Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Thanks. Zoomed in on the original file, its individual dots, so probably a plane. But there were plenty of both out there.

 

I wanted to get a picture of it in the foreground of this picture... but it was cold, and I set up the hammock instead.

 

Great night shots! Sorry about your rib, because that's the worst thing to have hurt when you're sleeping anywhere, especially a tent.

 

So my little sister and her boyfriend will be moving away. We would like to do one backpacking trip together before she leaves in May. Any idea what a good 3 night trip would be? Sometime end of April is when we plan on going. We wanted Lakes Trail in sequoia but with the snow this year I think it would be too early for that trail. Anyone have recommendations? We're in Southern California and willing to drive 6hrs to trail head.

 

Come see me in Yosemite!

But seriously, Snow was the issue early this season. Now it's rain and heat. It's been warmer at high elevations and instead on new snow it's almost all rain. At my house just outside Yose, it's rained for nearly 15 hours today.
Snow may not be as much an issue come spring.

 

Definitely too early for the Sierras unless you stay low altitude like around Mammoth Lakes. You could get permits to hike around Red's Meadow and Devil's Postpile and do a loop north on the JMT to Garnet Lake or Thousand Island lake and take a trail back connecting to Agnew Meadow. Shuttle service down in the valley from Mammoth makes logistics easy, too. It's low enough down there that you won't have as much snow (maybe).

 

MOON LENCE Ultralight Folding Camping Picnic Roll Up Table with Carrying Bag

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IGNZK16

Moon Lence Ultralight Folding Camping Picnic Table

Use code DFZMQVGL and you can get the table for $21

I ordered one to use like a side table between chairs, small enough to throw in my gear box and use here and there.

 

If I'm car camping, I just bring a 5' folding table from Costco.

 

Same here, and I usually have a 5' folding table with me, but to throw in between my ARB chairs to hold my beer or play some cards on, not bad!

 

I heard about thousand island lake. Let me look into that area. Devils postpile was always something we all wanted to see.

 

I passed right by Thousand Island lake and went over to Garnet and REALLY enjoyed that lake. Camp on the south side of the lake by the little island.. great spot over there I can send you GPS coords to if you like. TI lake is fantastic, but when we were there it was really hot and buggy. No issues at Garnet. Both are beautiful, though. The fishing at Garnet was INSANE, too. I couldn't keep those beautiful brook trout off of my lures. We met a father/son pair that asked to camp near us and they ended up taking a zero day there the next day when we left. I would go back to that spot just to hike in and spend a long weekend. You can get to either lake in one day's hike.

But @Cuffs has a great idea, too. Can't go wrong with Yosemite anywhere. Much more crowded at first, but if you pack in a bit you get away from that. Permits are tougher to get there, though.

 

I'll second Garnet lake! Some decent loops can be make by linking trails in both Mammoth and June lake areas. Good parking at both too.

For Yose, I like the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Tuolumne Mdws to White Wolf HSC.
If you go TM to WW, there's a steep climb at the very end.
WW to TM, drop into the canyon and walking a gentle climb towards TM along the river.

 

And if you finish in mammoth, Mammoth Brewing is right in town.
June Lake has JLB (June lake brewing) with an awesome food truck!

 

I seen some pics of Garnet while looking up TI. It looks like a winner since you mentioned crazy fishing.

 

My sister loves toulemne so maybe will add this to the list also.

 

Here's some pics of Garnet Lake from our 2015 section hike of that area. We hiked from Tuolumne Meadows to Agnew Meadows that year (only 28 miles total). We stayed a night and parked at Mammoth Lakes main lodge, took a shuttle bus on our first morning to Tuolumne (leaves right from the hotel at 6am sharp) and finished the hike at Agnew Meadows which meets with the Red's Meadow/Devil's Postpile shuttle bus route that also comes back up the hill to the Mammoth lodge. Really convenient logistics. You can pass by Shadow Lake and keep going further on the JMT down to Devil's Postpile or Red's Meadow and catch the same shuttle bus, too. Adds another 8 miles of hiking, which we should have done instead.

Garnet Lake outlet bridge on the NE corner:


View of Banner and Ritter peaks from the bridge. Our campsite was over on the left shore (south side):


Sunset shots over the lake from our camp:



Pic of camp in the morning:


Sunrise:


This rock ledge was a perfect working "table" just below our camp (I caught 3 of these in the first 15 minutes of sunrise, and had to quit so I could break down camp):


Brookies in the morning, caught on simple spinners:

 

Looks awesome! Are permits required at the end of April? That's outside of quota period correct? Wondering if I can just self issue at the trail head.

 

You still need a permit just so they know you're out there, but you are outside of the quota period so you can just get online and take care of it. Only issue is going to be based on where you start your trip. Some of the roads to those spots will likely still be closed until May due to snow/rockfalls, etc. If you start out of Mammoth Lakes and go in that way, I think you'll be good. Best to check ahead of time on road conditions.

 

Just secured my JMT permit this morning, going northbound from Onion Valley / Kearsarge Pass and finishing at Happy Isles in Yosemite. 185 miles in 18 days or less. I'm so stoked to officially have the reservation in-hand. August can't get here soon enough! Now to wait for March to put in for the permit lottery to climb Half Dome...

 

Now I'm thinking... key swap.