Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Meysan Lake Trail

The Richins Whitney book says it is about 3000 feet elevation gain (7900-10900 feet) to the grass lakes up the Meysan Lake trail and only 3.8 miles. I have read many coments here about it taking 5-6 hours to get there, longer then one would expect. This would seem a little slow for the elevation rise and miles listed.

Does anyone have experience hiking or backpacking to the grass lakes, just before Meysan Lake. How long did it take you to get there?

I recall getting to our weekend base camp up that way in time enough to go exploring that afternoon. Some of my group sauntered up Mallory or Irvine, and we all did Lone Pine Peak the next day.

Estimates of time will vary greatly. I hike three times faster than some people, and others yet hike three times faster than me! I'd say 5-6 hours is a slow average. I figure some hour per thousand feet gain, or slower with a heavy backpack. Taking long breaks and photo stops adds to that, of course.

I don't keep track of my times to lakes, etc., so I don't have a measurement I can quote for you. But 5 - 6 hours sounds really excessive. I would guess more like 3 with a day pack, 4 with an overnight.

The trail is a good one; my only complaint is that it is too gentle an incline. I've always felt that the Meysan Lake trail was built under contract, where the builders got paid by the mile.

LOL Bob that is an understatement, I spent more time talking to the guys replacing the water lines last August than I did going up and down the trail.

The water lines are LADWP and the output must be paid for by the residents...or so the workers told me.

Meysan Lake should not take anyone 5-6 hours to reach. It's a little less than 4 miles, one way, and moderately steep in spots, but usually a fairly gentle incline. If you're in good hiking shape, you should reach Meysan Lake in 90 minutes or less, assuming you don't rest, take photos, etc.

This October has been extremely hot and the Meysan Lake trail is very exposed. I hiked in King's Canyon yesterday and it was in the 90's at 8,000 elevation, so assume Meysan Lakes will be *hot!* There is little shade here, so start early. This is a nice little hike, hope you enjoy it.

I have backpacked up Meysan Lake trail to the grass lakes 3 times. I don't remember exact times, since it way a few years ago. But being weighed way down it took longer then I would have expected, based on the elevation gain and the proported mileage.

I was there this weekend.

Saturday: We backpacked to Grass Lake (3 hr 45 min), set up camp and dayhiked to the 12,200' ridge overlooking the main Whitney Trail.

Sunday we dayhiked Lone Pine Peak (no register). Less than 3 hrs up (incl break & photos, and 1.5 hrs down. We packed up, and hiked down to the trailhead in 1.5 hrs.

Photos: http://www.snow-nymph.com (go to Backpacking & Hiking)

Calhikers photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/calhiker

I was with Kashcraft on two of those backpacking trips. One was around Memorial day, when much of the trail was still covered with snow. Another was the time he carried his backpack to the top of Lone Pine peak on the start of a three day backpack in the area. I suspect we were more loaded down the usual, adding to the impression it took longer then expected. Maybe it is not a fair comparison..... I would say, however that Meysan lake is a very nice place and you will enjoy it.

Wow, what a disparity of times to Meysan Lake.
Anywhere from a 90 minute sprint, which I assume is a daypack time, to 6 hours fully loaded.
Sounds to me like around 3-4 hours with a daypack is about right for a flatlander like myself.
I will be up there in a few weeks (weather permitting) and will post my time to add to the confusion.
Seriously though, thanks to everyone for their input.
I dig this board.

Snow Nymph is in excellent shape, with a hike or backpack almost every weekend all summer. I hope for 1000 feet per hour day hiking and expect slower times backpacking. I would therefore expect about 3 hours day hiking to the grass lakes and maybe a little over 4 backpacking, depending on how much stuff you have to carry. I have only backpacked there a few times 4-5 hours average for our group of varying abilities from sea level with one night at the portal.

90 mins. is a dayhike time, sorry for not clarifying, and also hiking with just a lightweight backpack with 3 bottles of fluid. 90 mins. is a one way time.

Last year I did Meysan Lakes all the way the day before doing Whitney as a dayhike. I have it as 4.7 miles and 3750 vertical feet, the latter being checked against the topo. I did it in 3 hours solo with daypack, and I was conserving energy for Whitney. For reference, I got to the top of Whitney in 8 hours.

Candace: I have enjoyed your posts for a long time. Seems like you are an MD if I remember correctly.....If you can do the grass lakes in 90 minutes you are awesome and in great shape..that is 1500 feet per hour, a very quick pace for most of us.

In 90 minutes I'm not done taking photos of the chalets...LOL

No seriously I made grass lakes in a little over 2 hours and turned back, got a late start and had to turn back so I could eat some famous Doug Sr. Real Fries and a burger.

Will be there Tuesday 28th, nuthin much else to do after the World Series.

Stephen: Nope, not a doctor, just a teacher. ;-)

I always hike as fast as I can and am not concentrating on scenery or anything but getting a good time. This would not work or interest most hikers, I realize. If you're hyper, then a frenetic pace works and is the only way to enjoy hiking. The concept of "slow and steady" works for the vast majority of others. Whatever floats your boat, eh? (!)

Candice: A teacher is just great in my book too.

What I have learned from this post is that hiking times can vary a great deal, depending on conditioning, altitude adjustment and age. My fastest speed is currently my teenage son's slowest speed. He is always telling me to take bigger steps and encouraging me to go faster. I guess he was listening when I used to tell him that same thing. Now that he is taller then me and has longer legs and is stronger, I have a hard time competing.

Go at your own pace and enjoy. Leave enough time in your plan to be flexible.

"Saturday: We backpacked to Grass Lake (3 hr 45 min), set up camp and dayhiked to the 12,200' ridge overlooking the main Whitney Trail. "

big oops! It was 2 hrs 45 min. We started at 9:30, arrived 12:15

Thank you everyone. This helps a great deal in our planning, working out our expected times...

When are you going up Tom?
I am planning on the 14th of November, weather permitting.
My plan is a day hike of Mt. Mallory and possibly Irvine, if time permits.

Unfortunately my schedule for the next month has become a little too complicated to sneek up to the mountains. By the time I can go this season there will be snow. So I have retreated back to Memorial day weekend 2004, backpacking into Meysan lake Sunday afternoon, followed by an ascent up the Northwest chute (hopefully full of snow) up to Lone Pine Peak. If we have a good winter we will backpack up to the snow line, stay there, and then go play in the snow on Monday. I can hardly wait.