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Is this trip right for you?
This is a Level 2 Explorations trip with a 4 / 5 difficulty rating. It’s designed for hikers who want real mileage, meaningful off-trail travel, and a deeper, quieter slice of the Sierra than you get on most marked routes.
You don’t have to have any experience with cross country off-trail backpacking. You do need solid fitness and enough experience that long days, uneven terrain, and high-country conditions feel like a challenge you are ready to lean into.
If you are unsure which trip or level is best, read more about our Trip Levels & Difficulty or contact me and we’ll figure it out together.
You’re a good fit if you:
Can hike 8 to 10 miles in a day on uneven terrain, on back-to-back days
Can climb and descend up to ~2,000 feet in a day at altitude
Are ok carrying a 30–35 lb pack for several hours (I can help you get even lighter if you want)
Can move confidently on variable surfaces such as granite slabs, boulders, meadows, and off-trail creek crossings
Are interested in learning and practicing off-trail navigation, route finding, and judgment
You’re excited by the idea of being far from roads and crowds for several days at a time
Consider a Level 1 trip instead if you:
Are new to hiking or have never done a multi-day backpacking trip
Have recurring knee, ankle, or balance issues on uneven ground
Feel nervous traveling at altitude far from the road
Are uneasy with being out of cell coverage and far from quick exits
Want a heavily structured, all-on-trail, “never off the beaten path” experience
Why your guide loves this trip
Emigrant Wilderness is one of the Sierra’s best-kept secrets. It shares the same granite, glaciers, and high-country feel as Yosemite, but with fewer crowds and a different kind of quiet. The landscape is full of lakes, polished slabs, and slot-like canyons carved by water.
I love guiding this route because it shows the full personality of the “Secret Sierra” in one sustained journey. We start on friendly trail and then step progressively farther off the beaten path, linking canyons, benches, and hidden basins that most people never see.
On this trip we move through:
Forested approaches that ease us into the high country
Meadows and creeks shaped by snowmelt and granite bedrock
A broad “granite superhighway” dotted with gnarled old Sierra juniper
Quiet lakes and swimming holes that feel far from everything
Off-trail canyon systems where you can feel how water has sculpted the range
Across five days you can expect:
Clear night skies, reflections of peaks in still water, and the kind of quiet you only get when you are deep in a roadless area
Camps near remote lakes and meadows, often with no one else in sight
Conversations about how glaciers, water, and rock shape the routes we walk
A steady, thoughtful pace that lets you learn and still feel worked in a good way
The aim of this trip is not to race from place to place, but to walk calmly through big terrain, pay attention, and deepen your confidence in reading wild country.
What you’ll learn on this trip
Better backpacking here means traveling far into wild country without feeling wrecked or reckless. On this Level 2 trip we lean into off-trail movement, navigation, and judgment while keeping systems simple.
All Wilder Walks trips are hands-on and participatory. Learn more about what to expect before and during your trip.
This trip will be guided by me, Alex, the owner of Wilder Walks. Learn more about me and my guiding style.
Over five days, we’ll:
Refine an ultralight kit for true high-country conditions and multiple days off-trail
Learn how to identify the best campsites and in order to manage cold, wind, and weather windows
Move efficiently on slabs, benches, creekbeds, and light boulder-hopping
Practice off-trail navigation fundamentals: reading contours, choosing lines, spotting benches and ramps, and staying oriented in complex terrain
Talk through route choices as we go: when to commit, when to back off, how to manage energy, weather, and risk
Build comfort with creek and river crossings, including how to assess depth, current, and safe crossing tactics
Read the landscape through geology and hydrology: why these canyons look the way they do and how that shapes where we walk and camp
You don’t need to show up knowing any of this but some familiarity will help us go deeper. We will start from wherever you are, talk through everything in plain language, practice together, and repeat key skills so they stick.
Trip Itinerary
This itinerary is designed to balance off-trail exploration, solid daily mileage, and time to actually live in the high country.
As with all Wilder Walks trips, the exact route may shift based on permits, snowpack, creek levels, wildfire impacts, and group needs. If we adjust, we’ll keep the overall character and difficulty within the Level 2 Explorations and 4 / 5 difficulty range.
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We’ll meet at a small gas station and convenience store near the trailhead, do introductions, and caravan to the start of the hike. After a thorough gear check and shuffling of shared food and equipment, we’ll shoulder our packs and leave the road behind.
The trail climbs gradually through forest and meadows toward the first of many alpine lakes. Today’s hiking is on trail as we get used to our packs and the altitude. We’ll camp near a meadow and clear creek, eat our first hot dinner together, and settle in under a big Sierra sky.
Hiking distance: 6 to 7 miles
Elevation gain / loss: ~1,500 feet gain / ~1,000 feet loss
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
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After hot drinks and breakfast, we’ll continue up-trail toward our first major canyon. From there, we leave the official trail behind and start following an old, decommissioned route along a creek flanked by granite walls.
We’ll practice choosing lines, crossing the creek, and working up onto a perched lake above us. From there we navigate to a broad expanse of clean granite slabs that local hikers sometimes call a “granite superhighway,” weaving between ancient Sierra juniper trees on our way to a large alpine lake. Camp will be at a quiet spot I’ve come to know well.
Hiking distance: About 8 miles
Elevation gain / loss: ~1,400 ft gain / ~1,900 ft loss
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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We break camp and continue off-trail, descending deeper into a granite canyon system. The day’s hiking follows a creek through polished bedrock, pools, and small falls. This is a good day to talk about glaciers, water, and how they carve terrain.
If conditions allow, we stop at a natural swimming hole for those who want to jump in. Later we reconnect with a seldom-used trail and wander through open forest toward a lakeside camp. Evening is for dinner, stargazing, and resting tired legs.
