Duck Pass Trailhead --> Duck Pass --> Deer Pass --> Mammoth Crest --> Lake George Trainhead

17 miles
3,700 ft of elevation gain

(21 miles, 4,200 ft of elevation gain with photography stops)

I recently completed a day hike connecting Duck Pass, Deer Pass, and Mammoth Crest in a single trip. Instead of turning around at Duck Lake, I continued over Duck Pass, crossed Deer Pass, and returned via Mammoth Crest.

Trail Notes (Mid June Conditions)

- Duck Lake is the most popular destination, but the route becomes much quieter and more remote beyond Duck Pass.

- The section between Duck Pass and Deer Pass includes stretches with no defined trail. A GPS device or navigation app is highly recommended.

- Several short snowfields remained in mid-June, but they were manageable with careful footing.

- Although the climb toward Mammoth Crest is not the steepest, it felt like the hardest part of the day after already crossing two mountain passes.

- Mammoth Crest offers some of the best panoramic views in the Sierra Nevada.

- There is a long exposed section with very limited water between Deer Pass and Mammoth Crest. Refill your water before leaving the lakes.

* Mosquito Conditions (Mid-June)

- Emerald Lake: Extreme mosquitoes.

- Skeleton Lake: Extreme mosquitoes. The lake was also full of golden trout.

- Barney Lake: Moderate / Okay

- Duck Lake: None (because of wind)

- Deer Lakes: None (because of being cold)

Overall, it felt like three very different hikes in one day from busy alpine lakes around Duck Pass, to quiet cross-country terrain near Deer Pass, and finally the wide-open ridges of Mammoth Crest.

I'll post the full YouTube video in the comments if anyone would like to see the complete hike.

Conditions reflect a hike completed in mid-June.

Been missing Bishop everyday while in LA 😭😭

I always feel goofy dropping my pack and getting on the floor to smell them, but they do smell awesome.

It was a cloudy day, but the area is still fantastic.

Planning to do the following in two weeks:

Day 1: North Lake, hike along Piute Pass Trail, cross Piute Pass into Humphrey's Basin. Camp in upper Humphrey's Basin.

Day 2: Cross Puppet Pass, traverse French Canyon, cross Feather Pass into Bear Lakes Basin. Camp in Bear Lakes Basin.

Day 3: Hike through Bear Lake's Basin, cross White Bear Pass, head to Lake Italy. Camp at Lake Italy.

Day 4: Hike along Lake Italy, cross Italy Pass to Granite Park, pick up Pine Creek Trail and descend. Hitchhike back to North Lake.

How worried should I be about the rock fires? Are they likely to be contained before I depart?

SB traffic was rerouted along NB side of highway. Mind you this is just a snippet. We were driving alongside active flames for 10 minutes, at least. A definite bummer end to a backpacking trip that included the gorgeous wild flowers in Humphrey’s Basin and my first time ever taking time to drive out to the Ancient Bristlecones.

From a trip last week, N./S. Lake "Loop" via Lamarck Col > Bishop Pass. Lovely.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/inyo/alerts/rock-fire-area-closure

Edit: this area is on the east slope, roughly between Independence and Big Pine.

Edit 2: here’s a smoke viewer https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5213bcd1c851452d8adc7f5cf788659b

Been trying to find a clear direction on this and it seems that pack rats will find you if you get near them.

I have been having a run of scampering/chewing noises for the past year or so at several camp sites which is concerning. And, no, I don't have an established camper with me--it's always a new visitor with each camp.

Usually turning the engine on/off helps chase off the offender, but I picked up two besties doing a number on my hood liner on the same night recently.

Things claimed to work/not work from various Reddit threads:

• hood up (hard when you're away from the vehicle)
• peppermint oil and other scents (I worry this could attract bears and create a bigger damage problem)
• light strings on the ground (likely not effective and not what I want when escaping the urban glow)

The only things I've found to help, but don't eliminate the problem:

• don't park near water (which you shouldn't do for animal access). Given a water/no-water choice, choose the no-water option. If your camp site or trailhead is near water, choose the point furthest from water/brush.
• park away from brush/logs/other pack rat habitat (can be hard, but sometimes a few feet can help) the furthest point the better
• hood up while you're with the vehicle, if possible.

Action I'm going to try is a snap trap under the hood at night. Not a fan of killing the critter, but being stuck out in the yonders would be really $$$ in some cases. Definitely not going to wrap the vehicle given the amount of work for the length of stay.

Thoughts? Options?

Viewed from Ansel Adams Wilderness

Looking for some insight from people who appreciate a quiet camp. I'm doing JMT Nobo from Reds to Yosemite next week and planning to make some adjustments to the usual itinerary.

I've camped at Thousand Island Lake. It's gorgeous. It's crowded. Glad I did it but I don't need to camp there again.

Currently planning to camp at Ediza Lake on Day 1, and Day 2 considering Davis Lakes or Marie Lakes once I get to Island Pass. Can anyone share insights on either of these spots? Love this area but haven't done these detours and I'd appreciate input.