dmjette wrote:Planning a hike to Dusy Basin very end of July. Heaven on Earth to me are places such as Evolution Valley/Lake, Ediza/Iceberg Lakes, Minaret Lake and above (but man is it buggy on that side), Tuolumne Meadows/Lyle Canyon, Sam Mack Meadow, etc. Can anyone tell me how Dusy compares? I've not been beyond Bishop Pass. Have only one opportunity to take my son to a BEAUTIFUL place and want to choose carefully. I love hiking in and around alpine meadows, lakes, streams, and rivers. Never been to Humphrey's Basin, either, so that's another consideration. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy! Let's dig out the comparison photos! I've got a set of each area, both from the end of July time-frame.
Dusy/Thunderbolt Attempt:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics6 ... 734951108/Pilot Knob Day Hike:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics6 ... 578846674/(Actually, before I do, I just wanted to say that Dusy/Humphreys Basins are different animals than everything you listed above. But I LOVE your list for variety. Proof that every nook of the Sierra is completely amazing (ok, except the chute of death on The Hermit, but I digress).
Both start by looking a little moon-ish:
Dusy (D):
Humphreys (H):
But with water comes greenery:
D:
H:
And with greenery comes color:
D:
H:
And with that time of year come clouds and thunderstorms:
D:
H:
All in all, I think it's apples, and, um, apples. Both basins are large, have lots of scrambling and climbing activities in all directions, and have lots of walls to look at from the shores of the lakes. As incredibly intimidating as the Palisades look from the west, equally inspiring is the drop down into French Canyon from Pilot Knob. Knapsack and Thunderbolt Passes lead to the Palisades Basin; Hutchinson Meadow offers shelter in the trees (?!?!?!) from impending weather. Really, you won't go wrong with either one.
JHH60 wrote:Uh.... on second thought, you'll hate it. It's ugly, no mountains to speak of, no water, and the mosquitoes are always terrible.
Damn! On second thought, he's right.
-Laura