Kearsarge Pass
Back in mid-October an opportunity arose to return to the Sierras, so Jimmy and I joined Paul for what promised to be a relaxing time camping and hiking near Lone Pine. After stocking up on groceries and firewood we made camp at the Tuttle Creek Campground near Alabama Hills and Paul prepared a meal of salad with spaghetti and meatballs. (The menu was courtesy of Paul’s wife Lindsey.) While we ate and enjoyed the views of the night sky we made plans to stop by the Mt. Whitney Ranger Station in the morning to ask about hiking recommendations.
The rangers were extremely helpful, and after a number of recommendations for possible hiking trails, we knew that we would be hiking the trail from Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass as soon as it was mentioned.
The 5 mile trail took us from an elevation of approximately 9,200 feet to 11,760 feet, past five lakes, and across many ridges with majestic views. What made the hike even better was the fact that the weather was a sunny 70° with fresh snow at the higher elevations from a storm a few days before.
The next morning Paul and I trekked to Alabama Hills to photograph the sunrise on the Sierras. It was a fitting end to an incredible trip. Be sure to check out Paul’s blog for his posts on Kearsarge Pass and Alabama Hills.
