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| Hiking | 8.50 Miles |
1,380 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.50 Miles | 7 Hrs 20 Mns | | 1.16 mph |
| 1,380 ft AEG | | 12 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | This was my first hike on a planned 2 week driving/camping trip down HW 395 along the Eastern Sierras. I camped overnight in the Saddlebag Lake Campground so I could get an early start. I've heard this campground is packed during the normal season but this late in the fall during the middle of the week there were only 4 campsites occupied. The CG would be closing on Oct. 5. The store facilities and shuttle boat service had been shut down for the season.
This hike has comparatively little elevation gain starting out at about 10050 ft and never getting over 10380 ft. It was a good starter hike to get acclimated to high altitudes for the hikes I would be taking over the next 2 weeks. I started the loop going along the west side of Saddlebag Lake. It probably would have been better for picture taking to go along the east side in the morning to have the sun at my back for picture taking but in the end it didn't make much difference. The east side is more scenic following an old road that passes through groves of trees while the west side mostly traverses a rocky slope. The lakes basin was very scenic with many small lakes in an alpine setting. The grass in the meadows had turned an autumn rusty red quite different from the green of mid-summer but still very beautiful. This basin is in the Hoover Wilderness, a new one for me.
That night in the camp ground would be the coldest of the trip - probably in the mid-20s. I take an old sleeping bag on camping trips to wrap around the ice chest so the ice will last longer. I needed it that night to keep me warm - it was a two bag night. |
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