RAE LAKES: BASIN WILDLY BEAUTIFUL.

Byline: Jeff Brown Special to the Daily News

The Rae Lakes Basin in Kings Canyon National Park loomed large in my backpacking consciousness since first hearing about it decades ago. Its beauty and remoteness are paralleled only by its abundant and sizable Eastern brook trout.

In 30 years of backpacking, however, I'd yet to answer its summons.

My intrepid yet gullible hiking partner, Chris Olson of San Clemente, was willing to let me choose this ambitious a trail but only because he hadn't fully read the topographical maps. Well into our 40s and soft from desk jobs, our spirits were willing. Our flesh healed a few days after returning from the trip.

Onion Valley, a trailhead found west of here at the base of the High Sierra, presents a perfect starting point for day hikes into the John Muir Wilderness area of Inyo National Forest. The high starting point - 9,200-feet elevation - gets hikers most of the way to the crest of the mountain range. That's where we put in for our four-day trek.

Pothole, Gilbert, Flower, Heart and Big Pothole lakes along the route afford beautiful scenery, camping and the promise of rainbow trout. We continued up the relentless switchbacks - first through stands of pine forest, then out in the naked sunlight - toward 11,823-foot Kearsarge Pass, the first of two major passes to be tackled before reaching our destination.

Reaching the bench about noon, we paused for lunch. Though we'd been broiling only a half hour earlier, jackets were donned to cover up from the wind. Ominous clouds on the horizon threatened to dump on us, so rain gear was unfurled.

Descending the switchbacks on the other side, we entered the national park and admired the jagged Kearsarge Pinnacles and their namesake lakes to the south. Continuing west past Bullfrog Lake (10,625 feet elevation), where camping is prohibited, we covered up from the moderate rain that had begun to fall. We finally reached Charlotte Lake (10,370 feet) after nine miles and made camp on its east side.

An unsigned and unmapped trail leads northeast from Charlotte Lake to the Pacific Crest Trail, eliminating 1-1/2 miles of backtracking. We took advantage of it the next morning. (During the busy season from the end of June to Sept. 15, when a hikers' quota is initiated, inquire at the Charlotte Lake Ranger Station as to the location of the shortcut.)

Expect this to challenge your navigational skills. We got off the trail and lost about 45 minutes. It's easy to do even if you're experienced.

Rejoining the PCT (10,850 feet), we slogged along the rocky trail, past unnamed glacial lakes and moraines toward 11,978-foot Glen Pass.

The final half-mile washes out every year and had been recently rebuilt by trail crews. One man had broken a vertebra the day before repairing winter damage to the talus-strewn incline.

Reaching the summit around noon on this Saturday in August, the scene resembled a backpackers' convention. This area is not only popular in and of itself but lies on the Sierra Nevada summer highway that is at once the John Muir Trail and the PCT. There were 10 other hikers, all comparing notes on trail conditions, destinations and food-drop logistics.

We were aghast at the crowd, but soon the conversation grew compelling. I longed to listen to these oldtimers talk about new destinations and fishing techniques. But my partner would have none of this and admonished me to adopt a more taciturn demeanor befitting the (supposedly) solitary nature of where we were.

Finally rewarded with entering the breathtaking Rae Lakes Basin, we admired the view and our accomplishment.

Boxed in on the south by a 12,126-foot monolith known as Painted Lady and its partner in granite, Dragon Peak (12,995 feet), to the west by Fin Dome (11,693 foot) and to the east by Diamond Peak (13,126 feet), the lakes lie like sapphires below us.

Two miles to the east is the California Bighorn Sheep Zoological Area. We saw no sheep, but their droppings were everywhere. Walking across the only snowfield of the trip, we began the 1,425-foot descent to the lakes (10,550 feet). Springs gurgled from out of the trail and the wildflowers made it seem more like spring than midsummer.

Walking across a picturesque isthmus, we found the campsites on a knoll overlooking the upper and middle lake of Rae triumvirate. The first orders of business were finding the bear box, then hooking up our lines with half-filled clear bobbers and dry-fly patterns. The fishing was good and our karma was better; we let all of them go.

Fly-fishing is difficult on the lakes, but small lures on lightweight spinning tackle can be terrific on these speckled char.

Day hikes or an overnight climb of 650 feet over 2 miles into nearby Sixty Lake Basin to the west is an option for backpackers less exhausted than we were or with more time available than we had.

Early the next morning, we retraced our path along the PCT, avoiding Charlotte Lake to descend past Bullfrog Lake to our third campsite at the northwestern-most of the six bodies among the popular Kearsarge Lakes (10,795 feet). Some campers were apparently spending the entire summer there, hiking over Kearsarge Pass to the grocery store in Independence for provisions as needed. Spending the dog days in such an idyllic place made us jealous, though National Park regulations clearly state a one-night camping limit.

We had to compete to get our food into the bear box before all the spaces disappeared. Although we didn't see any bears ourselves, we knew they were present from the hoots and pot-banging from sleepy hikers that would periodically erupt around us throughout the night.

Our fourth and final morning on the trail proceeded uneventfully. We mounted Kearsarge Pass at noon, passed the lakes on its east side and reached the car by 1:30 p.m.

Stopping for a $3 shower at Kirk's Barber Shop in Lone Pine was very refreshing. Six hours and 225 miles later we were home in Simi Valley, our memories of a serene backpack deep into California's backbone having sped us along.

IF YOU'RE GOING

The hike into Rae Lakes Basin is 12.3 miles from Onion Valley. The route is found on the Kearsarge Peak and Mount Clarence King 7.5-minute topographical maps.

To reach the trailhead, drive north on the Antelope Valley Freeway (14) to Highway 395 north some 200 miles to Independence. Turn left on Market Street and proceed 13.6 steep and twisting miles to the large parking area. Camping is permitted here.

Backpackers usually spend two to six days or more in the region, but with autumn upon us, be sure to check weather and snow reports carefully before planning any trips.

Although the backcountry quota period, which limits travel over Kearsarge Pass to 60 backpackers, ended Sept. 15, overnight visitors still need to secure a $3-per-person wilderness permit. Call the Inyo National Forest Wilderness Reservation Service at [phone] or [phone], or visit any Eastern Sierra ranger station.

There is a one-night camping limit per lake in the basin. Bear boxes are found on the east shores of Middle and Lower Rae lakes and nearby Arrowhead Lake.

Pets and firearms are not permitted in Kings Canyon National Park; neither are campfires above 10,000 feet. Anglers ages 16 and older must have a state fishing license. The limit is five trout per day and 10 in possession above 9,000 feet.

For further information, call the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness Office at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (color) Brook trout are cleaned along the easte rn shore of Middle Rae Lake in King Canyon National Park. If going, plan on two to six days.

Brett Pauly/Daily News

Box: IF YOU'RE GOING (see text)