EISPIRATEN

This morning I was woken up in the middle of the night smelling smoke. The air quality was announced as "hazardous" but we had plans to drive to Onion Valley and hike Kearsarge Pass. We took our chances and the road towards the trailhead was spectacular. The air quality in this area was very clear.

Sunrise from the Bristlecone Motel in Big Pine.


Gilbert Lake
Heart Lake
Pot Hole Lake

Kearsarge pass 11,760'

IMO, Kearsarge has the best view of any pass in the Sierras.
Interesting that a John Muir Wilderness sign is at the pass, since there is one about a half mile from the trailhead.
btw, that's Big Pothole lake. Little Pothole is the first one on the trail, below the rock garden.

Jeff, thanks I got my Potholes mixed up lol

I was up there on Labor Day planned to hike Mt. Bago but ran out of time instead chilled out by Charlotte Lake. Really nice lakes on the other side of the pass. We also hiked up to Golden Trout Lake just below Mt. Gould as our warm up hike the day before.