Kearsarge Pass (11,760′), July 18 2015

posted in: Photos, Trip Report
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I had originally planned for an overnight trip to Mt. Langley, but after several cancellations, I decided that I would just take on several day hikes solo. Looking at a list of possible hikes in the area, I decided on Kearsarge Pass for day 2 of my trip, with the possibility of some class 2 and 3 scrambling to Mt. Gould.


The Plan

Here are the stats I had compiled going into the hike:

Kearsarge Pass (11,760′) and Mt. Gould (13,012′)

  • Onion Valley > Kearsarge Pass > Mt. Gould: ~11 miles RT || Duration: ~7-8 hrs || Net Elevation Change: ±3,812′ || Max Elevation: 13,012′
  • Sections: 
    • Little Pothole Lake Overlook
      • 1.35 miles RT || 1,000′ climbing
    • Gilbert Lake
      • 2.0 miles RT || 1,355′ climbing
    • Flower Lake
      • 2.25 miles RT || 1,525′ climbing
    • Heart Lake
      • 3.0 miles RT || 2,085′ climbing
    • Big Pothole Lake Overlook
      • 3.6 miles RT || 2,655′ climbing
    • Kearsarge Pass
      • 4.0 miles RT || 3,015′ climbing || 11,760 max elevation
    • Mt. Gould
      • 9.0 miles RT || 4,267′ climbing || 13,012 peak elevation

 The Outcome

I spent the morning in the Alabama Hills, snapping a few photos of Mt. Whitney. By the time I had eaten breakfast and gotten my gear together, I wasn’t feeling very motivated and considered spending the day at Whitney Portal hanging out with friends instead of hiking. I eventually convinced myself that I’d be disappointed later if I didn’t get out for a hike.

I started hiking around 9:30 and only stopped to take photos on my way to the Kearsarge Pass. My legs were tired and energy level was low, so I decided to eat lunch and take a break once I reached the pass. As I started to pack up my stuff and start the scramble towards Mt. Gould, the temperature seemed to quickly drop. Looking behind me, I saw fast-moving clouds coming into the area and it looked like it was raining in the distance. Having no idea how quickly the rain would reach us or how bad it would be, I decided to save Mt. Gould for another day.

Onion Valley Campground to Kearsarge Pass (as measured):

  • 10.4 miles RT || Duration: 6.5 hrs total (3 hr ascent, 30 min break, 2 hr descent)


Gear

On this hike I used the same gear that was also carried on my Bishop Pass & Mono Pass Peak hikes.


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