Big SEKI loop 2014

[Jon Leibowitz]

As the title says, I'm planning on hiking the Big SEKI loop, with a small variation, this summer. This will be my first trip in the Sierra. Looking to start first week in August. I aim to average about 12-15 miles a day. I'm not a fast hiker, but I enjoy hiking all day.

Anyone interested in meeting up? If you want more details, let me know.

[Jon Leibowitz]

Bueller? Bueller?

[USA Duane Hall]

Never heard of the Big SEKI loop before. Up to a few years ago had not heard of the Rae Lakes loop either. Of course I did that starting via Kearsarge Pass instead of Road's End and going clock wise as I access the Sierra from the east all the time.
Duane

[Art …]

Big SEKI Loop

[Robert Perkins]

Can you give a quick 'loose' itinerary on starting location, passes, ect? I may be up for some hiking in early August. It would be cool to hike with some fellow BPL-ers. Any of it cross country? There is some good cross country in SEKI as well. Thanks!!

[Bob Gross]

"Can you give a quick 'loose' itinerary on starting location, passes, ect?"

Amy's posting is quite good. What information do you feel is missing?

–B.G.–

[Backpack Jack]

I may be able to do this, I'll keep watching and let you know.

Jack

[Jon Leibowitz]

Hey all, glad to see some interest. I think it would be fun to do this loop with some BPL'ers. I'm going regardless, but the more the merrier.

Some background: I go backpacking every summer for my birthday, which is August 9th. I'm turning 30 this year so I decided to go on a more epic hike in a place I know nothing about – I've never hiked in the Sierra. Last year's birthday trip I did a 4 day hike in the Weminuche Wilderness with a buddy. Year before, solo hike in southern San Juans for 5 days, year before that, did the Long Trail. You get the idea :)

Anyways, my only real goal for the trip is to be IN the mountains on my birthday. A secondary goal is to take pictures, I love back country photography. (my amateur photography site: http://www.thewildperspective.com)

I envision starting the trail maybe the 5th of August. I originally wanted to do the JMT, but then decided to do something different with less people. The write up referenced a few posts above really got me interested in the big SEKI loop. Looking at my map, there look to be some cool options at the southwest corner of the loop to dip into lower elevations and do some side loops in some redwood/sequoia groves, which I really want to do. The initial plan is to go clockwise. Based on the write-up from Amy, getting a permit should be no problem starting at Road's End.

The one issue I'm grappling with is the bear can. This trip will require packing a lot of food and the logistics of fitting it all in a bear can is something I've never dealt with (cans are not required for Colorado or VT, where I've done a majority of my backpacking.) I'm looking into getting a big bearikade….though I'm not excited to carry it!

Robert, based on the maps and some info I've read, there is ample opportunity for cross country travel.

Looking forward to hearing from ya'll.

[Robert Perkins]

I posted my question about the same time as Art posted the trip description. Amy's trip report wasnt up yet, but thanks for asking Bob.

Nice route, but I did a similar route two summers ago starting out over Shepherd Pass and coming out the Mountaineering Route off Whitney. I'm in no rush to go up Kern Canyon again, it was a hot canyon bottom slog to get back to Wallace Creek. Deadman Canyon is fantastic, as well as Elizabeth Pass! The trail mostly disappears on the west side of Elizabeth Pass, so the well maintained trail statement is used very 'loosely' in that short section, but still easy to navigate. If you haven't seen Hamilton and Precipice Lake, it is worth it just for those spots!

[Bob Gross]

"Amy's trip report wasnt up yet, but thanks for asking Bob."

Amy's trip report was up February 2013, so I guess it was up, despite your claim.

–B.G.–

[Robert Perkins]

Jon, what a great b-day present! I think you will love this route! Very cool scenery, with the lone exception being a few miles in Kern Canyon. If you can, try and time the Kern Hot Springs as a camp site. It is a bit over rated in terms of other hot springs, but well worth the stop in the evening or morning! I am doing the JMT in late June and was looking at another hike in the 4 night range, so I probably won't be up for another 160+ mile hike this summer. Again, you're picking a great route and hopefully other BPL-ers sign up!

[Robert Perkins]

Bob, I'm not sure why you're being an ass about it. I was unaware of Amy's trip report until I saw Arts post right above mine in this thread! Take a look at the dates and times of his post and mine. Same date and not much time in between. Go be a cop on another thread!

[Bob Gross]

Robert, you and Duane would do good to look at the reports posted either before or afterward. It will save everybody a lot of time.

–B.G.–

[Dave T]

You just got Grossed Out ™.

[Anthony Weston]

I'm be interested in going if I have enough vacation days.

