Trip Schedule

Trip participants atop Excelsior Mountain,
Hoover Wilderness

Backpack Section trips are organized and led by volunteer leaders from the Section. Leaders must have a current Basic First Aid certificate from an approved program, have co-led on at least one prior trip with an experienced leader, and have been approved by the Section officers. Each leader decides the maximum number of trip participants, destination, logistics, and meal arrangements (individual or group) for his or her trips.

A small fee will be charged on most trips to cover permit fees and the cost of food for group meals.

Participants need not be Section members, but all participants must register in advance with the leader and must obtain the leader's permission to take part in the trip.

All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. If you would like to read the liability waiver before you chose to participate on an outing, please go to: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms, or contact the Outings Department at (415) 977-5528 for a printed version."

Bucks Summit (near Bucks Lake) south to Sawmill Tom Creek Road.

When I retired in 1998, I told everyone that one of my goals was to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Obviously I'll never be strong enough or fast enough to hike all 2,665 miles in one summer, so I'm going to hike a section or two every year (subdivided into dayhiking and backpacking trips, depending upon the trails, the trailheads, and the available camp sites), until my body refuses to hike anymore, and I'm inviting all of you to join me. Since we started hiking the PCT in 2006, we've completed Sections I, J, K, L, and half of M (i.e. 285 miles hiked; 2,380 miles to go). This year we'll hike the rest of Section M and a large portion of Section H (the John Muir Trail).

We'll start this summer's PCT backpacking with a trip on Section M. We'll meet at Sawmill Tom Creek Road and then car shuttle to Bucks Summit. 25 miles of backpacking in three days. Hot water commissary at breakfast; full central commissary at dinner. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Limit 6. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred).

Note: we will lose 2,800 feet of elevation the second day as we descend to the Middle Fork Feather River, so don't sign up for this trip if you have bad knees. Also, at least one other trip member must have a car or truck capable of driving over mostly graded, but sometimes rough, gravel roads.

Five Lakes Basin.

Early season backpack trip with panoramic views and a series of lakes into the five lakes basin. The is a relatively easy trip and covers 6 miles with 900 feet elevation gain on the first day. Beginners are welcome. Individual commissary. Limited to 6 trip participants. Cost $5. Leaders: Sanjeev Kumar and Renee Rivera. To sign up, please contact Sanjeev at skumarbhope at yahoo dot com.

Bucks Summit (near Bucks Lake) north to Highway 70 (Belden).

We'll meet at Highway 70 near Belden and then car shuttle to Bucks Summit. 19 miles of backpacking in two days. Hot water commissary at breakfast; full central commissary at dinner. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Limit 6. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred).

Note: we will lose 3,900 feet of elevation the second day as we descend to Highway 70, so don't sign up for this trip if you have bad knees. Also, at least one other trip member must have a car or truck capable of driving over mostly graded, but sometimes rough, gravel roads.

A Tree Saddle north to Sawmill Tom Creek Road.

We'll meet at Sawmill Tom Creek Road and then car shuttle to A Tree Saddle. 27 miles of backpacking in four days. Hot water commissary at breakfast; full central commissary at dinner. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Limit 6. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred). Note: at least one other trip member must have a car or truck capable of driving over mostly graded, but sometimes rough, gravel roads.

Gianelli Cabin to Toejam Lake.

This scenic hike will provide good views, pretty lakes and hopefully a spectacular wildflower display. This is a moderate hike that is approximately eight miles to Toejam Lake with an elevation gain of 1500 feet. We will take our time reaching camp to allow time to name flowers and take pictures. It will likely be peak mosquito season so please be prepared. Hot water commissary for breakfast and dinner. Limited to 6 trip participants. Estimated cost $2. Leader: Renee Rivera - reneemaririvera at yahoo.com.

Velma Lakes Area of the Desolation Wilderness, Car shuttle required.

Join us as we leisurely wander from lake to lake identifying wild flowers along the eastside of the Desolation Wilderness. We will visit Velma and Fontanillis Lakes.

Bear canisters recommended. Individual commissary however stove teams are encouraged. There is $7.00 fee to cover the cost of the permits. Parking permit, if required, is additional and depends upon the trail head. Last day to cancel is 7/6/09 for full refund. All participants must sign a Sierra Club Liability Waiver. The trip is limited to 7 participants. Leader is Anne Gorby. Sign ups accepted starting on April 16, 2009. To sign up please contact Anne Gorby at 415- 482-9055 (between 5:00 pm and 8:30 pm) or via email anne_gorby at sbcglobal dot net (preferred).

Tuolumne Meadows south to Reds Meadow.

39 miles in five days (one day 3C, most days 3B). Beautiful scenery, including views of Banner, Ritter, and the Minarets. Highest elevation: 11,056 feet (Donohue Pass). Hot water commissary at breakfast; central commissary at dinner. Bear canister required. Limit 5. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred). Note: trip members must be willing to help with car shuttles or provide a trail angel who will help with car shuttles.

This trip is full; check with leader for cancellations.

South Lake south to Onion Valley.

63 miles in nine days. Incredibly beautiful scenery. Five passes over 11,800 feet (Bishop, Mather, Pinchot, Glen, and Kearsarge). Hot water commissary at breakfast; central commissary at dinner. Bear canister(s) sufficient to hold 8 days food required. Limit 5. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred). Note: trip members must be willing to help with car shuttles or provide a trail angel who will help with car shuttles.

