Southern Sierra: Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, or High Sierra Route

Halfmile maps g and h
I could write a novel on these sections alone. There is not enough attention span to read all of the information I want to write on section g and h. But I need to speed up this research process so I will just hit the highlights.

First up, South Sierra Wilderness which is managed by Sequoia National Forest and Inyo National Forest. It includes Kennedy Meadows, check out the website video, it's goofy and cute.
We move from the South Sierra Wilderness to Inyo National Forest which is the home to Mount Whitney, you know, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. I am way too pumped to climb it. Of course this is a side trip from the PCT, if you stay overnight or decide to walk east of Mount Whitney to Lone Pine you need a permit. As you can imagine, it's probably going to be quite busy. There is no way I am not climbing Whitney. It's only 250ft (76m) taller than my last 14er and I will have 767mi (1235km) of training.
Map H is the first big trail decisions, but not the last. Do you follow the John Muir Trail and the PCT to the right after Kearsarge Pinnacles or do you take the High Sierra Alternate route? Along the High Sierra route is Charlotte Dome, the Palisade Basin, Goethe Cirque, Mt Ritter and much more. It rarely goes below 10,000ft (3048m) and it take a lot more navigation skills (Beta). Along the JMT and PCT you see Mt Clarence King, Mt Pinchot, Mt Darwin, Evolution Lakes and much more. They intersect and cross each other several times. Once at Kearsage Pass, Sixty Lake Basin, Le Conte Ranger Station/ Bishop Pass Trail, Evolution Lake, Tully Hole, Devil's Postpile National Monument, Tuolumne Meadows. At Devil's PostPile, you can also choose whether to follow the John Muir Trail rather than the PCT or the High Sierra Route. After Tuolumne Meadows the High Sierra Route goes north to Twin Lakes and the PCT continues West and the John Muir Trail continues to Yosemite Valley/Curry Village. I will study each route and probably end up with a combination route of my own depending on what I would like to experience. Some of these decision I will leave up to future, on-the-trail me. If I feel like taking the JMT to Half Dome then I will, for now, I'm just trying to give myself to information I need to make smart decisions.
Sixty Lake Basin; photo from Leor Pantilat's Adventures

Devil's Postpile National Monument made of columnar basalt; photo from Open air and Sunshine

Flora:
There are two radically different environments to be experienced depending on elevation. Below 11,000ft (3350m) there will be lodge pole pines, jeffery pines, red firs, bristlecone pines (Inyo National Forest protects the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest with the oldest known living bristlecone pine on earth), and low woody shrubs, but as we climb higher the plants get closer and closer to the ground and we will begin to see alpine flowers and shrubs.
Take note and report these rare native gems: gunsight clarkia

goosefoot yellow violet

ceanothus pinetorum or kern ceanothus

Fauna:
Look out for Monache Mule Deer, Sierra Nevada Red Fox, Pine Martens, Mountain Lions, and black bears. According to some trail notes from On the Trail, there are aggressive bears between Little Pete Meadow and Big Pete Meadow camping grounds.

Rock Climbing:
There is a rock climbing spot on the other side of Owens Peak named Indian Wells Canyon. From the trail you head east to the Owen Ridge line. There looks to be climbing to be found all along the ridge back but not a lot of people frequent it because of the difficult approaches and pockets of rotted granite. There are some long routes but not hard routes. I will have to watch my hand placement, but this seems like a great place to have some adventure time.

There is a place we will be somewhat close to but still too far away to really call it "off the trail." It's the Needles/Kern River area and it's basically the Big Rock Candy Mountain of climbing in the Southern Sierra's. Routes are everywhere and you get the see the Kern River Valley which is gorgeous AND there are bouldering routes over deep water…sounds like heaven. I may have to come back and visit this one. I don't think I will have enough time to get over there, enjoy it, and get back to the trail. It's the sort of place where I would want to have a kayak, mountain bike, and climbing gear and live there for a week or two.
The Horseshoe Lake area provides numerous sport climbs, bouldering around June Lakes, bouldering in Tuolumne Meadows, Lembert Dome, and alpine climbs where ever you look.