Hiking distance: About 9 miles
Elevation gain / loss: ~2,100 feet gain / ~800 feet loss
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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By now, life tends to feel refreshingly simple: sleep, wake, eat, walk. We pack up and head off-trail again, linking canyons, benches, and small lakes as we make our way toward our final camp.
The terrain is a mix of granite slabs, low-angle ramps, and short steeper sections that reward careful footwork. We’ll talk through each day’s line as we go. We finish at a quiet creek-side or lakeside camp for our last night in the Emigrant high country.
Hiking distance: about 9 miles
Elevation gain / loss: ~1,400 feet gain / ~2,300 feet loss
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner -
On our final morning we break camp and hike back on trail through forest, meadows, and past one last alpine lake. The final stretch to the cars is mostly downhill.
At the trailhead we’ll do a short closing reflection, collect borrowed gear, and say goodbye to new trail partners before you head back toward civilization.
Hiking distance: ~8 miles
Elevation gain / loss: ~1,300feet gain / ~1,600 feet loss
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
What’s included
Comprehensive backpacking instruction: virtual pre-trip preparation, on-trail coaching on essential backpacking skills, and interpretation of local natural history
State of the art ultralight backpacking gear including shelter, sleep system, pack, and cooking system for those who need it, with total base weight under 10 pounds (not including food and clothing)
Lightweight, nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from Dinner on Day 1 through Lunch on Day 3, plus hot coffee and tea each morning
All group gear including a fully stocked camp kitchen, water filters, and group first aid kit
All necessary permits and campsite fees
5% donation to Big City Mountaineers, helping fund backpacking trips for California youth
A small, supportive group and a guide focused on your learning and experience
What’s not included
Clothing, footwear, and other personal items
Personal snacks for the trail
Transportation to and from the meeting place
Lodging before or after the trip
Trip insurance (highly recommended)
You will receive detailed guidance on clothing, footwear, and snacks during pre trip preparation.
Trip difficulty & fitness
The difficulty of this trip is rated: 4 / 5
You should expect real effort on this trip: multiple consecutive days at altitude, frequent off-trail travel, and meaningful daily elevation gain with a pack. It is not technical mountaineering, but it is one of the more physically demanding group trips in the Wilder Walks lineup.
You can learn more about how we rate trip difficulty. If you’re unsure about whether this trip is right for you, contact Alex and we’ll figure it out together.
At a glance
Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
Average daily distance: roughly 8 miles
Maximum daily distance: 9 to 10 miles
Average daily elevation gain: around 1,600 feet
Terrain: mix of maintained trail, granite slabs, creekbeds, and off-trail travel with some short steeper sections that may require hands for balance
Creek crossings: several creeks and rivers that may require wading; expect at least knee deep water in typical conditions, with the possibility of deeper crossings depending on snowmelt
Exposure to heights: generally moderate, with a few short sections of steeper, more exposed off-trail terrain that require deliberate footwork
Weather & bug exposure: typical High Sierra summer conditions with strong sun, cool nights, possible afternoon storms, and mosquitoes near water
Elevation range: 7,100 to 8,500 feet
Trip logistics
Meeting place
We will meet at the Chevron on the way to the trailhead.
This is your last chance for gas and snacks (expect a very limited supply).
Starting & Ending time
Plan to meet at the meeting place by 8:00 AM on the first day of your trip.
We aim to return to the trailhead by around 4:00 PM on Day 5. Actual time can vary with conditions and group pace. If you have same day travel plans, build in some buffer.
Getting there
You are responsible for your own transportation to and from the meeting place. We’ll share suggestions for nearby lodging and campgrounds after you book.
What to expect after you book
After you reserve your spot and submit your deposit:
You will receive a booking confirmation and receipt by email.
Within a few days, you will receive a comprehensive trip information packet with a detailed packing list, training suggestions, and logistics overview.
We’ll schedule the virtual pre-trip preparation sessions where we’ll cover the essentials of proper preparation including our route, what to expect, what to bring, and how to get ready.
“Alex’s thorough pre-trip preparation was top-notch. I felt confident in our gear, route, and options to adjust for weather as we went along”
What past hikers have said
My Wilder Walks trip with Alex is one I’ll always remember. I have been backpacking for much of my life, but I wanted to up my skills around off trail navigation and ultra light approaches. Alex’s Wilder Walks delivered and then some. We traveled through mindblowing granite terrain, ate incredibly gourmet meals along pristine lakes, and spent the evenings gazing at the Milky Way while eating s’more’s around a campfire. Alex’s knowledgeable approach came across both in the pre-trip planning and on trail experience, and I learned many valuable off trail skills and insights into the terrain we navigated while in the backcountry. I highly recommend Wilder Walks for those both new to backpacking and those with experience looking to push themselves to new frontiers.
— Peter F. from Oakland, CA
I can’t recommend Wilder Walks any more enthusiastically or else I might injure myself. The equipment (You can just show up with hiking clothes and snacks, and he’ll provide the rest.); the preparation; the communication throughout the sign up and pre/post-trip periods; the educational aspects; and the hiking itself are second to none. If you’re an experienced backpacker or brand new to it, contact Wilder Walks to learn more. Nothing to lose to check them out and potentially life-affirming experiences to gain. I’ve gone on two trips with Wilder Walks and I’m looking forward to my next one.
— Chris K. from Huntington Beach, CA
As someone who is more experienced than most but definitely not as experienced as some, I had the benefit of a decent understanding of the nature of backpacking and what it entails heading into my trip with wilderwalks. Fortunately, my guide Alex, had an amazing ability to enhance my understanding and thinking about backpacking that brought a whole new level of enjoyment to this activity I love.
— Garrett W. from Portland, OR
