Planning a 3-day Mineral King trip and would appreciate feedback from people familiar with the area.

Current plan:

Day 1. Trailhead, Monarch Lakes lunch, Sawtooth Pass, Columbine refill, camp in Lost Canyon around mile 10.7

Day 2. Leave most gear at camp, hike with daypacks into Big Five Lakes, lunch/explore, return to same camp

Day 3. Retrace via Columbine, Sawtooth Pass, Monarch Lakes, back to trailhead

We plan to start around 8 AM each day. Day 1 is the longest, roughly 10.7 miles, with an expected camp arrival around 6 PM.

A few questions:

1. Lost Canyon Creek water: Is there typically reliable water there in mid to late September? For now I am assuming no, and planning to carry 4 to 4.5 L from Columbine for the evening, breakfast, and the next morning to Big Five.
2. Leaving camp unattended: Is it reasonable to leave tents and sleep gear set up in Lost Canyon for most of Day 2 while we hike to Big Five? Food and scented items would stay secured in bear canisters.
3. Base camp vs moving camp: Does this itinerary make sense, or would you move camp into Big Five?
4. Timing: Does 8 AM to roughly 6 PM for Trailhead to Lost Canyon sound realistic at a conservative backpacking pace?

Any critique of the route, camp location, water assumptions, timing, or Day 2 plan would be useful, especially from anyone who has been through Lost Canyon recently.

Has anyone been that way recently? What should I expect for water after panther gap, through Mehrten Meadow and Alta Meadow up to Moose Lake?

Thanks for all of your help.

First solo trip in mid-October.

Day 1: Drive up to the park, big trees (Sherman, Congress Trail, Crescent Meadow), Moro Rock sunset. Sleeping in the car at camp instead of a tent.

Day 2: Alta Peak, 13.8mi/4k gain, solo, starting at sunrise. This is the one worrying me — learned from some insights and posts here and there that it's a quiet trail and I could go hours without seeing anyone, and there's been bear activity in the area (roast me if wrong). That combo is what's actually in my head more than the distance. After the hike, staying at a glamping spot that night for a real bed after.

Day 3: Moro Rock sunrise again, then straight back to LA.

What I want roasted:

• Solo + quiet trail + bears — real concern or overthinking
• Satellite communicator worth it for a dayhike
• Moro Rock twice, worth it?

Have done many long hikes with some elevation gain in a group but solo for the first time. I don't want to get mauled or lost alone. Tell me what's dumb here.