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Food & Kitchen

Plan your meals
  • Plan each meal “breakfast, lunch and dinner, for the number of days you are camping.”
  • Plan for what you will need to prepare each meal.
  • Example:  what utensils do I need for oatmeal, something to heat water, a cup and a spoon to eat it with?
  • Pre-cook meals ahead of time if possible, vacuum seal and freeze them.
  • Ice does not last, your frozen food will be your ice, eat it as it thaws.
  • Plan to eat fresh food at the beginning of the trip and save dry (like rice and noodles) and canned foods for the end of the trip.
  • Store all cooking equipment in small rubber maids (18 gal) like utensils, plates, cups, pans and pots; to keep everything dust free and clean.
  • Soft ice chests are recommended, please no hard ice chests!  Soft ice chests can be hung in the shade of a tree, and when empty collapses to nothing. A hard ice chest when empty is still an empty ice chest, “bulky” for the trip out.
  • Please let us know about all breakable items so we can pack them safely.
  • Fuel containers must be tightly packed so they will not leak. Duct tape cap for insurance.

Camp Etiquette

Ask for help or advice
  • Check with Mike for the fire restrictions in the area. This will affect your cooking plans and burning of trash. Good planning will minimize trash.
  • Never bury trash, we will pack all of it out for you.
  • Do not wash anything in the lakes and streams, even with biodegradable soap.
  • Latrine is to be set up 200ft or more from any lakes, streams, wet meadows or water sources. Cat holes should be 6” or more in depth and filled in with the same dirt you took out.
  • Wash water and rinse water must be kept 200ft from any water source.
  • Police the campsite before leaving. For toilet paper, small pieces of trash, cigarette butts, foil etc…..
  • No cutting or defacing of live or dead standing trees. Use only down and dead wood for campfires. Campfires are prohibited above 10,000ft.
  • Most important, please practice minimal impact camping; good planning means less mules which means less impact.

Bear Proofing

This is bear country
  • Sabrina and Humphrey Basins are not mandatory bear can areas. However, you still have to use some means of bear proofing.
  • It is legal to counterbalance your trash and food or you have to put them into a bear proof can.
  • We supply bear proof mini barrels for your trip (13” x 15” with a bolt down lid, you will need a 8” crescent wrench to open). 
  • The marmots and squirrels are the biggest problem in the two basins. 
  • We haven’t had a bear problem yet because everyone is doing a great job bear proofing.
  • Evolution Valley Loop trip is a mandatory bear can area.

Packing Your Gear

Plan your packing
  • Small and loose items are easier for us to deal with than large items.
  • Duffel bags should be used for your personal items, maximum size 14”x 32”.
  • We limit 130-lbs to 150-lbs per pack animal.
  • Remember that bulk takes overweight a lot of the time, especially with the modern lightness of the gear on the market. 

Mike always says that, “150-lbs of foam pads could not be loaded on 40 pack animals.” 

  • Food items that do not need to be in your ice chest, can be brought to us in grocery store bags and we can transfer them into bear proof cans.
  • If you have any breakable or fragile items, we need to know about them.
  • It is very important that you do not hide them from us.
  • For example: cameras, anything glass like wine & whiskey bottles, fuel bottles, lanterns, fishing reels etc.
  • Mike has seen it all you; can’t stump him or his crew.

Mosquitos and Weather

Be prepared for all kinds of weather
  • Active mosquito season is usually late June and July; it depends on snow and wet conditions in the area.
  • It is highly recommended that you take a net tent for peace while eating in camp. 
  • When they are active, they could ruin your trip if you are not prepared. 
  • Please make sure to bring plenty of insect repellent. 
  • Active mosquito season is probably the best time for photography and fishing (at ice out on the lakes).
  • Mike has always told people that you could find a mosquito on top of Mt. Whitney on the 4th of July.

Be prepared for all kinds of weather.

  • Our camp sites are around 11,000ft so the weather could be very unpredictable.
  • The temperatures at night could range from 30 to 40 degrees and the days could range from 55 to 75 degrees.

Pack Station

Mike packing a mule
  • PLEASE have your gear at the pack station at North Lake by 7:00 a.m. SHARP.
  • For all trips going into Sabrina Basin we need your gear at the pack station, not the trail-head, by 7:00 a.m.
  • We have free parking at the pack station at North Lake for your convenience.
  • There is camping at the pack station for the night before. There is lodging in 3 different locations on Bishop Creek and numerous campgrounds in the area.
  • The town of Bishop is loaded with various lodging opportunities as well as many restaurants options.