Rae Lakes Loop Counter Clockwise

[Jeff M.]

I got a last minute permit for Rae Lakes Loop over Labor Day weekend – going counterclockwise. I'm going to try and get a walk up permit for the clockwise route the day of, but since they only issue 5 and start issuing them the day before, my chances aren't great. So, I need itinerary suggestions for the counterclockwise route in 4 days. Never been here before so I'm not very familiar with the area. Thanks.

[Bob Gross]

"I got a last minute permit for Rae Lake over Labor Day weekend – going clockwise. I'm going to try and get a walk up permit for the clockwise route the day of, but since they only issue 5 and start issuing them the day before, my chances aren't great. So, I need itinerary suggestions for the counter clockwise route in 4 days. Never been here before so I'm not very familiar with the area. Thanks."

I'm trying to sort this out. If you got a last minute permit for clockwise, then why do you need to get a walk up permit for clockwise?

I've always planned my loop for four days, and I have always managed to finish it in 3.5 days, but I have always gone clockwise.

There are few places to camp between Charlotte Lake and Rae Lakes, so keep that in mind.

If you have some free time, then get off the main trail and over into the Sixty Lakes Basin. Fewer people.

–B.G.–

[Jeff M.]

"I'm trying to sort this out. If you got a last minute permit for clockwise, then why do you need to get a walk up permit for clockwise?"

Yep, looks like I caught the mistake right before you posted. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Night 1 Junction Meadow, or try to make it to Vidette Mdw, (makes for an easier 2nd day)

Night 2 Rae Lakes

Night 3 Upper or Middle Paradise

I've done the loop 10 times, 2 were clockwise, 8 counter. I think going down from clockwise from Glen is much worse than the harder going up.

[Jeff M.]

Thanks Aaron. Yours is the plan I had in mind. Good to hear your thoughts. I always have a harder time going down (the knees) than up, so I'm thinking counterclockwise may not be so bad for me.

[Elizabeth Tracy]

Try to get a really early start. It can be very hot on the floor of Kings Canyon, even early in the day and at end of summer.

[Marsha Bianchi]

I'm also going on this trip over Labor Day Counter Clockwise. I'm pretty anxious as it's the longest hardest trip I've ever attempted. Anything you know to help me make this a successful experience would be appreciated. I'm not an ultralight backpacker by any stretch of the imagination, and my biggest concern is getting blisters the first day out. I've broken in my boots but I get hot spots no matter what I do. Do you have any suggestions?

[Bob Gross]

Marsha, in the old days we would always wear two pairs of socks: thin liners and thick wool socks. Then our boots were sized to fit that, and we didn't get blisters.

Now so many backpackers are using super lightweight low cut shoes. That's OK, but you have to have the right socks to make it all fit correctly. Then, after the boots are broken in, you still have to do some training until you can go and keep going without blisters. Hot spots are just the precursors to blisters.

Back when I was a kid on the school track team, the coach made us paint our feet with tincture of benzoin before we put our track shoes on. Two things. First, it is a little sticky, so the socks are less likely to rub. Secondly, the stuff has some rubbing alcohol in it, and over a period of time that tends to toughen the skin. It will leave a dark brown stain on light colored socks.

If that doesn't work for you, then you can simply tape the soft parts of your feet with athletic tape.

–B.G.–

[Backpack Jack]

Me and my sons will be up there that weekend also, hope to see some of you on the trail.

Jack

[Jeff M.]

Marsha, Bob gave you some good advice on the feet. You'll do great on the trail and I'm guessing there will be a few people on the trail if you need help. I'll be the short guy with a green ULA pack and a yellow duomid. Hope to see you out there!

[jscott]

Marsha: treat your hot spots before they become blisters. Easier said than done. Even now I'll 'wait' a half an hour to treat a hot spot and discover a blister when I finally take off my shoes and socks. I also find that if I'm going to get a blister, it's often early in my trip, maybe in the first half hour or hour, precisely when I don't want to have to stop and treat a hot spot. Or I'll get one on a really hard hiking day. It takes all of five minutes to stop and check your feet for hot spots; it's worth it.

I use these "new" blister band aids by, among others, Band-Aid. Spenco makes them too. Treating a hot spot or blister with tincture of benzoin, as Bob suggests, and then applying one of these "band aids", is a good treatment. Warm the band-aid with your hand for two minutes after you put it on to help it adhere to your skin. I then apply leukotape. For a really bad blister, I might use a thin section of mole foam with a diamond cut out in the center as well, under the leukotape, and on top of the band aid. But there's a trade off between too much pressure from too many layers and the comfort that you might feel.

Even without tincture of benzoin I find that the above regimen works. It will last for several days.

[Jeff M.]

Any idea what the mosquito situation will be like? With the lakes I'm guessing generally its not great, but it is later in the season. Could I get away with a trailstar or duomid and a head net at night?

[Bill Law]

I was in Yosemite last weekend. Camped at 9-10K elevation without tent. Very few mosquitoes, so you should be fine with the headnet just in case.

Maybe lower elevations could be slightly different, but I think bugs are done. One good benefit of the dry winter.

[Jennifer Mitol]

Just finished the whole JMT and didn't see a single mosquito on the whole trip. Not one.

[d k]

Did a week long trip around Bishop between 10-12,000 feet ending just over a week ago and saw very few mosquitoes, 1st time ever we slept with the tent unzipped every night. You should be fine with just a headnet.

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