POSTPONED UNTIL 2010.

Onion Valley south to Cottonwood Pass.

56 miles of backpacking in eight days plus a layover day to relax or climb Mt. Whitney. Camp most nights above treeline. Highest elevation: 13,180 feet (Forester Pass). Bear canister(s) sufficient to hold 7 days food required. Hot water commissary at breakfast; central commissary at dinner. Limit 5. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 530-583-0382 or 650-941-2502 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e-mail preferred). Note: trip members must be willing to help with car shuttles or provide a trail angel who will help with car shuttles.

Trans-Emigrant Through-Hike

Hike over the Sierra Crest and see the deepest recesses of the Emigrant Wilderness. We'll hike from the Walker River trailhead on highway 108, along the river, up over the saddle between Emigrant Pass and Grizzly Peak into the Emigrant Wilderness, past Emigrant Lake, a number of smaller lakes, and exit at the Crabtree Trailhead. This is a lightweight trip that covers an average of 13 miles per day. We'll travel in through-hiker style, cooking on the trail, making camp at sunset, and continuing the hike at sunrise. This is a lightweight trip with fitness requirements and gearweight limitations. Individual commissary. Limit of 5 participants. Car shuttle will be required, details TBD. To register contact the leader for details: Steve Sergeant, steve.sergeant@lomaprieta.sierraclub.org.

Summit Lake, Frog Lake Overlook and Warren Lake.

This trail offers spectacular views of the Donner Pass area and stops at two scenic lakes. We will hike through a unique glaciated basin, cross several creeks and enjoy a great vista point at Frog Lake Overlook before reaching our destination. This trip will be challenging and participants must be in very good physical condition. Over the course of 7.5 miles we will gain and lose 2250 of elevation. Hot water commissary for breakfast and dinner. Limited to 5 trip participants. Estimated cost $2. Leader: Renee Rivera - reneemaririvera@yahoo dot com.

John Muir Wilderness and Kings Canyon. Sierra High Route. Car Shuttle required.

This challenging combination of trail and cross country will take us through the spectacular high passes in eastern Sierra as we travel from South Lake to Taboose Pass. We will follow the section of Sierra High Route over Knapsack, Potluck, and Cirque Passes and then join the JMT and head south over Mather Pass and exit via Taboose. There will be opportunities to climb some easy class two peaks and visit remote high Sierra lakes along the way.

This trip is classified as light weight. Bear canisters with a minimum capacity of 600 cubic inches are required. Hot water commissary breakfasts and central commissary dinners. There are gear and fitness requirements. There is $25.00 fee to cover the initial cost of permits, fuel, and some food. The balance of approximately $60 (covers the cost of the rest of the food) will be due at the trail head. Last day to cancel for full refund is 7/25/09. All participants must sign a Sierra Club Liability Waiver. The trip is limited to 6 participants. Leaders are Anne Gorby and Janet Hoffman. Sign ups accepted on 4/16/09. To sign up please contact Anne Gorby at 415-482-9055 (between 5:00 pm and 8:30 pm) or via email anne_gorby at sbcglobal dot net (preferred).

John Muir Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park.

2,000 is highest gain in one day (8-10 miles per day, depending on how many layover days the group wants) This will be a car shuttle trip starting from North Lake (9,350') and ending at South Lake (9,768'). We'll cross Piute Pass (11,423'), Muir Pass (11,955') and Bishop Pass (11,972'). Individual Commissary. Bear canister to hold 6.5 days of food is required. We'll have a layover day to explore the eastern side of Evolution Valley. Limit 6. Cost is $5 for permit reimbursement. If interested, contact Leader: Nancy Barlow at nb_backpacker at hotmail.com.

Union Creek Meadows Basecamp.

This trip is tentative. If it becomes definite, details will be published in July, 2009. If interested, contact the leader: Steve Sergeant, steve.sergeant@lomaprieta.sierraclub.org.

Tioga Road to Ten Lakes.

This will be a scenic trip following Yosemite Creek into the Ten Lakes Basin. September is a wonderful time to visit Yosemite when the trail traffic lessens and the weather is enjoyable. The trail to Ten Lakes is about 7 miles long, with a gradual gain over most of the distance. There is one significant climb with outstanding views to reward you at the end and then a steep descent just before reaching the Ten Lakes basin. The total elevation gain is about 2200 feet topping out at 9700 feet. Hot water commissary for breakfast and dinner. Limited to 6 trip participants. Trip fee is $5 per participant. Cancellation two weeks prior for full refund. Leader: Renee Rivera - reneemaririvera@yahoo dot com.

Tuolomne Meadows to Young Lakes.

This is a loop trip to the beautiful Young lakes in the high sierras. On day 1, we will walk about 7 miles and climb 1500 feet to the lower Young Lake and setup camp. On day 2, we will explore the area on a cross country day hike either to Roosevelt lake or climb one of the local peaks. On day 3, we will return via the Glen Aulin trail. Limited to 6 trip participants. Individual commissary. Bear canisters required. Cost $8. Cancellation two weeks prior for full refund. Leader: Sanjeev Kumar. To sign up, please contact the leader, Sanjeev Kumar at skumarbhope at yahoo dot com.