Binoculars in the Backcountry: Backpacking the Southern Sierra

Upper Crabtree Lake from Crabtree Pass

We were out again in mid-August for another week in the backcountry, this time in the Southern Sierra. We've spent many days hiking and backpacking in this area over the years, but there were pockets of off-trail areas that we had missed, and beautiful places we needed to revisit. This part of the Sierra is much dryer than farther north and this late in the season we would need to be mindful of water resources. The areas we explored were the west side of the Sierra Crest between Cottonwood Lakes/Horseshoe Meadow and Mount Whitney. The only negative for the entire trip was intermittent drifting smoke from the Coffeepot Fire, about 30 miles to our west. Oh, and the wind and unseasonably low temperatures from the near record cold front that passed through on the last two days... Frozen water bottles in the morning, in August!

Day 1 (12 miles, 2,900 feet elevation gain). We began our day at the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead west of Lone Pine. We cruised the easy trail ascent to the lakes basin, then took the direct route up the Old Army Pass trail to the crest. Yes, there is a NEW Army Pass, and the original Army Pass. New Army was constructed in 1955 on a south facing aspect to avoid the snow choked original trail (constructed in 1892 when soldiers patrolled Sequoia National Park). They both gain the crest only about 1/2 mile apart, but the new trail is a longer slog to the top. This late in the season we had no problem getting up the old trail which was snow free and in relatively good shape (it no longer gets trail maintenance). From the crest we took a cross-country line below Mt. Langley to a point where we could drop on a faint use trail down to upper Soldier Lake. It was still early enough for some more miles, so we decided to head off again and into the incredible Miter Basin. With some off-trail adventuring we made it to the hanging valley Iridescent Lake at the northwestern edge of the basin for the evening.

Cottonwood Lakes trailhead

Cruising the Cottonwood Lakes trail

Mt. Langley

The unmaintained Old Army Pass sits in this bowl above Cottonwood Lake 4

The trail to the top is left of the snow in the scree and cliffs

The old trail is in relatively good shape with only a few rockfalls to scramble over

Looking back down to the Cottonwood Lakes from the pass

At the crest we crossed into Sequoia National Park, and didn't see any sheep

Looking west from the pass toward Siberian Outpost and the Boreal Plateau. We would be there in a few days.

Looking northwest toward the Miter Basin from the crest, our eventual destination for the day

Looking down on upper Soldier Lake as we begin our descent from the crest

Looking back to the crest and the slope we just came down

As we begin our high elevation traverse into Miter Basin, lower Soldier Lake is below

Into the Miter Basin, The Miter is on the left and Iridescent Lake sits in the bowl on the right

Iridescent Lake in late afternoon light

Our cozy little nook below Mts. LeConte and Corcoran

We had a full moon for the first few days so I had fun with night photos on my iPhone

Day 2 (6 miles, 1,250 feet elevation gain). This was an all cross-country hiking day with a tricky pass and route finding. We departed Iridescent Lake crossing the ridge just below The Miter and into the main Miter Basin near Sky Blue Lake. From there is was a winding ascent past many unnamed ponds and lakes to the base of Crabtree Pass. Gaining the pass was relatively straightforward, but the route down was steep and tricky in a narrow chute of sand, scree, and small talus. We took our time and after a few hundred feet of descent the slope eased and a use trail led us down to the inlet end of upper Crabtree Lake. We continued on to the middle Crabtree Lake and found a spot for the evening.

Iridescent Lake in morning light

Heading out toward the main Miter Basin. The Miter is in the center

Looking back at Iridescent Lake as we cross over

On the ridge between Iridescent and Sky Blue Lakes

Getting down from the ridge to Sky Blue Lake took some imaginative route finding

Looking down at Sky Blue Lake in the heart of the Miter Basin

Sky Blue Lake

Looking back at Sky Blue Lake as we move up the valley

Continuing up the canyon there are lakes and ponds everywhere

At 14, 092 feet, Mt. Langley is the 9th tallest peak in California and frames the east side of the basin. We bagged it in 2017.

Getting closer to the pass

One of the last lakes as we gain the pass. Mt. Langley in the background

Yellow-bellied Marmot

The final pond, the pass is in the center

The final few scrambly bits to the pass

From the pass we look nearly straight down on upper and middle Crabtree Lakes

It was steep and loose for a few hundred feet of descent, slow going but but not particularly difficult

Inlet end of upper Crabtree Lake, looking west

The slope we came down to the lake. How did we do that?

