August 23-25, 2008
Hike Description:
A nice description of the hike can be found as Saddlebag 20 Lakes Basin,Yosemite. This trip is just east of Tioga Pass in the Inyo National Forest. The loop is 11 miles, though the hike can be shortened to nine miles by taking water taxi run by Saddlebag Resort. As you can see in the Topo Map of 20 Lakes the basin is at 10K ft with a very modest elevation change through the hike. In addition to beautiful scenery, there will be lakes to swim or fish in, rocks to scramble over, and lots of places to explore.
Getting There:
It takes approx 5.5 hours to get to the trailhead from the bay area.
Permit Info:
A wilderness permit is required for overnight trips. There is no quota for the trailhead. You can get a wilderness permit at any of the Inyo Forest Service Stations (nearest is Mono Lake Visitor Center) or at the Tuolumne Meadow Ranger station. Some web pages seem to indicate there is a quota for this trail... that is incorrect. Also, the Inyo Forest folks don't always remember than Tuolumne Meadows is issuing permits. This is a location that doesn't permit open wood fires but stoves are permitted. Earlier this year I was told that a fire permit for stoves are not required for this trip. I will verify that this is still true. If a fire permit is required, we will pick it up at the Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station.
Conditions we Expected:
August days should be in the upper upper 60-70s F, with the nights likely getting down into the mid 40s F. There can be brief shower in the afternoon. The weather can be variable. So I would be prepared for the days into the low 80s, the nights to get down to the upper 30s. Mosquitoes can be fierce, but thanks to a dry winter, the mosquitoes should be only a minor irritation for this trip. You can see the weather predictions for Longterm Yosemite Valley Weather Prediction, keeping in mind that temperature drops between 3-5 degrees for every 1000 ft of elevation. Expect our temperatures to be approx 15F degrees cooler than the valley prediction, maybe 6F degrees cooler than the predictions for 8K ft. You can see what the conditions have been recently by looking at Tuolumne Meadows Conditions.
The Experience:
We will gather at Kate's house in Palo Alto, around 7:30am, Saturday morning. We will drive together in a mini van to Tuolumne Meadows Grill for lunch. The drive is approximately 4.5 hours. After lunch, we will drive the remaining 45 minutes or so to Saddlebag Lake. We will hike around Saddlebag Lakes and go into the area a few miles and set up camp. The next day we will move camp around the loop a bit further and explore the area, maybe swim in one of the lakes, etc. Monday morning we will leisurely break camp and hike out, eating lunch on the way. We will drive back to the bay area Monday, stopping along the way for dinner.
Food
Saturday:
Breakfast: eat before we leave or have something that can be eaten in the car
Lunch: bring money for Tuolumne Meadows Grill
Dinner: Ramon Noodles with Chicken, Raw veggies & ranch dip, Dessert, Lemonaide,
Water, Tea, or Hot Chocolate to drink
Sunday:
Breakfast: Instant Oatmeal and/or Breakfast Bars, Hot beverage and/or water
Lunch: Fresh Fruit, Trail mix, Pita bread with salami, cheese, and/or
moosegoo
Dinner: Tentatively Cous Cous with vegetables and chicken, Dessert, and choice
of beverages
Monday:
Breakfast/Lunch same as Sunday
Dinner: Bring money for someplace on the road
Group Gear
The plan is to sleep under the open sky on top of some ground cloths that David is bringing. Mark will bring tarp / tarptents which can be used in the unlikely case that it rains and to provide a place for the girl's to change clothing.
1 Canister Stoves & Fuel: Mark
2L Pot: Mark
Water Filter Pump & 10L Water Container: David
Gravity Water Filter System: Mark
Group First aid Kit: Eric
50F Rope: Mark
Bear Canister: 1 Bearicade (Mark), 1 BearVault (David)
Personal SuppliesWe have a Basic Gear Check List if you aren't sure what you need to bring. if you are interested, we have spreadsheets of what Helen's Packing List and Mark's Packing List If you want more detailed suggestions about what to take (including trade-offs) see my outdoor gear page.
Physical Preparation
The hike is above 10K feet, but with little elevation change. People on average condition with have no trouble completely this trip.