Thousand Islands Lake.. this time of year?

Sure, you can do it. Call the Inyo Nat'l forest at the Mammoth Ranger Station and you can confirm how simple it should be to get a wilderness permit on the walk-ins, and then you can trail head at Agnew Meadows, down at Reds Meadow or over on the June Lake side.

From Agnew Meadows, you've got three basic routes:
–The PCT, "High Trail", leaving from Agnew and climbing immediately, then running west past Badger Lakes and up to 1000 Island Lake.
–The River Trail, descending from Agnew to the turnoff for Shadow Lake, then climbing gently toward 1000 Island for a few miles before a steep climb up to the goal.
–The River Trail to Shadow Lake, then up and over the pass to Garnet, Ruby and Emerald lakes before dropping into 1000 Island on the JMT.

It's going to be beautiful, and cold.

Hi,

Yes, for that lake you can start at either Agnew Meadows or at the June Lake Loop (the latter is called the Rush Creek Trailhead).

Agnew Meadows is the prettier place to start and the prettier hike. But it's also higher (9000 feet?), and requires driving over the pass from Mammoth, which is at maybe 9600?

One year, we drove my non-4WD car to Agnew Meadows and hiked into 1000 Island and environs for a 3-day. It was the first week of October. The 3-day forecast was for 10% chance of rain.

On night 2, we got several inches of snow. Hiked out in a continued snowstorm. We lost the poorly maintained trail that goes downhill out of Garnet Lake towards the River Trail and our car. Lots of x-country on slippery snow on sloping granite.

Then, we returned to Agnew Meadows only to find we had to drive the very slippery and narrow road back to Mammoth in my non-equipped car. THAT was harrowing. And we were lucky the road had been plowed at all. Apparently, hours and hours went by with the town of Mammoth refusing to send a snowplow so that all the campers at Reds Meadow, and all the hikers like us, could get out. It only happened (after most of the day had gone by) after some muckety-muck stuck at Reds pulled some personal strings. We could have been stranded at Agnew Meadows for another night or two, next to our car. And since Tioga Pass was also abruptly closed, our trip back to the Bay Area got a lot longer as well.

After that I vowed never to risk going over that pass from Mammoth after Oct 1. You saw the part about how the forecast had been for 10% chance of precip? Well, the forecasts get notoriously unreliable right around now.

Personally I'd go for the Rush Creek trailhead, which is lower and easier to access.

– Elizabeth

That's a great story and good insight!

The JMT between Shadow Lake and the River Trail is through some steep granite, indeed. Slip and slide on that must have been adrenalizing. Ho ho. Beautiful country.

I'm going to Agnew/1000 islands lake next weekend (Oct 14- Oct 16) with my Dad.

The temperatures will be pretty low at night (mid 20s) but otherwise the forecast call for sunny skies. I know there is some snow on the ground right now, but hopefully it won't be too muddy.

We will be taking snow chains and a small shovel just in case (as well as dry clothes, extra cooking fuel and food in case we get stuck with the car).

I like going out of the Rush Creek TH, great views of the Minarets for a long time. No worries then of getting stuck back in there. The road closes sometime after Oct. 15 I believe to Devils Postpile. Call. The Sierra isn't the city, can't snap your fingers for quick action and snow is to be expected in the Fall.
Duane