Glenn,
Over the years, we have been in the Ionian Basin three times:
• once crossing south of Mt. Goddard and over Goddard Col from Martha Lake and out over Nietzsche Col west of Mt. Solomons and down to Wanda Lake; Goddard is an easy summit from the first col
• once over Wanda Pass on the Goddard Divide from Wanda Lake to climb Scylla and out over Charybdis Col, east of Charybdis, and Peak 13041
• once in over Black Giant Pass west of the summit of Black Giant and out via Enchanted Gorge.
I do not recall any significant technical difficulties on any of these trips. There was, of course class 2-to very easy 3 terrain to deal with and your perception of scrambling difficulty may be different than ours.
I also do not recall any specific campsite locations, but much of the area is talus covered and sites can be more difficult to come by than in many Sierra locations. However, we always were able to find an at least tolerable place to set up a tent. I suggest reviewing satellite imagery prior to your trip and marking the obvious potential open areas on your map.
The good source of info on these routes is, as always, R.J. Secor’s The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes and Trails.
The Basin itself is fabulous and must be one of the most isolated places in the High Sierra.
James (and Amy)
