Rae Lakes Loop – Clockwise – 9/6/14

There are a few good places, but they don't always line up with camping at the end of a day.

Upper Paradise Valley is where the bears are. Woods Crossing is on the JMT. Dollar Lake and Arrowhead Lake are good, although I like the Sixty Lakes Basin. Once over Glen Pass, Charlotte Lake is OK. Along Bubbs Creek, Junction Meadow is popular.

If you want to get a walk-in permit at Roads End, the early morning waiting line can be surly.

–B.G.–

Jason,

I'll just add to what Bob said.

In my opinion, there are three highlights to the loop, and two of them aren't officially on it: 1. Rae Lakes, 2. Sixty Lake Basin, and 3. East Lake and Lake Reflection.

I did this loop last year with my 62 year old dad. It was his first time backpacking in the Sierra, and his first time backpacking in 30 years. We did a 4 day/3 night loop with the following itinerary:

1. Start late on the first day, hike to Upper Paradise Valley (Bob is right–there was a domesticated bear here)
2. Hiked past Rae Lakes, into Sixty Lake Basin. Something like a 16-17 mile day.
3. Hiked back into Rae Lakes, over Glen Pass, started the descent of Bubb's creek, then hiked up to East Lake. East Lake had an entire troop of boy scouts and about as many climbers, so we hung out for a while, then hiked back down to Junction Meadow and camped there.
4. Hike out. Quick and easy. Only a few hours from the TH.

That's probably the itinerary I'd recommend, although if you have a full first day available for hiking, you might go all the way to Wood's Creek crossing. That would be about 15.4 miles, with a few thousand feet of climbing. You could spend more time lazing about in Rae Lakes and Sixty Lake basin on the second day, in that case, or dayhike into Sixty Lake Basin and camp back at Rae Lakes on the second day. Also–obviously–if you have it in you, head up to Lake Reflection and camp there, or stay at East Lake and camp there, on the third night.

The spur trails into Sixty Lake Basin and up to East Lake could also be done as dayhikes, if some of your group feels up to it, and others don't.

Adam/Bob:

Thanks for the tips! This is very helpful. We are going to try and get an early start on first day and wait very early for the hike-in permit.

There is a trick to being first in line early in the morning at Roads End. You get part of the group there around 5 a.m. and get somebody in a down jacket to sit by the window to be first in line. Then the rest of the group can eat breakfast at the car, taking care to take turns to relieve the line-holder.

One morning I got there around 5:30 a.m., and there was nobody standing in line. There was, however, a walking stick placed there as if that was supposed to be holding somebody's place. I removed it and set it aside. The stick owner returned an hour later and had angry words, but I bet he got over it. I was the first person to deal with the ranger, so I got my permit.

There is so much red-tape time lost dealing with that whole process that I found it better to get the permit reserved in advance, then pick it up the afternoon before you start. That way, you can be on the trail at 6 a.m. when the air is cool.

–B.G.–