Eastern Sierra Getaway

Laura

freespirittraveler
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
961
Stan and I recently celebrated 9 years together by hiking in the Eastern Sierra. Nothing adventurous in this trip, just a lot of relaxation and enjoying the outdoors. The Sierra Nevada has two distinct regions-the Western Sierra, which is very forested and lush because it creates a rain shadow. The elevation is around 5,000 feet. The Eastern Sierra rises abruptly from the Owens Valley and climbs very steeply, up to 14,000 feet, and because the western side gets all the rain the Eastern Sierra is dry and rugged. It was formed by glaciers and uplift from tectonic plates and volcanic activity (which is still active-Mammoth Mountain periodically has to close areas when excess carbon dioxide escapes from cracks in the earth, and I've heard lava is only several hundred feet below the surface). As a result of its steepness, to get to any of the trailheads on the eastern side you switchback up roads that ascend 5,000 feet in just a few miles, and most trailheads are over 9,000 feet. Ours was 9,200. Since we didn't have an extra day to acclimate I started taking Diamox 48 hours before we were supposed to hike in, which I hate. It makes you dizzy, your extremities tingle, everything tastes weird, and it's a diuretic, so you're peeing all the time. What fun! But it beats altitude sickness, which I've had so many times Stan and I joke about me throwing up by the side of the trail.

Anyway, we drive from sea level to 9,200 feet in about 5 hours, and I can barely take one step at a time. But the Diamox started working, and soon I was hiking a slow but steady pace, and no signs of altitude sickness aside from normal being out of breath.

Backpacker.jpg

We were hiking the Kearsarge Trail, which is the eastern entrance to King's Canyon. It's a very popular trail, but there's a basin with beautiful lakes right off the trail which isn't on the map, and that was our destination. When we got there, we had the entire basin to ourselves.
Almost.jpg

The next morning I was feeling fine so we decided to join the herd and hike to Kearsarge Pass (11,760 ft). It was only a few miles, but in the open sun on a talus slope with no shade. I've gotten sick there before so I made sure I was drinking water like a camel in the Sahara. The views from Kearsarge Pass are incredible. This is looking into King's Canyon:

Kearsarge Pass.jpg

Due to the drought areas of the high sierra backcountry are accessible that usually have year round snow. The snowpack this year is only 25% of normal. This place can be snowed in on July 4.

There were a lot of people on the trail and we weren't optimistic about our chances of having our basin to ourselves when we got back, but again, we were the only ones there. We went au naturel and swam in our lake, then laid out on the rocks. There's something about being outdoors by yourself that makes even a swimsuit too much clothing. Stan and I are getting good at finding secluded lakes just off popular trails!

Green Lake.jpg

I brought a lens for night shots since the moon was at just the right phase, but being the Eastern Sierra there also are gusty winds (great for keeping mosquitos at bay, though!) Each night winds were gusting around 15 mph and I almost bailed on night shots, but I'm glad I didn't.
Tent under the stars.jpg

The next morning I got up and decided to check out the light on a nearby lake. July in the Eastern Sierra is terrible for photography, the light is harsh and there aren't any clouds, but I got to this lake early enough, and the light was coming in from the side, making everything an incredible green. No color enhancement, this is what it looked like!Sunrise at the Lake.jpg

We headed back to Lone Pine after this and had a steak dinner for our "anniversary". I was out by 8:30! All in all I think it's the best anniversary we've ever had.

Us on Kearsarge Pass:
Us.jpg

Oh yes, those shoes I'm wearing are supposed to be purple. The Eastern Sierra has a lot of dust!

Featured image for home page:
slide.jpg
 
Nice, good pics.
 
awesome photos & trip report!
 
awesome TR. Tess and I spent our anniversary backpacking too.
 
Nice TR Laura, the Eastern Sierra are one of my favorites including Kearsage Pass and you captured it well!
 
Can't believe how clear that lake looks. Awesome pics. Love night shot with the tent. Can't wait for a time when I can break away from Utah and experience the Sierras.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk
 
Can't believe how clear that lake looks. Awesome pics. Love night shot with the tent. Can't wait for a time when I can break away from Utah and experience the Sierras.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

You've GOT to experience the Sierras! Especially the Eastern side. Just about any entry point you pick will guarantee views like these.
 
I spent a lot of time around those parts when we lived in Mammoth. You captured it well. The night shot is spectacular.
 
Very nice report and photos. Love the night shot and the clarity of the water. Happy Anniversary.
 
Since I represent school employees work gets a little, uh, slooooow in July so here are a few more photos from the trip. Hopefully this will tide me over until my vacation at the end of July:

Crazy Eastern Sierra Road

Crazy Road.jpg

Most roads into the Eastern Sierra are like this, but this particular mountain faces the highway so the road zigzags right in front of you. This is the road to Horseshoe Meadow, it starts at about 3800 feet or so and finishes at just above 10,000 feet. Going up it feels like you're taking off in a plane as you watch the valley floor recede. You'd never guess by the desolate landscape in the valley what an amazing scene waits at the end.

