Rae Lakes Loop September planning

[CHRIS FOWLER]

Planning my first trip to the Sierras for next year.  I’m aiming for early September.  Living at sea level (KY), I plan on spending a zero day in the park before starting the loop to help acclimate.  Fairly good shape, completed the Big Bend Outer Mountain Loop last February in 3 days.  Will be going counter-clockwise.

I have a few questions in my itinerary, like suggested stops and side trips.

Here’s my current plan:

 

Day 1<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> (5100’-7000’)</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Roads End to Upper Paradise Aprox 11 miles and 2200’ ascent</span>

Day 2<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> (7000’-8500’)</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Upper Paradise to Woods Creek Aprox 6.8 miles and 2036’ ascent.  Should I skip Woods Creek and keep going to Rae Lakes?  Not sure of how difficult this portion is.</span>

Day 3<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> (8500’-10,000’)</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Woods Creek to Rae Lakes aprox 6.1 miles and 2036’ ascent</span>

Day 4

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Option Day rest with visit to 60 lakes basin</span>

Day 5<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> (10,000’-12,000’-10’000’)</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Rae Lakes to Charlotte Lake aprox 6.7’ 2500’ ascent/2500’ descent  Is there a better last stop like Junction Meadow?  </span>

Is Kearsarge Pass something worth checking out?

Day 6<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> (10,000’-5000’)</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Charlotte Lake to Roads End aprox 18 miles 5500’ descent</span>

[Aaron Sorensen]

For being out there that long and being in good shape, I would go the other way and spend more time in the Rae Lakes area.

Day 1 to Lower Vidette

Day 2 Rae Lakes

Stay day 3 and take your sweet time getting down to  Woods Creek on day 4.

Day 5 Roads end.

• This will also give you plenty of time to check out 60 lakes basin.

[Art …]

are you planning for September 2016 or 2017 ?

[CHRIS FOWLER]

This will be for 2017.

[Sean M]

I am actually doing a very similar trip this September (2016) however my itinerary looks like this:

Day 1: Roads End to Upper Paradise Valley

Day 2: Upper Paradise to Rae Lakes

Day 3: Rae Lakes to Junction Meadow

Day 4: Junction Meadow to Roads End

 

Should I skip Woods Creek and keep going to Rae Lakes?  Not sure of how difficult this portion is

 

I had a similar thought but if you would like I can report back once I get back.

[Bean]

Personal preference is counter-clockwise. Instead of long sloping inclines, you go up more short steep inclines This makes the trek to Rae Lakes a more dramatic view with fun downhill.

—

Skip Woods Creek for Rae Lakes, the incline is not too bad to go up. Just get going early, if you’re worried about it.

60 lakes basin is super pretty, but a bit of a hike. If your group is challenged at all by the hump from Upper Paradise to Rae Lakes… skip it and enjoy yourself at Rae Lakes for a full day.

Never been out to Kearsarge Pass, but friends resupplying from Onion Valley seem to really like it.

Have a great trip, hope there aren’t a ton of soap bubbles in all your water sources. People are going crazy this year using soap directly in water. There was a quarter mile ring of bubbles there a couple weeks ago.

 

 

 

[Adam White]

I’d skip the day spent acclimating. It’s not necessary unless you’re planning on camping above 10k the first night AND you’re very susceptible to AMS.

If going CW (Woods Creek permit), I’d recommend:

Day 1: Woods Creek to Upper Paradise Valley (9 miles)

Day 2: Upper Paradise Valley to Rae Lakes (13 miles)

Day 3: Putz around; either day hike into Sixty Lake Basin, or hike into Sixty Lake Basin and spend the night. At least climb the small ridge separating Sixty Lake Basin from Rae Lakes; the view of Rae Lakes from there is superb. (0 miles if you do nothing; 8 miles for a R/T into Sixty Lake Basin)

Day 4: Rae Lakes or Sixty Lake Basin to Junction Meadow (or better yet, East Lake or Lake Reflection (8.5 miles from Rae Lakes to Junction Meadow; 16 miles from the heart of Sixty Lake Basin to Lake Reflection–so something between these two, depending on what option you choose)

Day 5: Junction Meadow or East Lake or Lake Reflection to Roads End (10 miles from Junction Meadow, 14 miles from Lake Reflection)

That still leaves you an extra day, if you didn’t spend one acclimating. You could easily stretch the above schedule out, taking more time to get to Lake Reflection, or adding another day of putzing or zeroing in Rae Lakes or Sixty Lake Basin.

If you go CCW, I’d stick roughly to the above, in reverse. Similar to what Aaron recommended, but I’d point out that if are worried about altitude, you might opt to stop at Junction Meadow on the first night. It’s at 8,180 feet, whereas Lower Vidette Meadow is at 9,530 feet.

In my opinion, Rae Lakes, Sixty Lake Basin, East Lake and Lake Reflection are the gems on the loop (some Google image searching will probably convince you of this as well). I recommend trying to maximize time spent there, while minimizing time spent elsewhere.

[CHRIS FOWLER]

Great info Adam. Where is Lake Reflection?  I don’t see it on my Tom Harrison map.

[Adam White]

It’s just south of East Lake, on an unmaintained trail (which is why it doesn’t appear on some maps, including the NPS visitor maps and perhaps Tom Harrison’s).

Here’s a screenshot from CalTopo with a labeled Lake Reflection, on the NPS visitor maps:

[CHRIS FOWLER]

OK gotcha!  This place is full of great info. Thanks for clearing that up for me Adam.

[Author]

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