EISPIRATEN

I'm doing a week long backpacking trip in Alaska in June and need to do an overnight gear shakedown! I'm trying to figure out a good place in the SGs that is hike in only and won't be crowded this weekend, so that rules out the stuff closer to LA or anything right along the PCT. Since I'm usually a long day hike person I've never done an overnight in the SGs, only the Gorgonio Wilderness, which requires permits.

I was looking at Cabin Flat and Lupine, but have seen some conflicting info. Cabin Flat is unmaintained so I was hoping that would be an option. Some reports I've read make it sound like a ghost town, but ANF reports heavy usage: Cabin Flat Trail Camp. They also report heavy usage for Lupine Campground, it seems to road is open, which wasn't the case back when I found some past reports searching the forum.

I thought about Point 6025' (Gulch Merge Peak) from a past report. The summit looks decent for a tent, but my wife is less a fan of thorny bushwhacking than I am. Maybe the ridge west of Dawson, which has some flat ground, but it's pretty windy up there and I don't know if this snow we are apparently getting today is actually coming down and if it will stick around.

Any good ideas for that general area?

Will Thrall or Pallett.

The only other place I know of in the area is Blue Ridge camp ridge flats - I thinks its about 6000 elevation....no water at the flats....and it might be too steep of a ridge for really heavy packs.

The road is open to the Guffy intersection....not to Lupine....but idk if its officially open right now.

AW is correct. The road to Lupine has been closed for awhile, and apparently still is. The link you provided says you have to park at Guffy and walk down to Lupine.

I recommend doing that though. Lupine is very nice and isolated. To get even further away head up the trail to Pine Mtn Ridge. Or continue on to Upper Fish Fork camp, which is a bit of a scramble.

Ah, I missed the part about the road closed past Guffy because section above just says "road in poor condition." Another trip report I found (from 2016 I think) mentioned driving there in a Prius!

Upper Fish Fork sounds even better, but trickier to get to. I've never been on Pine Ridge, but was interested in checking it out if time allows, possibly returning that way to get some distance in since the first day will be short. I assume we could find someplace with enough room to set up a tent along that whole ridge, that could be an alternate plan if Lupine is crowded and we don't want to go all the way to Upper Fish Fork.

The summit of Pine Mtn is an excellent spot for remote camping. Several sheltered sites, beautiful 'mini' forest that is very Sierra Nevada-like, and you can bop over to Dawson and Baldy if you have a bit left in the tank.

I've always been a fan of Mine Gulch trail camp. It's basically a bench at the confluence of Prairie Fork, top of the East Fork, and of course Mine Gulch. There are a few remnants of structures from more popular days, though NO remaining amenities. There's always water nearby. It's a pure reverse hike; 5.2 miles downhill via Vincent Gulch, and uphill all the way back. It's also a great spot from which to adventure down the East Fork, and across to Cabin Flat.