Eastern Sierra Flowers
Sierra Flowers.jpg

I'm sentimental about this one because Stan asked me to take it. This is just about that amazingly green lake I posted pictures of earlier. The Eastern Sierra has lots of different types of flowers and they peak in late July. They don't seem affected by the drought-anything that lives in this type of harsh climate is going to be drought resistant.

Okay vacation, get here soon so I can take more pictures!
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Laura Rock Creek Cabins-Eastern Sierra Romantic Getaway! Everything Else 4
Tim Valentine Eastern Sierra Backpack 2023 Backpacking 16
Tim Valentine Big Pine Creek Eastern Sierra Backpacking 10
mikejones3 Northfork to Second Lake Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains Backpacking 5
K In Search of Snow in the Eastern Sierra Backpacking 3
balzaccom Buckeye Creek, Eastern Sierra on the 4th of July Backpacking 0
R Eastern Uinta Solo Trip Advice Request Trip Planning 5
texasbb Howdy from Eastern Washington Noobs: Introduce yourself! 1
fossana Eastern Sun Canyon to the Narrows (Zion NP) Canyoneering 4
chandlerwest Continuing Adventures in Eastern Zion National Park Hiking & Camping 31
JDWalters Guess the Spot: Eastern US Edition General Discussion 515
Titans Pharaoh Lake Wilderness - Brilliant Fall Foliage, Pond and Lake Reflections- Adirondacks, North Eastern US Hiking & Camping 20
JoshuaDyal Far eastern Uintas Trip Planning 4
Michael Outside the US ° A trip to the Wetterstein Mountain - Eastern Alps Everything Else 13
klank South Lake to North Lake - Eastern Sierras Backpacking 9
Joey Yellowstone's Lamar River, Hoodoo Basin, and Eastern Boundary Loop Backpacking 24
Nick Potter Lake, Eastern Uintas Backpacking 0
balzaccom Good Sierra History here General Discussion 1
Timber High Sierra - North Lake to South Lake Loop - Layover Day Trip Planning 9
balzaccom Sierra Myseries continue General Discussion 0
balzaccom Sierra Passes are opening General Discussion 0
NorthwestWanderer 8 Day High Sierra trek : Humphreys Basin, Star Col, Granite Park, Lake Italy & Piute Canyon 6/25-7/2/22 Backpacking 7
balzaccom Dry winter for the Sierra--again! General Discussion 0
Kerrie at Thru We Go Packraft Trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Trip Reports 3
balzaccom Sierra Mystery General Discussion 3
B 1-2 Night Sierra Trip Help Trip Planning 3
norwegianxplorer Hiking Sierra de las Nieves, Spain. Sunrise hike from Yunquera, Andalusia, Wild boar and Spanish Ibex Hiking & Camping 0
balzaccom My second mystery novel set in the High Sierra is now out! General Discussion 6
balzaccom Gibbs Lake, High Sierra Backpacking 2
Chuck the Mauler Sierra North Lake / South Lake "loop" questions Trip Planning 10
fossana Palisades Roundabout (High Sierra) Backpacking 12
fossana Evolution Loop (High Sierra) Hiking & Camping 10
balzaccom Mystery set in the High Sierra General Discussion 4
norwegianxplorer Summiting Mount Whitney from Guitar Lake, 6 Days backpacking the Sierra before the Creek Fire closed everything down. Backpacking 5
Tarp Boy High Sierra Camp Loop, Yosemite, CA Trip Reports 5
balzaccom Sierra (Nevada) Stories General Discussion 0
Perry Anyone Have any Experience with Sierra Designs Nitro 800 0-degree Sleeping Bag Gear 11
fossana Bear Lakes > Royce Lakes overnighter (High Sierra) Backpacking 12
J Cali: Cinder Cones, High Sierra Rambles, Famous Domes Oct 26-31, 2018 Hiking & Camping 3
fossana Pine Creek/Granite Park fall excursion (High Sierra) Hiking & Camping 14
wsp_scott A week in the Sierra Nevada Backpacking 23
Boognish Four days in the High Sierra Backpacking 10
scatman High Sierra Trail Backpacking 23
KevinBoyer South Lake to North Lake Sierra Nevada Trip Planning 4
balzaccom Trail work in the Sierra Backpacking 0
Tim Valentine Sierra 2017 Ansel Adams Wilderness Backpacking 11
scatman The Theodore Solomon's Trail (southern portion), Sierra Nevada - July 6, 2017 Backpacking 14
Tim Valentine High Sierra Lakes Tour Backpacking 11
isleroyaleguy 170 Miles in the Sierra Nevada Backpacking 22
Perry Sierra Designs High Route 1FL Tent - Looks interesting Gear 6

Similar threads

Back
Top