Upper Crabtree Lake and the pass (just right of center)

Our evening view from middle Crabtree Lake

Moonlight spotlighting of Mt. Chamberlin

Day 3 (6.75 miles, 1,225 feet elevation gain). In the morning we continued down the canyon, past lower Crabtree Lake and on to lower Crabtree Meadow. Here we joined a formal trail that continued north to connect with the John Muir Trail (JMT) at upper Crabtree Meadow. This is a busy spot as Mt. Whitney hikers are passing through in both directions. From this point it's only about 8 miles to the top of Mt. Whitney. But we had no interest in that peak (been there, done that, many times) but wished to go off-trail again and see the Hitchcock Lakes basin just south of the Whitney trail. This secluded little spot is less than a mile from one of the busiest trails in all the Sierra, but during our afternoon at camp we only saw a couple of hikers who came over the ridge for a short visit.

Lower Crabtree Lake

Lower Crabtree Meadow

From upper Crabtree Meadow we turn east toward Mt. Whitney (right of center) on the JMT

Once at Timberline Lake we head off-trail to Hitchcock Lakes. That's Mt. Whitney in the center, it looks quite different from this side

Heading up into the Hitchcock Lakes basin

Looking west as we ascend toward the Kaweah Range and Great Western Divide. A big smoke plume is evident on the right from the Coffeepot Fire.

Lower Hitchcock Lake

Upper Hitchcock Lakes sits tightly against the crest

Our little campsite looking right at Mt. Whitney just a couple miles away

The sun sets on Mt. Whitney

More moonlight photo fun

Day 4 (13.5 miles, 2,000 feet elevation gain). This was our farthest north point for the trip, so it was time to turn back. From Hitchcock Lakes we backtracked to Crabtree Meadow then continued south on the Pacific Crest Trail. Before reaching Cottonwood Pass we turned west cross-country ending the day in Siberian Outpost. This high elevation windswept meadow at nearly 11,000 feet is stark and beautiful. From our windy camp we had a stunning view of the crest around Mt. Langley.

Mt. Hitchcock in the morning

Looking down toward Crabtree Meadow and the Great Western Divide with almost no smoke on the horizon

Crossing Whitney Creek in Crabtree Meadow

Looking across Crabtree Meadow back to Mt. Whitney on the right

Cruising the PCT as we approach Guyot Pass

Guyot Peak from near the pass

Mt. Anna Mills to the south from Guyot Pass. Anna Mills was one of the first women to climb Mt. Whitney, in 1878

Crossing Rock Creek

Panorama image from Siberian Outpost

Mt. Langley from our camp at Siberian Outpost

Camp at the Outpost

Day 5 (6.5 miles, 1,200 feet elevation gain). From our camp in Siberian Outpost we took a cross-country route up the valley and then up the headwall to the Boreal Plateau. The Boreal Plateau is a high elevation sky island bordered by the Kern River to the west and the Sierra Crest to the east. On the western edge of the plateau lies Funston Lake and we were keen to visit. This stark lake at 11,000 feet elevation is about as remote as it gets in this part of the world. After an early lunch at the lake we climbed back up to the plateau and crossed over to the Rocky Basin Lakes on the south edge. By mid-afternoon, and being unsure of water resources farther along the route, we pulled in to a small pond and meadow nestled in a lovely Foxtail and Lodgepole pine forest for the evening.

Looking west up the Siberian Outpost toward the Boreal Plateau

From the plateau back into Siberian Outpost. Mt. Langley in the distance.

From the edge of the plateau we look down into Rocky Basin Lakes, where we'll be in a few hours

The arctic-like habitat of the Boreal Plateau looking east toward the Sierra Crest

The Boreal Plateau is amazingly flat

Looking down to Funston Lake and across to the Great Western Divide

A giant Foxtail Pine on the descent to Funston Lake

Approaching Funston Lake

Lunchtime at Funston Lake

Funston Lake from a different angle as we climb back to the Boreal Plateau. The Kaweah Mountains in the middle background.

Traversing the Plateau in an arc as we navigate our way to Rocky Basin Lakes

On the southeast edge of the Plateau sits Johnson Lake with Johnson Peak behind

Descending to Rocky Basin Lakes

The westernmost Rocky Basin Lake with the Boreal Plateau behind

A couple of miles later we called it a day in this lovely meadow

Day 6 (11 miles, 1,600 feet elevation gain). Get out day. From camp we continued the descent to Big Whitney Meadow. After a long traverse of the meadow (yes, it's really big), we started the climb back to Cottonwood Pass. Thankfully for these weary travelers it was a quick 4+ mile descent to the trailhead.