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This trail crosses meadows and smooth rocks, has sweeping open views, and leads to beautiful lakes.


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Map Key

1.2

Miles

1.9

KM

92%

Runnable

11,083' 3,378 m

High

10,827' 3,300 m

Low

256' 78 m

Up

18' 6 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

13%

Max Grade (7°)

Dogs Unknown

Features River/Creek · Views · Waterfall

Wilderness permits are required. They can be booked online. The trail entrance is JM17. There are daily quotas.

Description

This short trail branches eastward off the Sabrina Basin Trail (31E01). During the first 200 yards, look back at granite cliffs that form the east side of Mt. Darwin. To the northeast, the trail overlooks Topsy Turvy Lake, which is a glacial tarn among a jumble of giant talus blocks which stick up above the water in many places.

The trail passes on the west side of Sailor Lake and a short distance beyond reaches Hungry Packer Lake, a large lake in a granite basin below the huge pyramidal spire on the ridge from Mt. Haeckel. If you climb up the rocks a little, you can see the incredible blue often found in glacier fed lakes.

The Moonlight Lake Trail starts just below Sailor Lake. I found the trail hard to follow, but the area consists of easy slopes of smooth granite, so you can mostly go whichever way you want. From the east side of Sailor Lake, there is a picture perfect view across the lake towards the granite spire east of Mt Haeckel. As you continue up the trail, there are great views behind you looking across the Middle Fork Basin towards the orange ridge of Piute Crags. If you run a little to the east, there is a beautiful waterfall on the stream coming out of Moonlight Lake.

Moonlight Lake is beautiful, but it is exposed to cold winds coming down the canyon from Echo Lake. From Moonlight, you could do an off-trail scramble up to Echo Lake, which sits below Clyde Spires and several snowfields.

Contacts

Shared By:

Lee Watts

Trail Ratings

  5.0 from 1 vote

#2

in Bishop Basin

#1935

Overall
  5.0 from 1 vote
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Trail Rankings

#2

in Bishop Basin

#202

in California

#1,935

Overall
4 Views Last Month
3,986 Since Apr 22, 2017
Intermediate Intermediate

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Photos

Stream below Hungry Packer Lake. Note: between Sailor Lake and Hungry Packer, the trail has been moved to the west side of the stream
Jul 10, 2020 near Big Pine, CA
Looking across Middle Fork Basin towards Piute Crags (orange) with Topsy Turvy Lake in the distance.
Apr 22, 2017 near Big Pine, CA
Sailor Lake towards Mt Haeckel, on the right.
Apr 22, 2017 near Big Pine, CA
Hungry Packer Lake is stunning in the summer.
May 5, 2017 near Big Pine, CA
Sailor Lake: Picture Peak and Sailor Lake await in the Sabrina Basin, High Sierra, California.
May 8, 2017 near Big Pine, CA

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