Links
There are lots of great websites that provide information or advice about backpacking in the Sierra Nevada. These are just a few of our favorites. And if you have a site, or know one that you think we should include, drop us a note, and we'll take a look!
These are our favorites forums for discussions about backpacking:
Yosemite Forum--all you need to know about Yosemite, from people who visit there!
High Sierra Topix-- and this is a little broader--if covers the whole Sierra Nevada
Backpacking.net-- and this one is for backpackers all over the USA
Backpackers basecamp--Our favorite community conversation
Outdoors Generations--This one has a good introductory section for backpacking in general
And some sites about backpacking and the sierra:
http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/ We like this ultralight site...
http://www.rayjardine.com/index.shtml Ray Jardine is the original guru for ultralight hiking
http://www.summitpost.org/area/range/176773/sierra-nevada.html A great site with directions on how to climb just about every peak in the range...and then some!
http://www.peaktopeak.net/ca.html a huge list of weblinks for hiking everywhere...although most are about the US--excellent list for California
http://www.avidbackpackers.com/ Lots of good trip reports on this one
These are our favorite site for information about the parks:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm Yosemite
http://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm Lassen Volcanic
http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm For Sequoia and Kings Canyon
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/forests.shtml Don't forget the national forests, home to so many wilderness areas
This is the one site we use all the time:
Acme mapper-- which allows you to print out topo maps (and other overlays) free of charge, and to the scale you prefer. How much fun is that? Here's a link to the Ireland Lake area...and you can wander around from here:
And another option with some even better elements: https://caltopo.com/about/