By Jeff Podmayer, 2016 Sierra High Route Thru-Hiker
The Sierra High Route is a 195-mile route through the Sierra Nevada mountain range, known for challenging off-trail travel, sweeping granite peaks, and stunning alpine lakes. It can be hiked in 14-21 days.
Region: Pacific West (Sierra Nevada, California)
Distance: 195 miles (14-21 days)
Physical Difficulty: Difficult
- Travels above 9,000 feet for the majority of the route
- Many Class 3 off-trail passes (~30 passes along route)
- Over 40,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain
Logistical Difficulty: Difficult
- Resupply options are minimal and can be far from the route
- Tricky off-trail navigation / travel in some sections
- Route termini are remote, on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada
Season: Summer
Elevation (Average): ~10,000 feet
Total Elevation Gain: ~ 44,000 feet
Hiking the Sierra High Route
The Sierra High Route, also known as Roper’s Route, is a worthy and challenging endeavor in the Sierra. The route was designed and put together by Steve Roper, a famous climber and historian in the area. He wrote a book, The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country, that guides the hiker through the landscape while providing information and history along the way. The book is written as if the hiker is walking northbound, so that may be the easiest direction of travel, though you can walk the route in either direction.
The Sierra High Route traverses beautiful and remote terrain, passing stunning alpine lakes (with ample swimming opportunities) along the way. During the 195 miles, this route takes the hiker over approximately 30 mountain passes. Due to it being lesser known and more physically and logistically demanding, the route sees less traffic than the well-known John Muir Trail (JMT) or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the same region.
The terrain along the Sierra High Route offers variety. Occasionally you will walk on the well-maintained John Muir Trail, but at other times you will spend hours scrambling on third-class talus fields. Much of the second- to third-class terrain requires focus, balance, and trust in your skills and judgment. The remoteness of the route poses high risk if you or someone in your party gets injured. For safety, hikers attempting this route should be competent in navigation and route-finding, and able to appropriately assess their level of fitness when planning their trip.
The route starts out heading north in Kings Canyon National Park and eventually turns east, dropping into the JMT/PCT corridor. After a few miles it leaves lower elevations to stay high near the Palisades range. After dropping back down to the JMT/PCT to go over Muir Pass, it leaves this corridor again just before the big drop into Evolution Valley. Here it stays high along the crest, and then takes you below Mt. Humphreys and Bear Creek Spire, passing stunning alpine lakes along the way. The route continues along the crest and eventually drops into Reds Meadow, the only resupply spot en route. Past Reds Meadow it travels below the jagged Minarets and Mt. Ritter, into Yosemite National Park, through Tuolumne Meadows and past Mt. Conness down into Twin Lakes Village, just outside of Bridgeport, California.
How to Get to the Sierra High Route
Nearest Major Cities
West Side of Sierra: Fresno, California (~175 miles to southern terminus)
East Side of Sierra: Reno, Nevada (~115 miles to northern terminus), Bridgeport, California (~15 miles to northern terminus)
Trailhead / Southern Terminus: Copper Creek Trailhead, Road’s End
Trailhead / Northern Terminus: Horse Creek Falls Trailhead, Twin Lakes
Getting to and from the termini of the route can be difficult. When I hiked the route I preferred to forgo a personal vehicle and stick with public transit, shuttles, and hitchhiking. These logistics are particularly hard because the route ends on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada. Theoretically, a hiker could park one vehicle at each end, but this would involve an approximately five-hour car shuttle on either side of the trip. The best option for getting to either terminus would be to fly into the large(ish) nearby airports, either Fresno (southern terminus) or Reno (northern terminus).
To get to the southern terminus (public transit can take you most of the way), you can take Big Trees Transit from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Grant Grove Village in Kings Canyon National Park. From there, you may be able to hitch a ride to Road’s End. Reverse this in order to travel from Road’s End to Fresno.
To get to and from the northern terminus, you can easily hitch or hire a ride to or from Bridgeport (only about 15 miles from the northern terminus), and then take Eastern Sierra Transit. Eastern Sierra Transit runs along most of the eastern side of the Sierra, including all the way to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. If you plan on flying in or out of Reno, this is a great option. Another useful public transportation service in the area is the Yosemite Area Rapid Transit System. If you are able to find a way up into Tuolumne Meadows or into Yosemite Valley, they may be helpful in getting back onto the west side of the range if you left a vehicle there. But this involves more logistics than seems necessary. As always, you can schedule a shuttle service or hitchhike at either end.
When to Hike the Sierra High Route
The best time to hike the Sierra High Route is late July to mid-September. I hiked it in late August. During August the weather and temperatures were very stable. By this time the snowpack from the past winter has most likely melted completely, making movement in the mountains a little bit more consistent and less treacherous. It is possible to hike into September, but you may encounter cold temperatures and possible early-season snowstorms. The best hiking window will be early August to early September.
Sierra High Route Terrain
The terrain on the Sierra High Route is purely mountainous. Most of the route is off trail, and most of the trail sections are on lesser-traveled trails. Some of the trails may be well-maintained while others may be hard to follow. The route entails many class 2 and class 3 scrambles to go up and over multiple high passes. Some of the route takes you on granite slabs and some of it goes through high alpine meadows. Because the route is so high in elevation and the tree cover is minimal, finding shelter and protection from the elements can be a challenge.
