Humphreys Basin

- Two remarkable trips through High Sierra country. One with the Sierra Club which was an incredible trip in every way for which I'm very grateful.

Tips

Spend time acclimating! My first trip I had two nights to sleep at around 7,000ft and did much better than the second trip where I only had one night sleeping around 7,000ft.
Parking at the overnight lot at North Lake can be tricky and the lot can fill up fast. If you can't plan to get there early, try parking along the road leading to the lot (just avoid any areas marked with no overnight camping signs). It is a bit of a hike from parking to the campground and trailhead.
Muriel and Tomahawk seem like very popular lakes to camp at. I loved Muriel and since Tomahawk was so busy, we chose Mesa and loved it. You have so many options!
Both trips were late summer and were affected by smoke. The second trip we carried N95 masks and that's just something to be aware of and monitor.
This area is infamous for afternoon thunderstorms. We got VERY lucky with the weather on both trips. But I was always prepared to have shelter set up or my backpack prepared for rain in the afternoon as clouds started to gather. And I planned my day hikes in the morning when I could.
Make way for horses!
Great camping at Loch Leven and Piute Lake on the way up if you need additional time to acclimate.

HIKE 2

Skip to the route recap

Someone in my family wanted to go on a backpacking trip with me, which would be their first in the Sierra. Humphreys Basin was an ideal choice since I had been there before on a guided trip and it was such an incredible high sierra spot. The toughest part was snagging a permit and I got lucky with just under a month to go before the trip start date. We were very lucky with our timing - there was a monsoon the weekend prior, and just after we left most of the area was too smoky from the Garnet Fire. The altitude was tough for me - I really suffered the first night at elevation. It meant that for our layover day I wasn't really able to hike too far and our second night we moved camp to lower elevation and I slept much better. Still, an amazing trip.

DAY 1

Looking Back at Piute Lake, Loch Leven and Beyond

Looking ahead at Summit Lake, Humphreys Basin and the Glacier Divide

Camp at Mesa Lake

Humphreys Basin

Mount Humphreys

Day 1 Highlights

Hiking up to the pass had a great feeling of entering the wilderness as you went from dense forest with pines and aspen, to where the landscape opened up with lakes and whitebark pines to then beautiful meadows and small snowfields closer to the pass itself.
Lots of animals - including a weasel sighting at our lunch stop at Loch Leven!
Really yummy food, including a Manchego cheese plus dried pineapple plus jerky that was mouth wateringly delicious.
Clear skies and great views.
The miles hiking across the basin were just divine. We left the main trail, then we left the smaller use trail and headed cross country to Mesa Lake to set up camp. Amazing

Day 2

View from our scramble towards Pilot Knob

Humphreys Basin

Day 2 Highlights

While we didn't make the summit or saddle of Pilot Knob, our morning hike through the meadows, lakes and hills of the basin was spectacular.
So much wildlife! Marmots and a bald eagle - it really felt like living within a nature documentary.
As we headed back to the pass, and ultimately to Piute Lake for a beautiful camp, we gradually met more and more people. A few were deciding whether or not to continue their trips on account of the accumulating smoke.
Just and incredible day enjoying the High Sierra

Day 3

Sun breaks upon Mt Thoreau

Day 3 Highlights

We had the lake to ourselves and watching sunrise over the calm waters was really special.
After a quick breakfast and packing up camp, the hike back to the car really flew by.
Saw some grouse on the way down - almost tripped over them as the ran across the trail! And we saw so many fish.
It was tough adjusting back to civilization!

RECAP

Location: Humphreys Basin, John Muir Wilderness (and other National Forest sections) via the Piute Pass trailhead at North Lake.
Date: August 2025.
Stats: 19+ total mileage with ~4,200ft elevation gain.
Maps: Mount Tom USGS quad. NatGeo 809 Mammoth Lakes, Mono Divide. Piute Pass permit.
800+ miles driven from the SF Bay Area, over the Sierra, up and down 395 and back home. Amazing.

Route map
Gaia GPS | © OpenStreetMap Contributors

HIKE 1

Skip to the route recap

Over several years I researched routes to backpack in the High Sierra. I knew about the Sawtooth Range and Mono Recesses from my father. I knew about areas in Yosemite, Desolation Wilderness, Sequoia and Kings Canyon from my own travels. I started reading trip reports online and talking to friends. I visited my local REI and got some book recommendations - like section hikes along the PCT. I compiled quite a list. Finally, I bought Steve Roper’s Sierra High Route. I was surprised it took half the book for Roper to get to the actual route - he spent a lot of time on the history of the area and the early explorers. But I was captivated. And the region that most captivated me was Humphreys Basin because it seemed so remote and so characteristic of the High Sierra.

You can find a route video of the main hike here.

THE DRIVE

Clouds Rest and Half Dome from Olmsted Point

Mt Dana from Tioga Road

Hummingbird Lake in the Hoover Wilderness

My lunch spot at Hummingbird Lake

View of Shamrock Lake with North Peak and Mr Conness

Looking down at Shamrock Lake with North Peak and Mt Conness in the background

View from Shamrock Lake

Outside the Mobil in Lee Vining

My campsite at Four Jeffery

Drive Highlights

No traffic leaving the SF Bay Area Friday morning!
Long drive with slow moving construction traffic on Tioga Road through Yosemite.
Water taxi and The Loop hike from Saddlebag Lake. Nice but would not do again unless fishing.
We love Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil in Lee Vining!
So much smoke in the valley you couldn't even see Mono Lake.
Very active bear overnight at Four Jeffery. Great car camping facilities though, including heated restrooms with flush toilets.

DAY 0

Trail sign along Bishop Pass trail

My first view along the shores of Long Lake

View from further along Long Lake

Looking back from Bishop Pass

View of Dusy Basin with Mt Agassiz and Thunderbolt Peak on the left

Bishop Pass Trail Sign

Day 0 Highlights

Easily one of my favorite hikes: up and over Bishop Pass to views of High Sierra peaks and Dusy Basin.
Long Lake with fish jumping all over and several stunning spots with mountain views.
Watched a friendly marmot play on the trail and draw a crowd.
Met the Sierra Club outing trip leaders and group at Four Jeffrey! #TeamOsprey
Shuttled to the Pine Creek Pass trail head.