Mammoth Crest Backpack
Lee Vining, CA
5.0 (3 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Amazing Camps
- Alpine Lakes
- Breathtaking Views
- Summit Duck Pass at 10,800 ft
- Hike on the John Muir Trail
- Incredible Beauty of Ram Lake
- Mountain Solitude
Description
Explore the grandeur and solitary reaches of the Eastern Sierra on this 4-day backpacking trip. Escape the crowds, climb into an amazing alpine world, and explore the soaring granite peaks that loom over the endless desert basins to the east of the Sierras. This trek begins and ends at the beautiful Lake Mary, which is a worthy destination in and of itself. We climb up and over Duck Pass, over 10,00ft where the views are amazing, to reach Duck Lake which will be our basecamp for the trip. Well take a day hike along the John Muir Trail with light packs to stunning Purple lake and also traverse the scenic Mammoth Crest, the namesake of this trip, which offers world-class views and unforgettable hiking.
$1005 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 25-35 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 5-9 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 1495 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1677 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Well maintained and off trail
- Additional:
- This trip follows maintained trails and game trails, which are more rugged.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Yosemite backpacking trip a solitude 3. You can expect hours of solitude at a time.
Learn More about our Rating SystemTRAVEL TO LEE VINING, CALIFORNIA
All Eastern Sierra trips begin and end in Lee Vining at the iconic Mobile Station at 6PM on Day 1 of their trip. Lee Vining is east of Yosemite National Park at the junction of Highways 395 and 120. There are multiple way to reach Lee Vining:
By Car
The primary gateways if driving (or flying in and then driving) are Reno, NV; Fresno, CA; and Sacramento, CA. Lee Vining is a 2 hour and 40 minute drive south of Reno on Highway 395; and it’s 4.5 hours from both Fresno and Sacramento.
By Rail and Bus
From Fresno or Yosemite:
Yosemite Area Rapid Transit (YARTS)Â is offering 4 bus rides each direction from Fresno to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. From Tuolumne Meadows, you can catch a second YARTS bus that will drop you off directly at the Mobile station in Lee Vining. Please note that busses arrive at the Mobile at 8:42 AM, 4:47PM or after 7:30PM.
From Reno:
Eastern Sierra Transit’s CREST service offers transportation from Reno’s airport and Greyhound Station to Lee Vining, CA.
From Los Angeles:
Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line offers service from Downtown Los Angeles to Lancaster, CA.  Eastern Sierra Transit’s CREST service travels north from Lancaster to Lee Vining.
From the San Francisco Bay Area:
Yosemite Area Rapid Transit (YARTS) offers service from Merced, CA to Yosemite Valley and in the summer, continuing service to the Eastern Sierra, with stops in Lee Vining. There are many options for travel between the Bay Area and Merced, including Greyhound and Amtrak.
Travel by Air
Fly into Mammoth Yosemite Airport and take Eastern Sierra Transit’s CREST service north to Lee Vining.
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
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