2 Week and about 200 miles, western USA

Snoqulamie pass to Stehekin on the PCT. Close to 185 miles. road crossing at about 75 miles. Lots of trail angels in the area and you get to hike two of the most astounding sections of the entire PCT. Just a thought.

They are worth the trip – I know from multiple personal trips on them.

An alternative to the PCT between Tahoe and Yosemite is the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail, which I hiked with a friend in summer 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahoe-Yosemite_Trail

https://tahoetowhitney.com/picturetrail/Tahoe_to_Alpine/Meeks_to_Echo_Summit/Lake_Tahoe_Yosemite_Trail.html

The TYT shares the PCT for part of the approximately 186-mile length, but otherwise follows a different route a little to the west of the PCT.

Two things to keep in mind. First, the non-PCT sections are not heavily used. There were two stretches where we didn’t see anyone for about two days. So a good choice if you like solitude.

Second, there are sections where the trail is not maintained and takes a little detective work to follow, and other sections where there is no trail at all. So not a good choice if you’re not comfortable with route-finding.

It’s a beautiful trip.

I was reading Amy’s (I think it’s Amy…) post about the Big Seki Loop yesterday. It’s a little shorter than 200 miles but you could easily add more miles on.

http://doingmiles.com/route-big-seki-loop/

I’ll tag onto Matthew’s post and note my entry just before Amy’s last post to her original thread. She put in a lot of effort to share information with this forum and it is absolutely spot on. There is not a day that goes by that I’m not dreaming about getting back to SEKI, so much so that I recently ordered Andrew Skurka’s Kings Canyon High Basin Route as a possible alternative for my 2017 Big One. Many possibilities to create whatever length and level of trip you desire and it appears that the snow levels are very good this year. Outstanding!

Thanks for all the responses!  Plenty of places to research some more.

I had completely forgotten about the Big Seki Loop until the thread re-emerged at the top of the page and it does look really good.  The distance is shorter than 200 miles but the altitude will slow me down for a bit as I live at sea level.  If it leaves extra days for the motorcycle ride back home I can ride the coast all the way back.  What sort of option are there for parking near the trail head?  My only concern is that I have soft luggage on my motorcycle.  It provides no security.  In year past I have always been able to someone not too far from the trail where I can stash my bike and riding gear.

Plenty of parking for cars at the trailhead but don’t know that your soft luggage on the motorcycle would be safe. You might be able to leave your motorcycle, etc. at the Cedar Grove Pack Station which is fairly close to the Ranger Station and trailhead. It would be an easy hitch from there to the trailhead. You could ask and volunteer to pay something for the safety. ???

Another option on the Big Seki Loop is to start at Onion Valley and hike over Kearsarge Pass. That way you can acclimatize on the drive down from BC: one night someplace in East Oregon (about 5000 ft), then a second night at either Mammoth lakes (8500′, free NF camping just N of town, not crowded at all last summer on a week night), or Onion Valley campground (9200′, not sure how crowded they would be). After researching this option for the coming summer, it looks like one can arrange a resupply in the Cedar Grove area. I’ve also heard there are options for long-term parking in Lone Pine, and it’s an easy hitchhike up to Onion Valley trailhead.

Parking at Cedar Hill Pack Station seems like a good possibility if they are up for it.

I just read that the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce allows you stash gear for $20 and park for $25/week.

There are a couple of people on AdvRider in the Bishop and Big Pine area where I could probably leave the bike.

My big concern of starting on the east side though is the heat in the Owen Valley and having to ascend to nearly 12000 feet on the first day of hiking.  Resupply at Cedar Grove would be nice though.

I put in for a JMT permit on the off chance I would get one but I have not even received an email confirmation that they got my application.  That was nearly 2 weeks ago.  Looking back on it, I suspect I put the permit in the fax machine upside down.  Meaning the rangers received a blank sheet of paper…

No loss though!  I snagged a permit for the Big Seki Loop out of Onion Valley for mid August.  I foresee some acetazolamide in my future.  Thanks again for the suggestions.

“Resupply at Cedar Grove” –

Please, Explain Like I’m 5 –

What is “Cedar Grove” and how far off the PCT/JMT is it?

TIA

Cedar Grove is at Roads End.  Map

Probably not a viable option for the PCT or JMT.  Rumour has it that you can mail food to the visitor center.  Might work for a Big Seki Loop starting on the east side of the Sierra.  I will call them when they open up for the season to confirm.

Cedar Grove Village is a cluster of recreational facilities (lodge, snack bar, market, with some campgrounds nearby) in Kings Canyon National Park.  The facilities are just off of California Route 180, about 4 or 5 miles west of where Route 180 deadends in the park.

I e-mailed the SEKI rangers back in December, and they said they can hold resupply at the Road’s End ranger station, which is at the eastern deadend of Route 180.  The rangers prefer delivery of the resupply packages in person.

Alternatively, you can send your resupply via USPS to Grant Grove, which is further to the west, and the rangers will take it to Road’s End and hold it there for you.  But there’s no schedule for the rangers to bring the resupply packages to Road’s End — they do it when they can — so it sounds like backpackers need to mail their packages with some lead time to make sure that the packages actually get to Road’s End in time.

From Road’s End, there are two trail routes that will take you fairly directly to the JMT/PCT.  If you head north along the South Fork Kings River and east along Woods Creek, it’s about 15 miles to the JMT/PCT.  If you head east along the Bubbs Creek trail, it’s about 12.5 miles.