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Hi Taeung, and welcome to SoCalHiker!
1) Yes, I carry out dirty toilet paper. I use a sandwich sized zip-loc bag to hold the dirty TP, then put that bag inside another gallon-size zip-loc bag (just in case). The exception would be at pit toilets. Toilet paper can go in (but no other trash).
2) Yes, but usually only at night. During the day, my “trash” bag is in an outside pocket of my pack.
3) I don’t carry soap, but I do carry body wipes and hand sanitizer. You can wash the sweat and dust off in streams and lakes without soap, and then augment that with the body wipe and/or sanitizer as required before handling food.
Note that within the Mount Whitney Zone, you not only have to pack out your toilet paper, but they give you special “wag bags” to poop in… and yes, you’ve got to carry that out. So far, I’ve avoided having to use them.
There are actually a lot of places that allow “wild” or dispersed camping. Since you’re in San Diego, definitely check out Anza-Borrego. You can drive and/or hike back into areas and setup camp — no permits required.
From their website: “The entire backcountry area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is defined as a camping facility. Occupancy by the same persons, equipment, or vehicles of any camping facility within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is limited to a total of thirty (30) days in any calendar year.”
Many National Forest areas also allow overnight backpacking without permit restrictions or quotas, but the Cleveland National Forest does require a wilderness permit for overnight backpacking.
Permits can see like an obstacle, but as they note “Wilderness Permits also provide a record of visitors to the area, which enables the Forest Service to monitor whether all visitors return. This record has proven valuable in search-and-rescue operations for lost or injured hikers.”
If you have flexibility, you can also pickup permits for area that don’t have a quota at the ranger station. I’ve done this for backpacking out of Idyllwild.
Hi Lana!
For the permit, call the San Jacinto Ranger District at 909-382-2921 and they can help you sort out permit options. Generally speaking, it’s harder to get permits for holidays and weekends.
There is typically no water in September at the spigot in Round Valley, so plan accordingly.
The sun sets in nearby Idyllwild at 7:00 PM on September 10th, so if you get to camp by then, you should have enough light to setup your tent. Cooking dinner in dim light is easier that pitching a tent, so setup the tent first.
Happy to consult! Shoot me an email at jeff@socalhiker.net and we can set something up.
Backpacking overnight in Mount San Jacinto State Park is my favorite place to take first-timers. You take the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up the mountain, and when you get off the tram you are already in an entirely different world.
Lots of options, including summiting Mount San Jacinto if you’re so inclined.
I’ve taken at least five people for their first backpacking trip there, including my own daughter (when she was still in diapers).
Here’s a guide to the trek: http://socalhiker.net//hiking-mt-san-jacinto-via-the-palm-springs-aerial-tram/
Hey Douglas!
There is a parking lot at the Crescent Meadow TH and as far as I know there are no restrictions on parking there during your backcountry trip. There is also a shuttle that runs out to Crescent Meadow. I’d check with the NPS to get the real details, though.
https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/parktransit.htm
As for resupply, I’m drawing a blank. According to GaiaGPS it’s only 16 miles between Kern Hot Spring and the Tyndall Ranger Station, but you are about as far away from a trailhead as you can get. What is the route you’re taking?
Hey Luke! This reply might be a bit too late, but if you’re in SoCal, one of my favorite places to take first-timers backpacking in Mount San Jacinto State Park. Depending on their fitness level, you can take the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up and hike in from there, or the longer more strenuous route from Humber Park in Idyllwild.
Lots of options and a very “Sierra-like” feel. Here’s our write-up of just such a trip:
Another fun (but pricey) option is backpacking on Catalina Island. You take the ferry over to Avalon or Two Harbors and pack in. There is the Trans-Catalina Trail, or you could just do a section. The hitch here is that between the ferry and the campsite fees, it gets pricey, and you are required to camp in established campgrounds (in fact, you’ll reserve a specific campsite). My favorite camps on the island are at Little Harbor and Parsons Landing.
We also have a guide to the Trans-Catalina Trail that will give you a sense of what it’s like:
Hi Taeung, and welcome to SoCalHiker!
I haven’t personally hiked that section NOBO, but I’ve hiked it SOBO several times. And by “Red Cones” I presume you mean you’re starting at Red’s Meadow/Devil’s Postpile near Mammoth Lakes? The Red Cones are south of the trailhead at Red’s Meadow, so I’m going to assume you’re starting at Red’s Meadow (where there is a shuttle stop).
The section from Red’s Meadow/Devil’s Postpile to Happy Isles TH in Yosemite Valley is about 67 miles and includes 9,600 vertical feet of climbing. Personally (and I’m older) I would plan for six days. More time = more enjoyment. You can resupply at Tuolumne Meadows if you’d like to (I would).
I’d also recommend loading up a pack with the gear you’d be carrying, or the approximate weight of your pack (you can use water jugs for weight) and do some 10-mile hikes. Even better, take a 2-3 day trip with multiple 10-mile days, just so you’ll know how it comfortable you are with the milage. You may find that you can pull longer days than I would, or you may decide that slower is better. 🙂
This is an old topic, and Mount Baldy (Mt San Antonio) has been long since reopened, but for the benefit of anyone else looking, AllTrails is neat, but it is never 100% accurate. When in doubt, always go to the source. In this case, that would be the Forest Service website.
William, you’re on the wrong website. You need to head over to our sister site, socialhiker.net
Wow, this is a tough one! Where are you planning to camp the first night? The shuttle is not running this year in Yosemite, so there are no public transportation options.
My only suggestion would be to consider hiking up the Four-Mile Trail to Glacier Point, and then hiking up the Illilouetee to your first night camp.
I think for sure the Rae Lakes Loop you’ll be good for, and possible the Yosemite trip.
Andrew Skurka just posted a thoughtful post about “When can we safely return to backpacking?” that touches on what might be different when things start to reopen.
Discuss: When & how will backpacking be safe & feasible again?
I bought a Peloton last June and now I feel like a genius! I’ve got a goal to ride my first Century (100-miler) on 4/25. That will keep my legs and cardiovascular fitness in top form.
Janet, have you hiked at or above 10,000 feet before?
Billy, in my experience, San Gorgonio is always tough. I usually start to really feel the altitude around 10,000 feet. My pace slows down, and I rest more frequently. But I don’t get altitude sickness.
Part of the challenge is acclimating to the higher elevation. If you live near sea level and hike San Gorgonio as a day hike, your body isn’t fully acclimated. For Mount Whitney, you want to give yourself one night at Whitney Portal or Horeshoe Meadows to acclimate before your hike.
Also, prehydrate and drink water alternating with electrolytes on a schedule. In cold air, I don’t always feel thirsty, but I force myself to drink at least once hourly.
Do some reading on the signs of altitude sickness.
And remember 5hat even with acclimatization you will slow down as the oxygen thins out.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
I have a number of day hikes planned in Central Oregon over the next week, including Tam McArthur Rim and the Green Lakes Trail.
The second week of October, Joan and I are thru-hiking the Trans-Catalina Trail.
Following the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Finishers Party on October 14, we are road-tripping up through California. We’re trying to decide between the 395 corridor or a coastal trip through Big Sur and up to Redwoods NP, then on to Crater Lake NP.
What’s on your calendar?
Javier, I’ve gone over Lamarck Col down to Darwin Basin, and that was a slow, tough slog. Do-able, but not something I look forward to repeating anytime soon.
I can’t comment on Hungry Packer Lake, unfortunately, but when I was looking for “shortcuts” to Evolution Valley, Lamarck Col was considered one of the “easier” options.
