It sure was great to be back in the Sierra Nevada after two years of backpacking in what could arguably be called “lesser” locales, in terms of both elevation and beauty. But we didn’t originally plan on being there at all this summer, especially not for a measely three-day weekend.
Vicki and I originally had a permit to hike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, but then the Lake Fire ruined everything. So I had to scramble for something backpackable. Something fun! With available water, preferably. And that pretty much removed Southern California from the list of options. Which is sad, because we live in San Diego, about as far south as you can get. It’s a long way to the Sierra from there.
So I stared at the maps, read some trip reports on the internet, and came up with a plan to hike the Cottonwood Lakes, which is about as far south in the Sierra as I could find, while still being wet enough, and up high enough, to make it worth the long drive. And if we were feeling particularly gung-ho once we got up there, we might even be able to bag a 14er!
Click on the photo to read the complete Trip Report
hikingtales.com 