From PCT mile 789.7 to 791.0 Total: 14.5 miles 7/8
My 16th day on the trail was mostly concerned with a food resupply at Onion Valley, starting at my campsite at the Kearsarge Lakes, followed by slackpacking up and over Kearsarge Pass to my food stash down at the trailhead, then returning to my gear stash, packing everything together, and continuing on a couple of extra miles north on the PCT toward Glen Pass. All told, I had a very long day of hiking for only two miles net-NOBO, but at least I acquired plenty of food to keep me going.
After waking up early, I ate my last two packs of oatmeal, and headed up the hill toward the Kearsarge Pass Trail. Along the way I spoke to some fellow campers, and it turned out that two of them were Metal Tim and Little Engine, who I would be destined to hike with (off and on) over the following week or so. But I knew nothing of that at the time. They just seemed like a friendly couple with good attitudes. You get a lot of that out in the backcountry, by the way. They were hiking north that day toward the Rae Lakes, which I would get to tomorrow. I advised them to take a short cross-country route on an angle to Kearsarge Basin’s upper trail, which would save them needless climbing. The upper trail had much better views than the lower one. Then I headed directly up the Bullfrog Lake Trail to the junction with the high trail, since I had about 800 feet to climb that morning.
Once at the junction, I hiked up above the main trail to locate a suitable place to stash my heavier gear, like the tent, clothing, stove, and sleeping bag. People tend not to look up, let alone climb up, so uphill was best. A small clump of low pines did the trick. It was hollow inside, and I left a pile of gear in my big plastic pack-liner bag under some sticks, for purposes of camouflage. I kept my bear canister in the backpack, which was almost empty, as I would be refilling it soon enough. I also kept the ten essentials with me, including water, etc. I marked the GPS location on my CalTopo Map for the sake of thoroughness, even though it was within 100 feet of the junction.
It felt great to carry an uber-light backpack, and I fairly flew up the rest of the slope to Kearsarge Pass. It was still shady on the west side of the Sierra Crest, and quite pleasant. Once at the pass, I crossed out of Kings Canyon National Park and entered the Inyo National Forest, which runs all along the east side of the Sierra.
I’ve been on this trail countless times, and the hike down from the pass is always a pleasure, as there is a beautiful chain of lakes running all along Independence Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. I took the requisite selfie and other photos and videos at the pass, then began heading downhill.
I had 2600 feet to descend over the next 4.5 miles, and with this light pack I knew that it would be a fast hike indeed. I blasted past Big Pothole Lake, Heart Lake, Flower Lake, and Gilbert Lake. I didn’t take too many photos as I’ve shown them here on hikingtales numerous times. For example: A dayhike in 2011, an overnighter in 2016, a weeklong trek north in 2020, on the Rae Lakes Loop in 2019, several days trout fishing in 2022, and a weeklong trek to the Sixty Lakes Basin later on in 2022. In other words: Been there, Done that. This would be the seventh time!
I took a longer break about halfway down, just after Gilbert Lake. There was a talus crossing on the trail, and it was known (by me) to be a spot with cell phone signal. I took off my backpack and got out the phone. I called Vicki, as we hadn’t spoken in a week. Yes, we missed each other, and I tried inviting her to share this hike (as usual) and she politely declined as it was a bit too many miles-per-day for her style (also as usual). But at least I tried. In two weeks it would be our 40th anniversary, so we’d just have to survive being apart a bit longer until I drove back home.
After that, it was time to blast along once again, all the way down the many switchbacks to the Onion Valley Trailhead parking lot. I passed plenty of dayhikers heading uphill, and smiled at all of them. Life was good.
I made it to the parking lot and immediately found my food in one of the many large bear boxes. I left it there a week earlier, on my way north to Yosemite in my car. This saved me having to hitchhike down into town to the post office or store to get my food, which would take so long that I would need to spend the night in a motel. It saved me an entire day, in other words.
I looked around. The only decent shady spot for repacking my food was behind the cement lavatory building. Luckily, the wind was blowing in the right direction, and it was a great spot for resupplying my bear can. In less than an hour I was finished. I put the bear can in the backpack, the trash into a trash can, and some gear (including a depleted battery pack) back into the bear box. I would stop by and get it on the way home for my anniversary. I seriously considered leaving my MicroSpikes behind, but I didn’t. I should have, as it turned out that there was only minimal snow left on Muir Pass by the time I got there, but I didn’t know for sure. Better safe than sorry, I guess. And I ended up sorry that I carried a useless pound another 100 miles. Oh well.
