Backpacking East Sierras Sherwin Lakes Day 1 (June 2024)

Celebrating Zachary before he enters holy matrimony.

See all the posts in the Backpacking East Sierras Sherwin Lakes (June 2024) series.

Tying down some loose plastic on the Tacoma

The mountains are in view off the 395 highway

This is my first trip of any kind into this part of the east sierras. My hopes and expectations have never been higher–I’ve been promised exceptional lake views as well as the possibility of catching fish. Our bellies are full of sandwiches from Mahogany Smoked Meats in Bishop as we reach the trailhead and begin our journey upwards.

Spirits are high as we leave the vehicles behind

2.25 miles to Sherwin Lakes from the trailhead

The weather is hot and dry. It could be hotter, but the heat along coupled with my far-from-ultralight pack are exasperating the lack of sportiness in my current bodily build.

The trail going up is exactly what I had pictured in my mind

The gang keeps at it

After a while, the group falls quiet. The once prolific chatter and trash talking has fallen away and has been replaced by determined breathing only.

By itself, this view for the first time would make the trip worth it

Cutting off the main trail to get our campsite right next to the lake

Now I’ll tell ya…this site did not disappoint. For me, a guy whose never been backpacking in the Sierra’s before, this area is exactly what you imagine it would be. Between the mountains peering out of the background and our adjacency to the babbling stream feeding Sherwin Lake, I am smitten.

Sherwin Lakes (at this time) was actually Sherwin Lake. The water level was high enough that the upper and lower parts of the lake were joined to make a single body of water.