Trip Planning: Mammoth and Eastern Sierra Snowshoeing and Winter Hiking, Nov 27-29 2015

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

Planned Itinerary

Day 1 (Fri)
- 11 AM
  - Start drive to Mammoth
- Afternoon
  - Optional Hike?
Day 2 (Sat)
- 6 AM
  - Snowshoe Minaret Summit and Beyond (photos here: https://goo.gl/6e2JX9)
    - Mammoth Mountain Inn > Minaret Summit (9,215′) || 1.75 miles || +425, -75
    - Minaret Summit > Deadman Pass(9,948′) || 2.5 miles || +1115, -385
    - Deadman Pass > Two Teats(11,340′) || 2.5 miles || +1600, -210
    - Two Teats > San Joaquin (11,560′) || .75 miles || +425, -205
Day 3 (Sun)
- Possible Snowshoe Options
  - Sunrise from Minaret Summit
    - Base start time on Saturday’s snowshoe to Minaret Summit
  - Lakes Basin Winter Public Access Corridor
    - Twin Lakes > Horseshoe Lake & Beyond?
      - 5.0 miles RT || 3 hrs
    - “Beyond” Options
      - McLeod Lake
      - Mammoth Crest
  - Inyo Craters
    - 6.2 miles RT || 4 hrs
  - Little Lakes Valley (SNO-Park Pass required)
    - Leave Hotel around 4 AM
    - Start snowshoeing around 5 AM, turnaround by 8AM
- 10 AM
  - Start driving home
- 4 PM
  - Arrive at home

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

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Gear

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 -10° F to 30° F. Here is the forecast for the San Joaquin Ridge: NOAA.

In general, I use the HikingGeek.com Winter Gear List to pack for winter hikes. With the cold temperatures, I recommend using bottles rather than a hydration bladder.

I have a ton of gear that I need to test this winter, so I may carry two items or more that are very similar for testing purposes on this trip. I’ve listed specifics of what I will carry below:

Snowshoeing/Winter Traction

Tubbs Snowshoe Poles-2 Piece (Black/Grey)

Tubbs Snowshoes FLEX Vertical Snowshoes

ICETrekkers Diamond Grip Traction Cleats

Hillsound Trail PRO Crampon Traction Device

Hillsound Super Armadillo Nano Stretch Gaiter

Head/Neck

WoolX Merino Wool Long Gaiter

Woolx Merino Wool Heavyweight Hats

Lightweight Balaclava

Hands

Liner Gloves

Borah Gear eVent Mitts

Down Mitts (in pack)

Torso

Champion Double Dry Competitor Compression Long Sleeve (instead of thermal top)

Minus33 Merino Wool Men’s Kodiak Expedition Full Zip Hoody

Woolx Men’s Merino Wool Base Layer Shirt – The Glacier

GoLite Down Jacket (in pack)

Outer Shell

Legs

Long Underwear Bottoms (in pack)

Columbia Modern Logger Pants

Footwear

Liner Socks (x2)

Darn Tough Mountaineering Socks (x2)

Oboz Boots

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
Emergency Shelter
- I prefer an SOL Emergency Bivvy over a space blanket, but either will work
http://www.hikinggeek.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=mojo-themes
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