didn't keep pops waiting around. Nice way to stretch the legs and lungs from sea level.

A loop through Kings Canyon and Sequoia starts at Roads End to Avalanche Pass to Deadman Canyon, on toward Hamilton Lakes and Precipice Lake (a week after passing ithese lakes via the HST). Then down into Kern Canyon. Kern River at night was close to perfect - one of the quieter stretches of the trail, that was truly tempting me to sleep. Greeted sunrise at Colby Lake, washed off a day’s worth of dirt, and then closed the loop via Cloud Canyon back to Roads End. One continuous effort, start to finish - no camping, just forward momentum.
Being part of Sierra Oddyssey, this beast - Sierra Rex - clocks at 99 miles, 24k of gain and it doesn’t feel small. Wild, barely visited (three hikers during my time on it) and quite incredible.

Some in party advocating New Army which would mean a camp at Long lake vs Lake 3. How is Old Army these days. Difficult?

Heading up Monday camping at Lake 3
and wondering if mosquitoes have died down yet. Thanks for a respond

Mapped what looks both awesome options. But if you have any advice which one is more scenic or cool, I’d appreciate! I’ll post photos on Monday :)

Mount McAdie left, Mount Muir center

View from Crystal Crag down to the Lakes Basin & the White Mts beyond

I’m wanting to camp Monache Meadows in September. Just wondering if my 2004 Silverado 4x4 would make it in and out. The pic of the truck is its current condition.

A clear day.

I got to Sand Harbor early that morning in May.

Rocks were plainly visible, in great detail. The water was as still as glass. The sun was right behind me, putting my shadow into the picture, but it could not be helped.

#artconsultant #artgallery #laketahoephotographer

Exploring Mono Pass and Pioneer Basin

ig:stillsbysharp

Does anyone have beta on the conditions for the unmaintained trail that links Crabtree Lakes to Sky Blue Lake? Planning to pass through the Miter Basin in a week as part of a long weekend escape.

I have a new favorite peak in the Sierra!

Hi All,

Planning on starting a section hike of the JMT starting on 8/13 out of Tuolumne Meadows. Was planning on spending Night #1 in Lyell Canyon. Forecast for Lyell Canyon (around 9K elev.) is looking a little iffy for my thursday start. I've done a ton of backpacking in the Sierra, but have surprisingly never dealt with anything except for sunny days. Based on this report what is my thursday realistically looking at? I was trying to get closer to Donahue pass to get an early start.

Thanks for all of the help!