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hike Kearsarge Pass, Onion Valley, California

The 4.0-mile trail to 11,760-foot Kearsarge Pass switchbacks up a sunny slope towards its namesake mountain pass, providing access to a sparkling High Sierra lake basin, the John Muir Wilderness, and the dramatic backcountry mountain scenery of Kings Canyon National Park—superb destinations for any day hiker.

Begin your hike at the trailhead located at the end of Onion Valley Road (Market Street in town), a 13-mile drive from the town of Independence, California—starting at an elevation of 9,189 feet, you might already feel breathless …

Natural Born Hikers

Here’s the winding road that gets you up to over 9000ft.

trailhead

Quickly you reach that wonderful stoney Sierra landscape. I saw far more fishermen than hikers. Dogs are allowed as far as the Pass.

Sierra-waterfall

Rain threatened.

rain-clouds-over-the-mountain

But it just seemed to not be able to get over the mountains.

Sadly, I never made it to the “Pass” itself at 11,823ft. The snow was still heaped close to the top.

snow-on-the-trail

See all my photos from this half day hike.

Onion Valley was named one of the 10 best hikes in the Eastern Sierra.

But famed local author R. J. Secor pooh-poohed this hike, I read. He disparages it as over popular.

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that’s not Death Valley …

It was cool and cloudy in the Eastern Sierra today.

Nice.

I did several short hikes in the mountains today as a warm-up for Death Valley.

Rick McCharles with Mt Whitney in the background
Rick McCharles with Mt Whitney in the background

I’m staying tonight at the excellent new hostel in Lone Pine.

Early Sunday morning I’ll start Telescope Peak in Death Valley. (14mi return)

I’ll tent one night high up where it’s cooler.

Telescope Peak at 11,049 feet is the highest point in Death Valley National Park. The elevation gain from the valley floor to the summit is over 11,300 feet. This extreme elevation change is exceeded in the United States by Mt. Rainier at 11,600 feet, Mt. Fairweather in Glacier Bay National Park at 15,300 feet, and Mt. McKinley’s north slope at 17,000 feet.

Death Valley National Park Hiking Page

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where to hike in Death Valley?

Perhaps Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes?

dunes

Gary Hayes – larger version

Death Valley unfortunately lived up to its name earlier this week, when an Ohio hiker failed to return from a day trip in the park.

On Tuesday morning, May 19, employees at Death Valley National Park received a report of an overdue hiker in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stove Pipe Wells Village. The dunes in that area rise nearly 100 feet above the surrounding desert. …

National Parks Traveler

I’ll be careful.

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best Bay Area trails

From Tom Mangan of Two-Heel Drive:

Best of the best in Bay Area trails:

  • Berry Creek Falls Loop, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. …

  • Dipsea Trail to Matt Davis Trail from Stinson Beach, Mount Tamalpais State Park. …

  • Three Peaks, Mount Diablo State Park. …

  • High Peaks Trail, Pinnacles National Monument. Not exactly Bay Area, …

  • Tomales Point, Point Reyes National Seashore. …

  • Angel Island State Park. …

  • Point Lobos State Preserve, south of Monterey. …

    • These are my favorite hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve done them all a few times. Links at the end of each item go to guide books and professionally produced maps available at Amazon.com and its partner retailers. …

    Best of the best in Bay Area trails

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    Pinnacles National Monument trek – trip report

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    review – Trekking in the Everest Region

    Caroline from Trailblazer sent me a review copy of the latest edition of their Everest trekking guide. (Published March, 2009)

    I read it on high while tenting on Mount Lady MacDonald.

    Trekking in the Everest Region

    Amazon – Trekking in the Everest Region, 5th

    For any hiker wanting to plan a Chomolungma adventure, there is no better resource.

    Expedition, Teahouse or Independent?

    Route options depending on when you go. And how long you can stay in Nepal.

    Terrific maps.

    I have no complaints at all. This is an excellent guide.

    The author Jamie McGuinness is expert, one of the most experienced trek leaders in the country. Based in Kathmandu, Nepal, he manages a trekking and climbing company. And has summitted Everest three times.

    The main alternative, Trekking in Nepal by Stephen Bezruchka, has not been updated since 1997.

    My next trip to Nepal will be to the Everest region. I’ll teahouse trek independently, carrying a very light pack, deciding on my exact route once there.

    And I’ll be using the Trailblazer Guide.

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    GU Energy Chomps – like gummy bears

    … I’ll be sure to pack some GU for the run and mtb leg, as well as some of GU’s new Chomps, which are like gummy bears, but with lots of calories as we’ll need. …

    Gear Junkie – Athlete Interview: Mike Kloser

    GU-Chomps

    GU Chomps utilize GU Energy Gel’s proven blend of carbohydrates, amino acids, antioxidants and electrolytes
    in a chewable form. …

    GU Energy

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    scrambling Lady MacDonald, Canmore, Alberta

    I was looking for a good first hike of the season. And a chance to test my full set of gear.

    My original plan of scrambling Ha Ling, then wild camping, was abandoned after I heard about a better option from local hiker Kelly Mock.

    In fact, I walked out Kelly’s front door directly to the trailhead and up the mountain to this gorgeous vista.

    teahouse-view

    … Just above the treeline you’ll find a large helicopter landing pad, a steel ramp for paragliders, and the remains of a teahouse that was being constructed but is now abandoned. A gazebo just to the east of the teahouse sits on the edge of a large cliff. The views from here are spectacular. A number of hikers end their hike here as it’s already been a hard push to get this far, and the scree slope above can be daunting for non-scramblers. …

    TrailPeak – Mount Lady MacDonald

    Actually, it’s an easy and popular hike straight up to the ill fated teahouse. Most do not go higher as it’s recommended you have mountaineering skills on the ridge.

    That’s not far wrong. The slippery scree takes you up to a knife edge ridge with killer views into the Cougar Creek drainage. In summer it’s merely daunting.

    Lady-MacDonald
    flickr – Marc Shandro – larger version

    In the Spring it’s hairier. It looks like you might fall right through the melting cornice at spots.

    MacDonald-in-April
    flickr – iHeartDimSum – larger version

    I stopped when I got to the snow.

    Lady MacDonald is a terrific option for fit hikers. Each in your group can stop where they want. Most will relax at the teahouse or the gazebo until the adventurous return from the ridge.

    This is a good hike with dogs. Don’t let them chase after the resident mountain sheep.

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    Tour de Mont Blanc trip report

    The Tour of Mont Blanc is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

    Marc Sebastian Pelzer has done 3 TMBs since 2003, in 2007 remembering to bring his wife Romana.

    hikers

    Marc posted an excellent trip report of their 2007 adventure:

    Approximately 175 kilometers and 12,000 vertical meters ascent and descent around the mountain massif of Mont Blanc in the triangle of France, Italy & Switzerland. This is Europe’s most beautiful trekking tour. The “Tour Du Mont Blanc”. …

    Marc

    … Each stage was different than the previous one and had its own unique character. Each stage was a sporting challenge. On average, we went about 15 kilometers per day and completed to 1000 meters of altitude ascent and descent. …

    trip report – original German

    trip report – Google translated to English