Delayed trip reports - Rae Lakes, Mineral King, Trinity Alps

[jartelt]

I am just hoping to share several trip reports I finally got around to writing. They are not from recent trips, so please do not confuse the conditions in the images for the current conditions. I just figured the report could useful for planning or inspiration for others looking forward to next year!

Rae Lakes Loop - Kings Canyon National Park

We hiked this loop in July, 2016. The loop is ~40 miles long and we hiked it in 4 days. The views are really great and the trail forms a perfect backpacking loop . We loved almost everything about this hike. The only downside was that it is a bit crowded and popular. Full report here: https://backpackersreview.wordpress.com ... akes-loop/


View from Glen Pass


Fresh melt lake near Glen Pass


Rae Lakes


Valley near Rae Lakes


Mineral King Area - Sequoia National Park

We hiked this loop in September, 2015. This is a 45 mile loop that goes up over Sawtooth Pass and then goes along a portion of the High Sierra Trail. The views along this trek were some of the best I have seen, and this has been my favorite backpacking loop. I though it was prettier than the Rae Lakes Loop and we saw hardly any other hikers. Full report here: https://backpackersreview.wordpress.com ... eral-king/


Looking down into the Hamilton Lakes Basin


Kaweah Pass


Precipice Lake


Nine Lakes Basin


Along the High Sierra Trail

Trinity Alps Wilderness - Northern California

We did this hike in July, 2017. It is a 25 mile out and back hike that goes to two great lakes in the Trinity Alps. The area was really nice and had great meadows and waterfalls. The Trinity Alps are nice substitute for the Sierra if you miss out on permits or if everything in the Sierra is still snowy. The full report is here: https://backpackersreview.wordpress.com ... rald-lake/


Emerald Lake


Sapphire Lake


Caribou Lake


Morris Meadows