Sierra High Route Resupply
Resupply can be tricky on the Sierra High Route. There is only one option for a resupply that is directly en route: Red’s Meadow Resort. There are a few other options, but all require leaving the established route. When I hiked the Sierra High Route I opted to only send a box to Red’s Meadow and to stop by the Tuolumne Meadows General Store to buy a few snacks before the end. This made for a long food carry and a somewhat heavy pack for the first half of the trip.
When planning your Sierra High Route resupply, it may be helpful to consider if you want to have external support or not. You could have someone hike to meet you with supplies, or you could hire an outfitter to hike or horsepack in a resupply for you. If you decide to resupply independently, there are some options along the route, as well as a few trailheads where you could leave the route and return.
Here is a breakdown of resupply options along the Sierra High Route, listed in NOBO order:
Mile 32 | Bishop Pass Trailhead via Bishop Pass: You can leave the route in Dusy Basin and hike up and over Bishop Pass. This will take you down to the Bishop Pass Trailhead. Here you can hitch/hire/find a ride into Bishop, California, a town with all the necessary services. This will add about 7 miles (14 miles round trip) to your hike, not to mention that you will have to drop 2,000 feet just to gain it back again.
Mile 95 | Red’s Meadow Resort: This is the only en-route option for resupply. They accept hiker packages for a $40 charge. Also, they offer showers, a payphone, restaurant, and accommodations.
Mile 95 | Mammoth Lakes, California, via bus from Red’s Meadow: You are able to catch the bus from Red’s Meadow down into Mammoth Lakes via Eastern Sierra Transit. Mammoth Lakes has ample options for all hiker resupply needs.
Mile 130 | Tuolumne Meadows General Store: The Tuolumne Meadows General Store is only a few miles off the Sierra High Route. You could plan on an (expensive) resupply there or you could send a mail drop to the post office as your final resupply option. I stopped by this store because I was running low on food and needed a place to buy a few extra snacks. Also, a breakfast sandwich from the grill as a pick-me-up was definitely a plus.
Sierra High Route Logistics: Permits, Camping, Special Gear
Permits: You will need a permit to hike the Sierra High Route since it travels across Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks, as well as the John Muir and Ansel Adams wilderness areas. Luckily, the Sierra High Route permits are not as hard to obtain as other more popular trails in the area, such as the Rae Lakes Loop or the John Muir Trail.
I recommend reserving a permit once you have a basic itinerary mapped out. I reserved a permit in advance and it gave me peace of mind during logistics and travel to get to the southern terminus.
If you are walking northbound, you can pick up your permit at the Road’s End Ranger Station right next to Copper Creek Trailhead. Picking up a permit here will get you all the way through to the end at Twin Lakes. Walk-up permits are also available there if you would like to take your chances. If you are walking southbound you can pick up your walk-up or reserved permit at the Bridgeport Ranger Station, for entry at Horse Creek Falls Trailhead. Then you will need to pick up another permit at Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station for the rest of the route. Weirdly, the permit for the Toiyabe National Forest (entering at Horse Creek Falls) is not valid for Yosemite and beyond, requiring two separate permits to hike the Sierra High Route southbound.
Camping: Camping is plentiful along the Sierra High Route. In general, the Sierra offer many options for camping each day. You can camp along a river, at an alpine lake, or on flat granite slabs. At some point along the way you will encounter more established campsites and in other sections it will be up to you to find camping. Remember to follow LNT principles wherever you stay.
Special Gear: A bear canister will be necessary on the Sierra High Route to stay within regulations. These can be tricky to pack into your backpack and everyone has their preferred method. The real trick is: can you fit all of your food? Take some time to experiment with what you think works best for you to make for more comfortable pack fitting.
Know Before You Go
Previous Experience: The Sierra High Route is best suited for folks with previous backpacking experience. If you aren’t sure how to use a map and compass, lack the required fitness, or are new to first aid in the mountains, this may not be the trip for you (yet). If you use a GPS to navigate, always make sure you have another option since batteries can run out and electronics can sometimes fail. Just a reminder to know your own limits. Luckily, there are many options for bailing if you find yourself in a tough spot.
Environmental: High alpine environments can be harsh. On the SHR you will be above treeline and on exposed terrain most of the time. Pay special attention to weather patterns and how intense the sun can be. Drink water, put on sunscreen, and take care of yourself. Preventing problems is usually easier than fixing them.
Section Hiking Options: In his book, Steve Roper outlines ways that a hiker could travel each section of the SHR individually. Like any trail or route, you don’t have to hike it all in at once. There is so much to see in the expanse of the Sierra. Doing multiple trips may help you continue exploring more parts of this beautiful landscape.
Sierra High Route Resources
The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country by Steve Roper
Sequoia-Kings Canyon Permit Reservations
Jeff Podmayer (he/him) grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is always looking for ways to spend time outside. He enjoys walking, talking, drinking hot cocoa, and eating pizza. Sometimes all at once. He has some hiking experience, but mostly enjoys the feeling of breaking a sweat.