Ansel Adams Wilderness High Sierra Camp
Packstock or Porter Supported
5 Days, 4 Nights 24MI / 39KM
Trip Highlights
The Ansel Adams Wilderness, bordering Yosemite National Park, is a spectacular expanse of California’s High Sierra renowned for its dramatic granite peaks, alpine meadows, and crystal-clear lakes. Encompassing 79,000 acres and over 350 miles of trails, it offers endless opportunities for exploration and solitude. On this trip, we hike with light daypacks while pack animals carry our gear to a scenic lakeside basecamp. From camp, we venture out each day to discover high mountain cirques, hidden lakes, and panoramic ridgelines in one of the Sierra’s most breathtaking wilderness areas.
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Pack Stock Support
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Spectacular Wilderness
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High Alpine Lakes
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Mountain Vistas
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Meadows & Wildflowers
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10,000' Summit
Book This Trip
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Packstock or Porter Supported -
Trip Length
5 Days, 4 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
Up to 6 miles -
Group Size
4-12 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip features moderate hiking distances on moderately rugged terrain that includes on-trail and off-trail sections. Backpack weights are on the light-moderate side at 15-25 pounds.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
On Day 1 you will meet your Guide in Fresno around 4:00 pm. We will enjoy a scenic drive to Bass Lake, California, where we will camp for the night and have dinner and orientation. Your guide will review the itinerary, check gear and answer questions.
Day 2
Drive Time: 1 hour
Hiking Distance: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 1709 feet
Elevation Loss: 322 feet
Today we’ll get an early start. After breakfast at our campsite, we will shuttle to our starting trailhead. We will begin our hike through beautiful conifer forests and along rushing mountain creeks and set up camp near the shores of a gorgeous subalpine lake with stunning views of the surrounding high country. This is our home for the next 3 nights, so we’ll settle in and have a bit of down time before our first delicious backcountry dinner prepared by your guide(s)!
Day 3
Hiking Distance: up to 6 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: up to 2,000 feet
Our first morning waking up in this amazing place will be complimented by a hot breakfast and steaming tea or coffee prepared by your guide(s). After breakfast we will enjoy our first day hike from camp: this one takes us into a stunning basin with multiple lakes in the high country above camp. Our hike follows established on-trail and off-trail sections, and the hike can be customized based on the desires of the group.
After our hike you’ll have time to relax in camp, fish or swim in the lake. We’ll reconvene for another hearty dinner and amazing evening beneath one of the most beautiful night skies you’ve likely ever seen.
Day 4
Hiking Distance: up to 6 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: up to 2,500 feet
After another tasty breakfast served up by your guide(s) we’ll set out once again to explore the mountains, valleys, basins and cirques that define the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Today we’ll tackle a summit hike of one of the nearby 10,000-plus feet peaks that comprise the boundary between the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite National Park. From our highest point, we’ll relax for a picnic lunch and soak up the panoramic mountain views, then return to camp. Your guide(s) will prepare a celebratory dinner tonight to commemorate our last evening in the wilderness.
Day 5
Drive time: 1.5 hours
Hiking Distance: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 322 feet
Elevation Loss: 1709 feet
After a relaxing morning we’ll break down camp, load the mules and say goodbye to our lakeside camp. Today we reverse our route from Day 2, taking our time to soak in the mountains. We aim to be back to the trailhead by 4 PM, where we’ll sort the gear and say our fond farewells. Your guide will transport you back to Fresno Airport or Hotel of choice.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Transportation for the duration of the tour beginning and ending in Fresno, CA
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Mules to transport the majority of gear and food
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals from dinner on day 1 through breakfast on the last day
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 2 at the Pines Resort at Bass Lake (included in 2025)
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
4 Nights TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on llama treks is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your trekking guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
This trip originates and concludes in Fresno, CA. You will be transported from Fresno to Bass Lake where we hold the pre-trip orientation at 6pm. During orientation we will review the packing list, communicate the next day’s logistics and answer any last-minute questions you have.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
This trip originates at the Fresno Airport at 4:00 PM on Day 1. We will have you back to the airport or hotel of your choice in Fresno no later than 8 PM on the final day.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Reviews
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Ian R
1 year agoThis was perfect.
We took a 4 days mule assisted trip up into the Sierras. It means you only carry a little day pack. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to get up into the Sierras and actually be able to enjoy the hike rather than slogging along with 50 lbs on your back. We made a base camp and then hiked out from there each day. Beautiful lakes, swimming, fishing. And then fantastic meals. Great guide. I know for some maybe that sounds too tame. But I'm getting older but I still love being out in the wilderness. This was perfect.
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