Inyo National Forest / Kings Canyon National Park – Kearsarge Pass - July 20, 2013 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Inyo National Forest / Kings Canyon National Park – Kearsarge Pass |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | California |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | July 20, 2013 |
| Duration: | 1 day |
| Trail Conditions: | Good |
| Trail Traffic: | Light to Moderate |
| Trip Weather: | Partly Sunny, Partly Cloudy |
| Trip Winds: | Light to Moderate |
| Trip Precipitation: | None |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 81-90, Low: 41-50 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | Woke up to dead silence at the Diaz Lake Campground this morning, which was a real shocker given the intensity of the partying that transpired well into the wee hours of the night at the neighbors’ 10-campsite Mexican fiesta the night before. It was early, but it was already sweltering hot, which was further amplified by the fact we were bustling around in somewhat of a hurry. We were hoping to be one of the first in line at the Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center in order to secure a day-of backpacking permit for three of us. One of us already had a permit for the trip we were hoping for, but by the time the decision had been made for the rest of us to join him, the quota for the preregistration permits had already been met. We dropped off a squatter at the visitor center, while the rest of us remained at the campground to pack up and get ready for the trip. We had stocked up on supplies at REI in Las Vegas the day before, and had picked up a few last minute essentials (alcohol) at the Joseph’s Bi-Rite Market in Lone Pine the night before, where coincidentally the Colonel was amusingly shot down by the toothless checkout lady when he tried to entertain her with a lighthearted suggestive comment. In the end, the joke was on him, because she already had her eye on BC. It wasn’t long before we received a call from our squatter indicating the procedure for securing permits had changed and it was no longer on a first-come first-serve basis, but rather your place in line was determined by a lottery system where each group pulled a number out of a hat. We ended up with a lucky draw thanks to the Colonel, whose luck was apparently changing, and took our place fifth in line. We had no problem securing our preferred permit for the remainder of our party, and in no time we were off to Onion Valley Campground. The drive to the campground was steep to say the least, gaining almost exactly one mile in elevation over the course of the ½-hour drive up from Independence. Some of the switchbacks were treacherous, and we were thankful for the car getting us to this elevation safely, but we would soon discover travelling this terrain via foot with a backpack could be even more treacherous. The trail wasted no time introducing us to the ruggedness of the Eastern Sierras, gaining just over 2,600 feet in the first four miles. For this particular hike, Kearsarge Pass, at 11,823 feet, serves as the gateway between the John Muir Wilderness in Inyo National Forest and the beautiful backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park. We stopped here briefly to catch our breath, and then continued on for another 3.5 miles to our first backcountry campsite at Charlotte Lake. This lake, which includes a backcountry ranger station, is apparently quite popular, but it’s still peaceful. And according to rumors being spread by at least one of the backcountry campers while we were there, if you get up early enough, you might be surprised to find the female rangers bathing in the buff. Apparently, this guy had an affliction for glimpsing at bare butts, but we had only been away from home for two days, and weren’t necessarily compelled to get up early enough to see if the rumors were true. We set up camp, proceeded to slay some fish, and finished off the night with a couple beers and some Metro-seasoned pan-seared trout. Not bad for our first night in the backcountry. First Day Starting Elevation = 9,200 feet Ending Elevation = 10,370 feet High Point Elevation = 11,823 feet Total Distance = 7.7 miles |
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