BSA Troop 222 · High Sierra · Summer 2026

HIGH SIERRA
50-MILER

Lake Sabrina → South Lake · JMT section · Mount Agassiz Summit 13,900 ft

📍 CalTopo Route Map ↗ ⛰ Mt. Agassiz Route ↗ 📈 Budget Tracker

~50.5

Total miles

Days

Nights

13,900

Summit ft

2,000

Summit gain (ft)

Participants

Class 2

Summit difficulty

A week-long backpacking loop through the High Sierra, starting and finishing near Bishop, California. The route backpacks from Lake Sabrina to South Lake, covering a section of the John Muir Trail. Day 6 features an optional but highly recommended alpine scramble to the summit of Mount Agassiz (13,900 ft) — a Class 2 route with 2,000 ft of vertical gain and extraordinary views. Five nights at elevation before the summit day ensures acclimatization. A car shuttle connects the two trailheads (~10 miles apart by road, under 45 minutes).

Full Route

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day	Activity	Miles	Notes
Day 1	Drive to Sabrina Campground · Car shuttle to South Lake trailhead	~7 hr drive	$34/night · no reservations needed
Day 2	South Lake Trailhead → Loop begins	~11 mi	JMT section · 10,000+ ft elev.
Day 3	Continue loop	~11 mi
Day 4	Continue loop	~11 mi
Day 5	Continue loop → Base of Mt. Agassiz	~11 mi	5th night at elevation → acclimatized
Day 6	Summit Day — Mount Agassiz (alpine start 4am)	~4 mi RT	Class 2 · 2,000 ft gain · 13,900 ft summit
Day 7	Hike out to Lake Sabrina car · Drive home	5.5 mi	Trailheads 10 mi apart by road
Total		~50.5 mi	45 mi loop + 5.5 mi hike-out

Detail

Each Day

Drive Day — Travel to Sabrina Campground

~7 hour drive · Bishop, CA · Car shuttle to South Lake trailhead

Drive approximately 7 hours to Sabrina Campground near Bishop, California. No reservations needed — $34/night. This is the exit point; you'll camp here the first night before shuttling a car to the South Lake trailhead (~10 miles away, under 45 minutes) the following morning.

Sabrina Campground: no reservations · $34/night · base camp for the shuttle logistics

2–5

The Loop — South Lake to Agassiz Base

~45 miles · ~11 miles/day · 10,000–13,000+ ft elevation · JMT section

Four days backpacking the loop, covering approximately 11 miles per day. The route includes a section of the John Muir Trail at high elevation (10,000+ ft throughout). Views are extraordinary — alpine lakes, granite peaks, and open sky.

By the end of Day 5, the group reaches the base of Mount Agassiz. Five nights at elevation before the summit climb ensures full acclimatization — this timing is intentional and important.

Two crews: Agassiz Crew (bear cans required) and Emigrant Crew (bear bags OK). No resupply cache is viable — all food carried in from Day 1.

Summit Day — Mount Agassiz ⛰

Alpine start 4:00 AM · Class 2 scramble · 13,900 ft · ~4 mi RT · 2,000 ft gain

Alpine start at 4:00 AM. The first mile is hiked by headlight on trail. This gives plenty of time to reach the summit and descend before afternoon thunderstorms build — the alpine start is non-negotiable.

Mount Agassiz is a Class 2 scramble — no technical climbing gear needed, but hands-on boulder navigation in the upper section. 2,000 ft of vertical gain over 2 miles to the summit at 13,900 ft. Incredible 360° views from the top.

⚠ Be off the summit and descending before noon. Afternoon thunderstorms build quickly in the Sierra in summer. The 4am start is mandatory — not optional.

Hike Out & Drive Home

5.5 miles to Lake Sabrina car · drive home

Final 5.5-mile hike out to the Lake Sabrina car. The two trailheads are 10 miles apart by road — the shuttle car from Day 1 is waiting at the exit point. Drive home from Bishop.

Total trip: 45 miles loop + 5.5 miles hike-out = ~50.5 miles

⛰ Mount Agassiz — 13,900 ft

13,900

Summit elevation

2,000

Vertical gain

2 mi

Summit route (RT)

Class 2

Difficulty

4:00 AM

Alpine start

A great introductory scramble — no ropes or technical gear needed. The west slope route involves boulder navigation in the upper section but is manageable for well-prepared hikers. Five nights at altitude before this day ensures the group is fully acclimatized.

Mountain Project Route Details ↗

Logistics

Planning Details

📅

Target Dates

Late July or August 2026 before school starts. This minimizes snow on the passes.

🎉

Wilderness Permits

Required. Reserve 6 months in advance through recreation.gov under "Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permit."

🚗

Car Shuttle

Shuttle one car from Lake Sabrina (start) to South Lake trailhead (finish) — 10 miles apart by road, under 45 minutes.

🏔

Sabrina Campground

No reservations needed. $34/night. First night camp before hitting the trail on Day 2.

🐘

Bear Canisters

Agassiz Crew: required. Emigrant Crew: bear bags OK. 7 days of food won't fit in a single BV500 — plan for BV650 or 2 cans per person.

👥

Crew Structure

Youth-led, crew-based model. Each crew: 6 scouts + adult leaders. Crew Leader selected from prep hike participants.

🏔 Altitude Nutrition Notes — High Sierra (10,000–13,900 ft)

Appetite suppression is real above 10,000 ft — especially Days 2–3. Scouts may not want to eat. Eat anyway.
Higher fat foods are more calorie-efficient at altitude: nuts, cheese, salami, olive oil packets
Electrolytes more critical — higher respiration rate increases fluid and salt loss
Carb-load before and during summit day (Day 6)
Summit day food must be no-cook, cold, quick — bars, jerky, gels, trail mix only
Calorie targets: ~3,500+ kcal/day scouts · ~4,000+ kcal/day adults (vs ~2,800/3,500 on prep hikes)
Add olive oil packets to dinners: +120 kcal/tbsp, near-zero weight
BV650 or 2× BV500 per person needed for 7-day food volume

⚠ Food can math for 7 days At ~1.75 lb food/person/day × 7 days = ~12.25 lb food per person. A BV500 (700 ci) holds ~5 lb of food — far too small. Plan for BV650 (900 ci) or carry two BV500s per person for the 50-Miler. This is different from the prep hikes where one BV500 was sufficient.

Preparation

Prep Hike Series