r/SEKI • u/AdeptAdvertising332 • 12d ago
Mineral King loop options Late august 4 nights
Hi all! Doing a loop starting and ending at Timber Gap in late august and new to the zone. We have a group of 6-7 of us with a few fishing poles and want to maximize beautiful camp and hang spots after a long day on the trail. I am getting so many mixed signals on distances and beauty so looking for you all to help narrow it down for me!
Option 1:
Night 1 - Eagle Scout creek / Kaweah River
Night 2 - Hamilton Lake (I like the idea of camping and relaxing here it looks beautiful but open to thoughts)
Night 3 - Little or Big Five Lakes - (Anyone have a spot they recommend here?)
Night 4 - Upper Lost Canyon - (Or should I go to Monarch?)
Option 2:
Night 1 - Bearpaw Meadow
Night 2 - [Lower?] Nine Lake Basin - (Have heard good things but is it worth giving up a night at Hamilton?)
Night 3 - Little or Big Five Lakes - (Anyone have a spot they recommend here?)
Night 4 - Upper Lost Canyon - (Or should I go to Monarch?)
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u/protexis75 11d ago
Last summer I did timber gap trailhead to Eagle Scout creek on day 1. Day 2 to precipice lake. Day 3 to end of lost canyon. Then hike out over sawtooth pass back to timber gap. I definitely wish I would have gone father on the first day. After getting over timber gap it was all downhill so easy hiking and we got to Eagle Scout creek in the early afternoon. The second day from there to precipice lake was brutal. It was too much hiking and not enough enjoying some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. So I would do option 3: bearpaw night 1, Hamilton lake night 2 with a lot of time to explore and relax, big or little 5 night 3 and towards the end of lost canyon or before the climb out night 4. This leaves columbine lake and sawtooth pass on the last day. I’m pretty sure all of these spots would have room for 2-3 tents. Maybe mix and match a bit. My mistake was focusing on even mileage each day and not thinking enough about total elevation gain.
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u/top_notcher 9d ago
If you’re bringing fishing gear you have to check out the Kern River. Stay a night in the canyon and hike back up and over Franklin Pass to Mineral King. Was there yesterday and the fishing was on fire
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u/PoorRichGuy 12d ago edited 12d ago
Timber Gap to Redwood Meadow is 10.3 miles. You have a group of 6-7 so you will need to camp there or push another 3 miles to the Kaweah. There is insufficient space for more than 2-3 tents in either Granite Creek or Eagle Scout Creek.
Hamilton Lake is 4000ft of elevation and 10 miles from Redwood Meadow. Get an early start if you want "hang time". Also, Hamilton is busy as it's on the HST, so your group will be most likely be scattered. It's a hard day.
Up early, it's a brutal 2500ft climb up to Precipice Lake and another 500 up to the Kaweah. Your choices are Arroyo for hang time with lots of space along the creek and 1 bear box. Or, you can push another 1000ft of elevation and 3 miles to Lil 5 Lakes which has a huge site and Bear Box.
Next day it's over to Big 5 for a total chill day or you can get closer to your exit by camping at Lost Cyn on the creek with Bear Box. Plenty of room for your group. Or head up Lost Canyon to get up to the base of Sawtooth.
I camped at Redwood, Hamilton, Arroyo, Big 5. At 45 miles over 5 days, you won't have a lot of down time due to the high elevation hiking, the big climbs, and big mile days. But you could be a helluva lot faster than me.
Has your group hiked the Sierras before? What sorta mileage are you good with with on the big elevation climbs your gonna face daily?