I put on my backpack and headed back to the trail. It was time for the day’s big climb, and it was getting close to noon. There was a “heat dome” over California that week, and it was even hot up there in Onion Valley at 9300 feet. Lone Pine was setting records at 123 degrees! So glad I didn’t have to hitchhike down there! But it was going to be a toasty day, even in the High Sierra, and no mistake. And this climb was notorious for heat, especially the final exposed section leading to the pass.
So on I hiked. I didn’t let myself overheat, and paused in the shade when opportunity knocked. Shade-hopping is my normal mode of hiking mid-day. I took a long break before I was even halfway up. I filtered a few liters of water, as there was none up in the roasting zone. I also discovered that I had a blister on the ball of my left foot, which happens to me when I descend too rapidly, and that is what I did earlier. Live and learn. I put some leukotape on it, and hoped for the best. Then I continued plodding along up the trail. Always fix foot problems NOW; that’s the rule.
All that extra water really weighed me down, and my so-called “slackpack” full of food wasn’t helping. I slowed down even more on the final grind to the pass. Other dayhikers were pausing every fifty yards or so, just like me. Nobody was charging up that broiling hill this afternoon! Luckily, there was a bit of a breeze, and that’s what saved me. When I reached the pass, I didn’t even take off my backpack. I just stood there with my shirt open, letting the summit wind dry my sweaty torso. The tough part was over, but I still had miles left to go. So down into the basin I went.
I arrived back at the trail junction and headed for my gear stash. It was a relief to find it undisturbed. I wasn’t worried at all about my fellow backpackers, who wouldn’t take anything anyway (they’d have to carry it!); it was that annoying bear from last night. There wasn’t any food there, of course, but you never know. Maybe he’d remember how I chased him and try to exact revenge! But no. Everything was fine. I repacked my entire pack and hefted it on to my back. Oof! It was heavy. Just like it was a week ago. Ugh. I knew it would get lighter every day, but that didn’t help me now. Oh well. It was time to hike on.
The official Kearsarge Pass Trail was also the high trail that traversed along the northern side of the Kearsarge Basin. It was the only one that horses were allowed to use, and was the best route for heading north on the PCT. It also had great views the entire way, looking out over the Kearsarge Lakes and Bullfrog Lake, and, most importantly, it saved me from having to climb a few hundred extra feet from the lower trail. That’s a Win in my book.
It felt good to arrive on the Pacific Crest Trail. I was back in business! I’d only missed hiking about a half mile of trail, and I hiked it back in 2019 when Vicki and I did the Rae Lakes Loop. It wasn’t a very exciting section, to tell the truth. So I was happy to turn right and begin the final climb toward my chosen campsite. I originally planned to camp at the lovely lake just south of Glen Pass, but all that climbing took its toll on me. I checked the Far Out app, and there was a campsite about a mile or so north of the junction. It was uphill, of course, but not as much as the lake would have been. I checked my water, and I had enough to get me through the night, plus breakfast. I’d filter more in the morning from the lake.
Speaking of lakes, the PCT stayed high above Charlotte Lake, and the views were excellent. Some people camp down there while hiking the JMT or PCT, but it seems silly as it adds an extra 600 foot descent (and subsequent ascent) to get to and from the lovely lake. I’ve camped there, but I was heading to Charlotte Dome at the time, so it made sense.
Anyway, I have to admit that this “mere” mile or so took a lot longer than I expected. Or else it simply felt that way. Let’s be honest: By this time I was heartily sick of climbing in the hot sun, and every step was a minor misery. I knew that I’d feel better tomorrow, but this was today, and it was hot.
I was thrilled when I saw the campsite that I only read about on the app. True, it was a bit too close to the trail, but it had some awesome shade. Finally! I was out of the sun. I put down my heavy food-filled backpack with relief. Time to set up camp and start lowering the weight of the bear canister, by eating its contents! And that’s exactly what I did.
By this time, the afternoon was turning into evening, and the air was cooling off a bit. Only one or two hikers went by, heading north. I told them about the great spots up by the lake, the ones I wimped out on. They laughed, but they also made it there, as I found out the next morning. But I was still happy, as there was a fantastic view down the Charlotte Creek valley of Charlotte Dome. Rock climbers ascend its face on occasion, as it’s considered to be one of the best climbs around. I decided to simply enjoy its beauty.
After that, I went into the tent and took some notes about today, and considered tomorrow’s plan. I would be ascending Glen Pass in the morning, dropping down to the lovely Rae Lakes, and continuing down Woods Creek to the amazing suspension bridge. Oh yes. It was going to be yet another fine day in the High Sierra.
For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page
<< Back to Day 15 Onward to Day 17 >> 
hikingtales.com 