Sierra People – Difference between South Land and Treasure Lake Trailheads?

[Brad Rogers]

I waited 5 days too late to get my permit for the Sierra hike and now South Lake is walk-up only, on the recreation.gov map it looks like there is another trailhead at the same place, “Treasure Lake” which I can’t find on a map.  Does this trailhead get me to Upper Dusy Basin?

[Ken Thompson]

Hope this is helpful.

[Ken Thompson]

Beware,

• Wilderness permits are required for overnight trips into the John Muir Wilderness.
• Day use does not require a permit.
• Permits to start on this trail are issued at Inyo National Forest visitor centers.
• Treasure Lakes trail does not give access to Bishop Pass.
• Quota of 10 people permitted to start overnight trips each day from may 1 to November 1.

[Brad Rogers]

Thanks Ken.  It looks like Treasure Lakes TH will not be useful to me.  I guess it’s time to start looking at other trips.

 

[Paul Wagner]

Another perspective:  If there is only one of you, and you have even a little flexibility, you should be able to get this permit for the day you arrive, or the following day.  There are only two of us, and we have never failed to get a permit for a hike with this philosophy.  But we also go during the week, not Friday afternoon…

[Ben H.]

I met some kids at Treasure Lake who were there because they couldn’t get the permit for Bishop Pass.  They planned to hike over the slag pile to Saddlerock Lake and I guess on to Dusy Basin.  It didn’t look like a very fun hike to me, plus based on the comments it sounds like if you plan on crossing Bishop Pass you need the Bishop Pass permit anyway.

 

[Art …]

2 summers ago we did exactly what Ben H. mentioned. could not get Bishop Pass permit so took a Treasure Lake permit. When we got the walk up permit we specifically asked if we could start up Treasure Lake trail then go cross country to get onto Bishop Pass trail and head over Bishop Pass. Permit issuer said that was fine as long as we spent one night on the Treasure Lake trail. So that’s what we did. Next day from Treasure Lake we did start out a bit wrong at first but eventually got to Saddle Lake with some minor route finding. It might be easier to camp only half way up the trail and head cross country lower down, hitting Long Lake instead.

This method of getting over Bishop Pass will slow your trip down by one night and a half day, assuming you hike up Treasure Lake trail in late afternoon, camp along trail, then cross country the next morning.

But if you are going solo, its pretty easy to get a walk up permit for one.

[Art …]

p.s.

there are 14 walk up spots daily for Bishop Pass trail if you are going solo it should not be too hard to get one of those spots.

[Brad Rogers]

OK – asking for some more help.  Has anyone done Baxter Pass from the Baxter Pass Trailhead?  I know the trail is unmaintained and it’s 6K feet to the pass (that would be a bear of a climb the day after being 600′ above sea level).

Sawmill Pass is another option but at only 4700ft it might be a HOT start to a trip in mid August.

Any other suggestions for a on or on/off trail loop in the Sierras that I could get a advance permit now for 3 starting 8/18 if on the east side (would fly to Vegas) or possibly 8/17 or 8/18 on the west side?  I would be flying 8/17 so I would like to start 8/17 if I can pick up my permit before they close.

My favorite hiking is Alpine Tundra hiking off trail, but am OK with anything Class 2 even 3 if it’s straight forward.  I have done the Wilson Dixon WRHR in 6.5 days and have done Knapsack Col twice (both directions), Illinois Pass twice (both directions), and of course Bonneville-Raid Col and all the other passes on the WRHR without issues.

Looking for 10-15 miles per day depending on the difficulty of the terrain.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Brad Rogers]

What about Little Italy Trailhead? – It looks like I can make a loop out of it with the SHR and JMT, etc.

[jscott]

Clover Meadows? it’s a little obscure so may have openings. But there’s a bunch of alpine options out of that trailhead and plenty of possible off trail as well.

[Brad Rogers]

Thanks to everyone for the help – I have reserved permits at Pine Creek Trailhead and have a rough idea of a loop utilizing the Sierra High Route and JMT.

Rough itinerary – Head over Pine Creek Pass and intersect the SHR in French Canyon, follow it through Humphrey’s Basin and over the Glacier Divide (How is this pass – I need to do some research here) into Evolution Valley where I will intersect the JMT.  At the intersection with the Piute Trail head north and make the climb to the junction with the unmaintained Pine Creek Trail at Hutchinson Meadow.  From the Pine Creek Trail  hook back up with the SHR and head north to Merriam Lake and over Feather Pass into Bear Lake Basin.  Hit the trail at Lake Italy and head back over Italy Pass and back to the rental car at the trailhead.

How does this sound?  Has anyone done any of this route before?

[Author]

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