60 mile hike

[_Gabe_]

Hello All,
Looks like I have an opportunity this summer to get out for a few days. I'm looking for suggestions to go on a 60 mile hike that is hopefully a loop out of the valley or up in TM. My days are flexible. Don't get out as much as I wish so I want to go a ways to check out as much of the scenery as possible.

Thanks.
Gabe

[Grzldvt]

Need a little more information. This is like asking "What car should I buy? It is too generic.
How many miles a day can you do, what is your total time to do this?
I can give you a 60 mile hike to do in 3 days or 10 days
As a suggestion and without more knowledge, look at the High Sierra Loop. It is crowded, but does encompass incredible scenery everyday and is around 54+ miles

[AlmostThere]

Get a map and a guidebook. Sierra North is a good book with suggestions for loops and hikes of various lengths. Spend some quality time reading the wilderness regulations on the Yosemite website too.

Don't limit yourself to Yosemite. Especially since you have waited too late to reserve permits from the popular trailheads.

Without an idea of how many miles you want to do per day, what else you like to do (fish? climb peaks?) there is no way to suggest anything to you.

Have you ever been backpacking before? Do you even know what tot take and that you must take a bear canister?

[_Gabe_]

Thanks for the advice...in hindsight the question was vague. I do backpack and have all the gear (including an approved canister)...just looking to get out and do some miles (no fishing or rock scrambling). Basically I just want to get out and challenge myself with a 60 mile hike...days can be flexible (3 - 5 probably). I've done long hikes before were I have put 15+ miles per day. I've done hikes where I only put in about 10 miles and I still have a lot of daylight left so I want to push myself a little and cover more ground. The High Sierra loop sounds interesting and hopefully they have daily walk up permits...I'll read up on that.

Thanks again!

[orion]

i don't usually look at the mileage of hikes, or hikes as mileage, but i might have some advice you'll find useful.

do most of your up hiking in the first days, and hike longer distances towards the end, when packs are lighter, and have them go downhill.
you can plot the trip backwards, ie, where is the furthest place i can be from my car and and still get there in one day, usually that's about twenty miles at most. i'll usually take my time getting to that spot, meandering and exploring. it's good to have a trip not be all one thing.

if you really want to test yourself, give yourself an all day and overnight hike, but allow for the trip to go an extra day if need be if you are overwhelmed. not something you want to do all the time, but it is good to have the experience to know what it is like in case you are required to in an emergency. in my experience, people are elated they've come so far by dusk, then terrorized and near a hallucinogenic state by midnight. not exactly fun, but challenging.

[balzaccom]

You guys are being a bit mean here...I know he wants an adventure, but you don't to suggest that he go out and find out what's going to terrify him!

Here's a route you might like. Leave Glacier Point or Mono Meadows and head up the Illilouette Canyon and over Red Peak Pass. From there go down until you catch the trail up to Lewis Canyon--maybe camp up at Bernice Lake above the trail. Then continue over Vogelsang pass and then down Fletcher Creek to Merced Lake. And from there, you can walk through all the campers at Little Yosemite Valley and back to your starting point. Some spectacular scenery are on this route, some nice steep passes to challenge you, and if you get overwhelmed, there are some support facilities at Vogelsang High Sierra Camp--or you could just bail out to Tuolumne Meadows.

Another option along these lines might be to go over Post Peak Pass (a stunning area) and then cross country a bit so that you can come back over Isberg Pass...and then follow one of the routes above. Less help if you get in trouble on this version.

We've done these in various parts--so there are trip reports on our website

[AlmostThere]

Meaner to give specific itineraries without knowing anything about the capabilities of the person asking, if you ask me.

I have recent experience with someone I know and hike with asking for an overnight trip of specific miles and elevation gain. I came up with a trip and he didn't make it all the way to the destination. Sore hips, sore legs, no bueno.

60 miles is a long ways to go. Five days is probably a more reasonable duration for it than three, if the hiker in question rarely goes to higher elevations.

[balzaccom]

Meaner to give specific itineraries without knowing anything about the capabilities of the person asking, if you ask me.

I have recent experience with someone I know and hike with asking for an overnight trip of specific miles and elevation gain. I came up with a trip and he didn't make it all the way to the destination. Sore hips, sore legs, no bueno.

60 miles is a long ways to go. Five days is probably a more reasonable duration for it than three, if the hiker in question rarely goes to higher elevations.

yes--but that's why I offered alternatives that had a way to check out early if it was too much for him...