So you are starting on Aug 5th, hiking about 15 miles a day. How many days do you expect it will take? 10 days? Sounds like a fun route.

[Robert Perkins]

In an attempt to keep the initial thread going…this would make an awesome trip for people who want a good taste of SEKI!

[Anonymous]

"this would make an awesome trip for people who want a good taste of SEKI!"

+1 An excellent orientation trip for those not familiar with the Sierra. It covers the finest the Sierra has to offer in a way that really "hangs together". Anyone doing this loop will come off it with enough ideas for related routes to last a lifetime.

[Jon Leibowitz]

Anthony,

I was thinking 10-12 days. Though, if we start cruising and cover more than 15 miles in a day, I wouldn't complain. I personally like to stop and take pictures from time to time, so 15 for a full day of hiking is a good estimate.

My idea of a group hike is still hiking at your own pace. If you want to go ahead and get some solo time for a few hours and meet at the next junction or go ahead when I am taking some photos, or vice versa….awesome. I think it's important on group trips for people to not feel obligated to change the pace they enjoy. Whatever that means for each individual trip in unique.

[Anthony Weston]

sounds good, I'm not in a rush. I enjoy hiking for most of the day. After a few days out on the trail we will cover more ground in a day. It's always nice to have a layer over day or a take a side trip if we are making good time. I'm comfortable going at my own pace and meeting up at junctions etc. I'll send you a pm with my email and phone, if you want to plan a shorter trip before hand that might be wise. I've hiked the High Sierra Trail from Sequoia to Whitney and the Tablelands in Sequoia but I have not been to Kings. The longest trip I've been on was 21 days in the Three Sisters region of Oregon.
I'm about due for a longer trip.
Anyway let's talk at some point.

[Jerry Adams]

What did you do for 21 days in Sisters area? You must have had one or two re-supplies?

[Amy Lauterbach]

Jon – I'm glad you're going. Be sure to write a trip report when you're done.

The one issue I'm grappling with is the bear can. This trip will require packing a lot of food and the logistics of fitting it all in a bear can is something I've never dealt with
Unless the NPS changes the regulations for 2014, you will only be required to use a bear can for the 28 miles from Forester Pass to Pinchot Pass, which is mid trip. So for the first ~55 (clockwise) or ~70 miles (anti-clockwise) your food doesn't need to fit in a can. Based on your mileage, you probably need to fit 6 or 7 days of food in a can. I don't have any problem fitting 8 days of food in the large bearikade. Get yourself a bearikade and don't worry about it, it's not such a big deal if you just accept it and move on to the next issue :)

[Jon Leibowitz]

Thanks for the tip, Amy. I will absolutely write a trip report. Your write up was and is an amazing resource, thanks for posting it and giving me this idea!

[Wim Depondt]

“The one issue I'm grappling with is the bear can. This trip will require packing a lot of food and the logistics of fitting it all in a bear can is something I've never dealt with”

I’ve done an upside U walk, based on Amy’s superb big SEKI Loop, starting at Lodgepole (reason: public transportation from Visalia) and exit at Cottonwood pass (reason: avoiding the Whitney circus). Instead of Whitney mountain, I went up Mt. Langley and had the place to myself(there is an unmaintained trail toward the top, starting from Old/New Army Pass).

But a secondary reason for starting at Lodgepole was the ability to pack 3 days worth of food on top of my bear canister capacity: using the bear boxes around the Bearpaw Meadow area, Roaring River and Middle Tent Meadow (= on route to Granite pass).
Going counterclockwise might offer even more bear boxes during the first couple of days, but once you hit the JMT, it’ll probably feel crowded as you’ll walking against the flow of most JMT hikers.

PS: a personal variant on the big SEKI loop was a cross country route from State Lakes-Windy Pass-Marion Lake-Cartridge Pass. This section was surprisingly pleasant: the only significant talus was maybe 200 meter in the South Fork Kings River valley. And most of the climb up and down Cartridge pass is on a doable unmaintained trail.
Highly recommended.

[USA Duane Hall]

Are you doing this trip, or just adding to your post count?
Thanks Bob for the kind words. Hard to check things out when on break at work. Since more info was posted after I made a commit, I'm aware now. I felt I maybe revived the thread.
Duane

[Anthony Weston]

We had a couple resupplies on the 3 Sisters trip.
But I didn't have to worry about the logistics, I was 17
and it was an Outward bound course. Great fun, at one point they
roped us together and we descended into an ice blue crevasse, the leader cutting footholds in the ice and at the bottom he had us all be quiet and you hear the glacier creaking and you are thinking I don't belong down here.

Anyway sent a pm about the Big Seki Loop.

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