Hi Ellen,
Jean and I's normal loop is about 12 miles down from the tram past Willow Creek to Saddle Jct and then back up through Wellman Divide to the tram. It adds another 1.2 miles to add in Laws Camp but there is water available there.
I believe that the longest loop up there would be down through Law's Camp, Chinquapin Flat, Saddle Jct, Strawberry Jct, up through LRV to the summit of Mt San Jac, back down to Wellman Divide and then back to the tram. It should be a little over 24 miles. The initial part of the hike is an elevation drop from around 8900 to 7400 at Laws Camp. From there you gain another 1100ft to Chinquapin Flat before dipping 500ft to Saddle Jct. Then the fun begins again. You gain about 900ft climbing out enroute to Strawberry Jct. but then lose it again as you turn westward and down to arrive at Strawberry Jct.
From here its mostly up now and it you catch the 8:00am car up then its around 2:30-3:00pm and we are in the heat of the day. A little over 2 miles north you arrive at the Marion/PCT/7 Pines Jct. It sits at about 8600ft, you've covered 15.5 or so and its time to push on up to the San Jac summit. You gain about 2200ft in 3 miles but get the greatest of views. You also get the benifit of knowing everything else from here to the tram is down hill.
SS mentioned on an earlier post about doing this loop counter clockwise. The idea has merit in that the trees are saved for the afternoon and there would be emergency water at Laws Camp.
An old desert rat has offered to guide me on a route out of Snow Creek that pops out close to the Long Valley ranger station. I'd like to get that out of the way before it gets too hot. If that falls through then I'll be up there doing something or another. There's just so many trails and so few hours on the weekend.
I was hot coming down Devil's Slide.
I should probably frame it.
?
