Trip Planning: North Fork of Big Pine Creek

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I’ll add more details as time allows and as I find more information about this area.

Planned Itinerary

Day 0 (Fri)
- 7 PM
  - Drive to Big Pine area
- 11 PM
  - Setup camp, go to bed
Day 1 (Sat)
- Early AM, Hike:
  - Big Pine Lakes 1-5 Loop with Summit Black Lake (orange, see below)
    - Mileage: 13 miles total || Duration: 6-8 hours total || Elevation Gain/Loss: ±3700 || Net Elevation Change (@ highest point): +407′ || Max Elevation: 10,965′
- 12 PM
  - Drive home, stop for lunch in Lone Pine
- 5 PM
  - Arrive at home

Here is an interactive map showing the routes that I have planned out.

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Food

Everyone will be responsible for bringing their own food. Here is what I’m thinking:

Fri
	Dinner:	On the road. We can stop somewhere on the drive

Sat
	Breakfast:	On the trail. I plan to take granola with powdered milk or granola bars
	Lunch:	Bring snacks to get last you until noon or so. We can stop at Pizza Factory in Lone Pine or something else on our way home

All food and toiletries will need to be stored in a bear lockers while we are at the campsite or out hiking. Remember that things like chapstick, sunscreen and toothpaste all smell like food to bears and cannot be left in the car at any time..

Water

Since there is plenty of water available along most of the trail, minimizing how much water we carry is an easy way to reduce pack weight. My recommendation is to start the hike with two 1 liter water bottles or two bottles of electrolyte replacement.

I will carry a water filter for the group and we can stop to filter several times if needed.

Gear

Camping Gear

I am providing the following for the group:

(1) 4 person tent
(3) Sleeping Pads – MJ, SJ, JM
(1) Sleeping Bag – JM

Clothing

Whenever I hike in the Sierra, I keep the following in mind:

You should carry sufficient clothes to spend a night out on the trail. At a minimum, bring thermal tops and bottoms, a fleece hat, and a waterproof, wind-resistant jacket. Adding a fleece top and a pair of polypropylene gloves will greatly increase comfort if a problem occurs, yet weigh less than a pound.
(Source: One Best Hike: Mt. Whitney, by Elizabeth Wenk)

Based on the forecast, we will need to be prepared for temperatures ranging from the mid-30s to mid-50s. Here is the forecast for the Big Pine Creek area: NOAA.

Here’s a list of the clothing I will bring for the hike:

Baseball cap (sun protection)
Winter Hat (beanie)
Columbia Watertight Jacket (waterproof outershell)
Champion Double Dry Competitor Compression Long Sleeve (instead of thermal top)
Columbia Men’s Sweat Threat Crew Tee (wicking T-Shirt)
New Balance 100% Polyester Lined Pants & New Balance 100% Polyester Training Shorts (worn under pants for hike)
(2) Pairs Thorlo Hiking Socks
(2) Pairs REI Sock Liners
(1) Pair Light Gloves (Mechanix or Outdoor Designs Stretchon Glove)

First Aid/Emergency Kit
I will carry a large first-aid kit for the group. Each individual should carry the following:

Navigation & Itinerary
- I will print out a index card sized map for everyone
Sun Protection
- You don’t want to forget sunscreen, chapstick and sunglasses for this hike
Headlamp or Flashlight
- The first 3-4 hours of this hike will be in the dark
Emergency Shelter
- I prefer an SOL Emergency Bivvy over a space blanket, but either will work
Poncho
- If large enough, can also be used as a pack cover. Not necessary if your jacket is waterproof
Toilet Paper
Small first-aid kit for personal use.
- Items may include:
  - Diamox (may prevent AMS)
  - aspirin (may delay onset of AMS)
  - ibuprofen (may relieve symptoms of AMS or other conditions)
  - Benadryll
  - small bandages & antibacterial ointment