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Sequoia NP:wilderness camp sites on High Sierra/Alta loop?

PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 3:18 pm
by guyd
Hi

I'm considering a 2 night backpacking loop for July 1 starting in Wolverton with the following circuit (+/-):
- Trail of the sequoia
- High Sierra trail
- Sevenmile Hill trail
- Alta trail with up/down to Alta Peak (if opened)
- Alta trail back to Wolverton (maybe via Lakes Trail).

All the guides I've read mentions only three camping sites along that loop:
- Panther Creek and Mehrten Creek, before junction of Sevenmile on HST
- Mehrten Meadow on Alta, at junction of Sevenmile and Alta.

Isn't there other proper areas where we could pitch 3 tents on that loop...?

Would we allowed to reserve a permit for High Sierra Trail and start it from Wolverton even if the official trailhead which is Crescent Meadow.

Do you have better suggestions for a 2n/3d trip in the area?
Thanks

PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:37 pm
by AlmostThere
The spots mentioned are popular spots near water - you can pitch anywhere you can find a flat spot. I stayed overnight at Alta Meadow (base of Alta Peak and end of that trail) and there are established well used camp sites there.

There is no specific permit specially for the High Sierra Trail. You can get to it from whatever trailhead you wish.

The Alta trail via the Lakes Trail doesn't make sense to me. The two meet at a junction, the third trail at the junction goes to Wolverton. You can either go to Wolverton or start on the Lakes Trail from that point. If you mean going cross country from Alta to Pear Lake, then back on the Lakes Trail, yes, that's possible, and done quite a lot... if you were doing that you might like to go cross country from Alta meadow to Moose Lake and then over to Pear down the granite, then rejoin the trail system to Wolverton or Lodgepole.