EISPIRATEN

I had been planning for a very long weekend hiking out of Mammoth because I had a permit for Red Cones - well, work got in the way and I was told I might have to cut things short. Shopping around at Inyo's page I lucked out and scored a reservation for Sabrina Lake. I've walked up to Blue Lake a couple times as dayhikes and heard good things about the other lakes in the region. My plan was to spend the first night at Baboon Lake and another at Hungry Packer, neither of which happened....
I got a leisurely start from the Alabama Hills first thing in the morning and drove to Bishop where I went to Eastside Sports for a can of stove fuel, from there I went up to Lake Sabrina. Overnight vehicles must stay about a half mile below the trailhead, so I dropped off my pack and smellable items in the bear box and drove back down to park. Still in post-covid shape, I took my time going up and stopped to talk to a few hikers before a lunch break at Blue Lake. Everyone mentioned the mosquitos and another group told me they had a hard time following any route to Baboon. I followed the trail, which of course is only marked for Donkey Lake and that should have been an indicator for me... Turned out I lost my way too, I followed three different use trails that were marked with cairns but all of them petered out of I ran into cliffs. I walked around for close to two hours chasing this stuff down, although I was pretty happy with myself for watching the route behind me and never panicking. Finally I gave up and walked over to Donkey Lake, where I found a nice spot and also managed to get a picture for International Hike Naked Day (a few days late for that little holiday). The bugs really enjoyed more exposed skin so I didn't swim around very much, just scampered back up to my location where I could avoid them in the afternoon breeze. That wind grew a lot, with strong gusts blowing for extended periods every 30 minutes or so, that pattern would keep up most of the night. Despite all that I managed to get the tent set up, this time using extra tie-outs from the two peaks. I had a great trail dinner of rehydrated black beans and mashed potatoes with cheese on tortillas and snuck into the shelter before dark. Even then I had a couple bugs follow me in.
The next day I got up and out before the bugs returned, stopping for breakfast on some huge granite slabs overlooking Blue Lake. I took the other fork in the trail, first visiting the Emerald Lakes. They were still and marshy, which of course meant more bugs so I didn't hang around too long - besides, there were other things to see. I made a long hot walk up to Midnight Lake, when I got there I realized that it didn't have the notable falls that I had seen pictures of before going. Backtracking a bit, I left my pack at a junction and walked over to Moonlight Lake. The afternoon wind at +11k was cool, and it took some wandering around on more granite just to find the lake. I decided I had spent all the time I could, so I headed back down to get an earlier start for the walk out and drive home the next day. I found a couple really nice tent spaces at Blue Lake, a little secluded albeit less than 100 feet from the trail. From there it was a relatively short walk out to the trailhead and then down to the car the next day.
I did not get to see the two lakes with the best names, Hungry Packer and Drunken Sailor so I'll have to go up there once again for at least a dayhike to see them. I have noticed that I can spend a really long time just sitting on or near a lakeshore looking at the water, somehow time passes without me noticing.

Total according to AllTrails 22 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain.


The Alabama Hills are marked like this - everything on the east side of Movie Road is day use only although there were vehicles there all night.



Lunch spot at Blue Lake.


Searching for Baboon Lake, one of the trails ran out here. I couldn't see any trail or cairns on the other side and I think it was headed the wrong way.



Another trail ended at this rockfall/waterfall, it would have been hard to go up and down with a full backpack.


Tent in the breeze, billowing out from the inside. I even lowered the windward side a couple inches to cut down on the gale.



Breakfast spot, maybe a hundred yards off trail.


One of the Emerald Lakes.




Dingleberry Lake. I thought about spending the night here but pushed on a little farther.



Midnight Lake.



Moonlight Lake.

Guess that answers the question of whether you got in your Sierra trip.

I would have stayed one night at Dingleberry. Just for the name. ?

Moonlight looks very nice.

Thanks for the great report! When you hike naked do you apply bug spray *everywhere*?

Sean wrote: ↑When you hike naked do you apply bug spray *everywhere*?

Let it be known that I will not be reading any further responses to this thread.

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Guess that answers the question of whether you got in your Sierra trip.

I would have stayed one night at Dingleberry. Just for the name. ?

Moonlight looks very nice.

Moonlight is a great spot, up at the end of this basin. It was very windy that day, a couple that I had seen earlier on the trail were attempting to pitch their tent with giant piles of rock on each stake.

Nice I'm glad you made it to Midnight Lake. In my last report in the Sierras, I only made it to Dingleberry because there was a storm approaching and i didn't make it to Midnight. I also took the other trail opposite of Donkey Lake and found an easy route.
Anyways, great photos! I planning on going back there soon.
Love the photo of Midnight!

Oh yeah, Where's the naked pic lmao!

Girl Hiker wrote: ↑Oh yeah, Where's the naked pic lmao!

I shared it with all the fellas in my neighborhood.

Nice pics. Hard to tire of the Sierra.

Now I have to find a way to Baboon Lake just for route finding fun. ?

HJ

Awesome photos! Such a nice area. Are the mosquitos seasonal, do they ease up in August?

The closest I've been is around South Lake and I don't remember bad mosquitos in August.

Everywhere I've been in the Sierra, the mosquitoes are seasonal. I was in Mammoth for 4th of July and there were zero mosquitoes, none. I went up to the Tioga Pass area the following day, and there were enough mosquitoes that I brought my head net out.

HJ

August is usually too late for skeeters, they thrive at the end of snow melt period.
September is the best time to be out there, no bugs to worry about.

JeffH wrote: ↑August is usually too late for skeeters, they thrive at the end of snow melt period.
September is the best time to be out there, no bugs to worry about.

I've traditionally taken that approach to the Sierra: August and Sept are best. But. Now with all the fires... I'm actually starting to think of June as best, at least in low snow years. I can wear a head net for mosquitoes, but there's no mitigation for fires. I went backpacking in Yosemite last July and it was hot. We bailed out early because one of the guys got heat exhaustion.

HJ

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑
HJ

True about the fires, much more to be concerned about now. I actually met jfr last year at the very smoky Kearsarge Lakes, I was heading back out and he went north. A couple ladies also turned around just before reaching the pass and I gave one of them a ride home to Pasadena.

HJ

True about the fires, much more to be concerned about now. I actually met jfr last year at the very smoky Kearsarge Lakes, I was heading back out and he went north. A couple ladies also turned around just before reaching the pass and I gave one of them a ride home to Pasadena.

Did your neighbors see the woman in your car? Lol

On our second day in Bishop last weekend, my wife and I hiked up to Blue Lake and Dingleberry Lake. Our photos aren't as good as yours, but it was very beautiful. There were a mix of people on the trail. Backpackers, fishermen, and day hikers like us. There are sooooo many lakes and ponds there, even in a drought. I was checking my map and can't believe how many big, prominent features didn't have names. At Dingleberry, a mule train came through, 2 people and 6 mules. Not sure where they were headed.