Moraine Lake: ~14.7 miles, 3,790′ ascent, sheltered, scenic lake. Traveling as one, the three trails headed south towards Crabtree Meadow, the gateway to Mount Whitney. The trail meanders through high pine forest to Crabtree Meadows, and then reaches the tree line at scenic Timberline Lake. Hi there, I'll will be in the US for a short training and was hopping to do the high sierra trail after the course. The High Sierra Trail runs between Crescent Meadow in Giant Forest and the summit of Mt. My husband and I did an out-and-back (yo-yo) of this trail (120 miles). Information: Sequoia National Park 86724 Highway 180 Sequoia National Park, CA 93262 559-565-3341 SEKI is the combined Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. July 18th Bearpaw Meadow Campsite(57.6)-Crescent Meadow Trailhead(69) Miles: 11.4mi We cruised the 11mi down to the Crescent Meadow Trailhead, the western terminus of the High Sierra Trail… Much of the trail is shaded, but it can still get very hot due to its south-facing aspect. There is one bear box and easy water access. Note: I couldn’t get a GPS signal until about a mile up the hill, so this track is missing that first section. Where will you go if there are no more campsites left at that location? Big Arroyo Junction campsite:  This campsite has numerous spots near Big Arroyo Creek; they’re all spread out and most provide shelter. The official trail length is 61.5 miles from Crescent Meadow to Mt. Precipice Lake: ~9.9 miles, 3,760′ ascent, a few exposed sites, above the treeline, spectacular views. The closer we got to Whitney the more the campsites filled up, but for the better part of the trail we never shared these sites with more than ten other campers. The trail from Crescent Meadow makes its way along an exposed canyon wall that offers vast views of the Great Western Divide and the canyon below. We cruised the 11mi down to the Crescent Meadow Trailhead, the western terminus of the High Sierra Trail. July 3. Hello John, My son and friend both 20 are headed out from Visalia on Sept. 10th and we just realized the shuttle stops on Sept. 8th. The climb from Lone Pine Creek to Hamilton Lake was a bit of a doosy too. You’ll reach Precipice Lake, cross over Kaweah Gap and the Great Western Divide, then descend the Nine Lakes Basin to Big Arroyo Junction. A new short film from director and hiker Chris Smead called, honestly enough, “The High Sierra Trail,” is a charming ride-along as Smead and his buddy John haul themselves and 14 pounds of camera gear along the spine of the Sierra. I'd say we eat more around 1500 calories tops in general even with consecutive days packing 8-10 miles. Then you’ll climb out of the canyon and hit Bearpaw Meadow, which is another common first-night campsite. The High Sierra Trail is a moderate to strenuous 61.5-mile trail through Sequoia National Park. After five days and 56.5 miles of beautiful views and hard hikes, it was time for 15.6 more. Going between the cold river water and hot spring water will recharge your tired feet. March 2, 2019; Distance Hiked: 11.8 miles. There are a few roads on the eastern side of the park that lead to the popular Lodgepole Visitor Center and the Giant Sequoias, but there are no roads that go through the park so there is no place to re-supply. Preparations | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8. The High Sierra Trail was a strenuous, long-distance backpacking trip that stretched our capacity for planning but rewarded us with stunning views and a test of endurance that we were able to meet. The climb out of Big Arroyo Junction is a pleasing, long, steady 1,000′ ascent to the Chagoopa Plateau. The day was mostly spent climbing uphill nonstop gaining 4,357 ft in just under 12 miles. First day of my High Sierra Trail hike. Those 6 days in some of the most remote parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park blew me away with everything the Sierra has to offer - snow capped mountain ranges, sheer exposed drop offs and peaks, crystal clear alpine lakes, and lush grassy meadows. This exciting documentary bounces back and forth between the modern experience of hiking the High Sierra Trail, and the early 1900’s when the trail was created. Another hidden spot lies to the north of the trail, and there are a couple other spots down the hill to the south. When it looked too threatening to go over Elizabeth Pass, I figured out a new route for us: back to Roaring River, through Sugarloaf Valley and over Silliman Pass. Reviewing the maps, planning your itinerary, plotting your campsites and filling out your gear helps build the anticipation. The final day is capped off by a short descent to Whitney Portal, where there are burgers and beer waiting at the store. DAY 5 /5; 73.0 miles /73.0 miles (total HST) Daily Mileage: 15.6 miles. The first three miles are fairly dry, but there are numerous spring and creek crossings over the final six miles. July 18th Bearpaw Meadow Campsite(57.6)-Crescent Meadow Trailhead(69) Miles: 11.4mi. There are two bear boxes at Kern Hot Springs and one newer pit toilet in excellent condition (it’s really just a wooden platform over a hole in the ground with a toilet seat, and a waist-high wooden fence for privacy). Excellent views of Kern Valley.Day 6: Wallace Creek to Crabtree Meadow - We stopped at Crabtree Meadow, though there was plenty of time left in the day, as there was rain & lightning, and we did not want to camp in the treeless area above Crabtree. 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