Some friends and I just got an unexpected 3 day weekend and we'd like to do some mountaineering (Aug 5-7). Most of the permits for the most favorable areas are taken and our timing doesn't put us in a good position for a walk-in permit. We are looking for a trailhead where we are pretty sure to get a back country permit, with reasonable drive time (starting in Bay Area), and some pleasant mountaineering (< class 4).
Any suggestions?

check into some of the lesser travelled trailheads like Baxter, Sawmill, Birch or Taboose which all have lesser known peaks that could fit your criteria.

Red and White mountain out of McGee Creek could work. Saddlebag Lake area is an obvious choice with no quotas but also busy.


The best way to find a destination is on rec.gov, select your entry date for Inyo or other NF's and see what trailheads actually have openings, then look at a map and see if there are peaks you would be interested in climbing. No sense researching an area only to find you cant get a permit.

You could go to Marie Lake from the Hooper Creek Diversion Dam. Seven Gables very doable for you on the second day (I did a loop from the east side of Marie Lake to Senger, Gemini, then Seven Gables... that's a longer day but can do all or some of that).

Check out this page:
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-hooper/745954