From another excursion up and over Kearsarge Pass.
Category Archives: trails
Up and Over Kearsarge Pass
Poised on a glacial bench a dozen miles west, and few thousand feet above Independence, California, Onion Valley is the starting point for many a Sierra adventure. Kearsarge Pass provides relatively quick and easy access to the heart of the Sierra, and the more technical passes south and north of Kearsarge can be used by mountaineers to access peaks along the crest, or basins on the west side of the crest.
It is an area that is dramatically alpine, and I have returned again and again to climb peaks such as Independence Peak and University Peak and to hike, run and explore. One Summer Phil Warrender and I did a trans-Sierra hike that started here and took us over University Pass, Andy’s Foot Pass (13,600′), Milly’s Foot Pass, Longley Pass and Sphinx Pass, ending at Cedar Grove. We went superlight (about 15 lb. packs w/o ice axe), did as much cross-county as possible, and climbed a few peaks along the way.
Today Miklos, Krisztina and I were doing a reconnaissance hike/run up and over Kearsarge Pass, and down into the Kearsarge – Bullfrog – Charlotte Lakes basin, and back. The idea was to pick a time when the Kearsarge Pass trail would be mostly free of snow, but when much of the surrounding terrain would still be accented in white.
What a day! Perfect temps, little wind, excellent trail conditions, super scenery, and absolutely outstanding trail running.
Here are a few photographs:
Big Pothole Lake from the east side of Kearsarge Pass. Nameless Pyramid (right) and University Peak (left) on the skyline.
View west from Kearsarge Pass over Kearsarge Lakes and Pinnacles to Mt. Brewer (left), North Guard (middle) and Mt. Francis Farquhar (right) on the skyline.
Kearsarge Lakes and Pinnacles from the north.
Miklos and Krisztina above Bullfrog Lake. East Vidette is the prominent conic peak. Deerhorn Mountain is at the head of the recess to the right of East Vidette.
Scrambling above the John Muir Trail about a mile from Glen Pass. Charlotte Dome is in the distance.
Here’s a Google Earth image and a Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of our route.
Cheeseboro Canyon Prickly Poppy
Prickly poppy (Argemone munita) in upper Cheeseboro Canyon.
From today’s run of the Cheeseboro Canyon keyhole loop, starting from the Victory trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).
Here’s a Google Earth image of a GPS trace of the loop, and links to trail maps for Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve and Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons.
Owens Peak from Walker Pass
A good way to think of this adventure is as an excellent 17 mile trail run on the PCT north from Walker Pass (5217′), combined with a three mile scramble up and down the rocky southwest ridge of Owens Peak (8453′).
Based on the expanse of granite seen from Hwy 395, I had visualized the southwest ridge of Owens Peak as a somewhat vegetated but relatively clean ridge. Wrong! The ridge is a geologically complex mix of fractured metamorphic, metavolcanic and gabbro rock capping the granite of Owens Peak. In most areas the rocky sections of the ridge are bounded by dense brush and pinyon pine.
We pretty much stuck to the crest of ridge on the way up, continuing up and over the steep outcrop just below the summit. Although it was an interesting section to climb, the outcrop was quite loose, and we dropped below it on the descent.
Owens Peak is relatively isolated, and the views from the summit are sweeping. To the north we could see Mt. Whitney, Mt. Langley, Olancha Peak, and the windblown crest of the Sierra between Army and New Army Pass.
Not everyone would see the positive aspects of doing a 10 mile route to a peak that could be done in only 3.5 miles — or enjoy the ups and downs, and somewhat tedious route-finding along a brushy and crumbling ridge. It’s an acquired taste. It was good to share the experience with enthusiastic friends who were still smiling as we jogged down the last yards of trail to the car.
Here’s a Google Earth image and a Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of our route. GPS reception was weak at times on the way up and the track has been edited to remove some of the larger errors.
Note: After the Spring snowmelt, it appears there are no natural water sources on the PCT between Walker Pass and Owens Saddle (mile 8.6), or on the ridge.
Related post: PCT North of Walker Pass
Eagle Rock – Topanga State Park
Mammoth Mountain reports more than a foot of snow fell over the Memorial Day weekend but that translated to cool, puffy white clouds and blue sky weather in the Los Angeles area, seldom seen this late in May.
Taking advantage of the great weather on Sunday my son and I ran the Garapito figure-eight course in Topanga State Park. We did a slight variation that climbs Eagle Rock before descending the Garapito Trail.
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s revised state budget, released May 14, rescinded the funding cuts that would have closed 48 California state parks, including Topanga State Park. For now, it appears these state parks will remain open.
Some related posts: Eagle Rock Silhouette, Eagle Rock and Clouds
Grasslands Canvas
View of Grasslands and Talepop trails in Malibu Creek State Park from the Las Virgenes View Trail. The Talepop Trail is on the ridge in the middle distance. The Grasslands Trail runs along the base of the hill.