Need suggestions for a backpacking trip with a base camp

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DCastle

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Hello and happy Holidays! I am planning our summer backpacking tip and looking for some advice. We go on a trip every summer in late August. We typically plan a 4 night 5 day trip. This year I am looking for a trip with a good base camp for a few days of day hikes. We were in The Winds last summer and had a base camp for 2 nights, and really enjoyed the days with lighter packs and not having to set up and tear down camp. We are a group of 5, experienced, but slow. We like to take our time to enjoy the views, and fish. We have been to Glacier National Park, The Sawtooths, the Winds, and the Cascades. We are wide open to suggestions and do not have a specific location picked yet. We are leaning toward Banff or some place in the Canadian Rockies. But have also considered norther California, Oregon, or the Uintas in Utah. Does anyone have a favorite trip that includes good base camp for a few days of day hikes? Thanks!
 
In the Uintas I like Henry's Fork basin for a base camp and then on your days at camp you can summit King's Peak and explore the basin/fish the lakes. It's a good 4-5 day trip. Hike in on day one (about 9 miles depending on where you camp). Day two: explore/fish. Day three: King's Peak. Day four: hike out or spend another day fishing and hike out day five.
 
Clearly you need to visit the Sierra. I would look into Little Lakes Valley (Mosquito Flat TH), the numbered lakes out of the N Fork of Big Pine Creek, Sabrina Basin, or somewhere along the Bishop Pass trail. The weather tends to be far more stable than the Rockies.
 
What about the Pioneers, Boulders, or White Clouds in Idaho? That area is all really super scenic, but the jagged ridgelines and paucity of trails make classic point-to-point or loop backpacking pretty tough.
 
LarryBoy said:
What about the Pioneers, Boulders, or White Clouds in Idaho? That area is all really super scenic, but the jagged ridgelines and paucity of trails make classic point-to-point or loop backpacking pretty tough.
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I did the White Clouds this year and it made for a great base camp trip. I also did the Bighorn Crags in Idaho a couple years ago. It does takes a long time to get there, but was an amazing trip! Both are very low trafficked areas.
 
Parma said:
In the Uintas I like Henry's Fork basin for a base camp and then on your days at camp you can summit King's Peak and explore the basin/fish the lakes. It's a good 4-5 day trip. Hike in on day one (about 9 miles depending on where you camp). Day two: explore/fish. Day three: King's Peak. Day four: hike out or spend another day fishing and hike out day five.
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Thank you for your suggestion, I'll look at this!
 
fossana said:
Clearly you need to visit the Sierra. I would look into Little Lakes Valley (Mosquito Flat TH), the numbered lakes out of the N Fork of Big Pine Creek, Sabrina Basin, or somewhere along the Bishop Pass trail. The weather tends to be far more stable than the Rockies.
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Thank you! Have looked at the Sierra, thanks for narrowing down an area. I'll look at this for sure
 
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No problem. Granite Park/Pine Lakes & vicinity out of the Pine Creek TH (trip report 1, trip report 2) is also very scenic, but it's a hard exposed slog to get up to the bench. If you end up doing Bishop Pass trail, I'd recommend summiting Mt Agassiz from Bishop Pass as a day trip. The view across the Palisades is one of the best in the Sierra.
 
Check out the Beartooths in Montana. You could base camp at somewhere like the Lake Plateau or Aero Lakes and have endless lakes to dayhike to and fish.
 
Seconding the Sierra. Leavitt Meadows trailhead north of Bridgeport. Fremont lake or upper Paiute meadows as a base camp. Access to multiple lakes loaded with fish. Dorothy pass gets you into Northern boundary of Yosemite national park.
 
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