Mt. Whitney & the Whitney Zone
Base: Lone Pine
The highest peak in the contiguous US (14,505') and the most permit-competitive trailhead in the range. Trail Camp, Trail Crest, and the summit ridge see snow into July most years.
Where we operate
The Sierra Nevada, east side and west
The Sierra Crest splits California's highest ground into two distinct trip experiences — a short, steep escarpment on the east, and long forested approaches into deep granite canyons on the west.
East Side
Eastern Sierra
Highway 395 runs along the base of an escarpment that rises 5,000–8,000 feet in a handful of miles. Trailheads already sit at 8,000–10,000 feet, so you're in true alpine terrain fast — with less tree cover, drier trails, and classic afternoon thunderstorm patterns in mid-summer.
Bishop Creek & Sabrina–Bishop Pass
Base: Bishop
Three forks of Bishop Creek climb fast into granite basins. Sabrina and South Lake trailheads reach alpine terrain within a few miles — a favorite for short, high-payoff trips.
Rock Creek & the Mono Divide
Base: Tom's Place
Mosquito Flat, one of the highest trailheads in the Sierra, drops you straight into Little Lakes Valley with routes over the Mono Divide into the Mono Creek and French Canyon drainages.
Mammoth Lakes & Reds Meadow
Base: Mammoth Lakes
Devils Postpile and Reds Meadow open onto the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Minarets — a hub for JMT/PCT resupply as well as standalone trips.
West Side
Western Sierra
Approaches climb gradually through forest before opening into granite domes, glacial basins, and canyon country. This is JMT/PCT territory, with more consistent water and shade — and generally more competitive, reservation-based permit systems inside the national parks.
Yosemite & Tuolumne Meadows
Base: Tuolumne Meadows
Sub-alpine meadows, the Cathedral Range, and the northern terminus of the JMT. Yosemite's wilderness permit reservation system is competitive — we build backup dates into every plan.
Kings Canyon
Base: Cedar Grove / Roads End
Deep glacial canyons and the classic Rae Lakes Loop. Bubbs Creek and Paradise Valley connect to some of the most remote country in the southern Sierra.
Sequoia & Mineral King
Base: Mineral King
The High Sierra Trail crosses the range from here to Whitney. Mineral King's subalpine valley and Farewell/Franklin passes see far fewer permits than the Whitney side.
Sierra National Forest
Base: Ansel Adams Wilderness
Quieter approaches to the same JMT/PCT corridor as Reds Meadow, with a less competitive permit system than the national parks on either side of it.
Permits vary by land manager
The Eastern Sierra falls mostly under Inyo National Forest, while much of the Western Sierra sits inside Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks — each with its own quota, reservation window, and walk-up rules. Permit strategy is part of every guided trip and planning package. See the FAQ for details.
Timing a trip
Sierra seasons, at a glance
Conditions shift fast at elevation — exact dates vary year to year with snowpack.
Early season
Jun – early Jul
Lingering snow on passes, high and fast stream crossings. Best for ski mountaineering wind-down and lower-elevation trips.
Peak season
Mid Jul – early Sep
Most trails fully melted out, warmest nights, and the most competitive permits and campsites.
Fall shoulder
Mid Sep – Oct
Thinner crowds, larches and aspens turning on the east side, shorter days, and a real chance of an early storm.
Ski season
Apr – May
Corn-snow ski mountaineering window on east-side couloirs and bowls, weather and avalanche-conditions permitting.
Have a region in mind?
Tell us where and when, and we'll help you figure out guided vs. self-guided — and what it'll cost.