At the pass, the first ones are toward the PCT which is 3.5 miles below. Note: Bullfrog Lake is below with the clear edges and icy center.
Panoramic image
Individual images
The second one is towards the valley where I had to hike 5 miles to the trailhead and get a hitch 15 miles to Independence CA.
Heading off the trail to Independence CA for resupply via Bullfrog Lake trail. It was a 3.5 mile climb to Kearsarge Pass, then a 5 mile descent to the trailhead, and a 15 mile hitch to Independence CA.
This is just one of hundreds of indescribably beautiful views you see each day.
Climbing to Forrester was a bit unsettling especially at the end when I had to cross the snow chute. One misstep and down you go. I had to focus, look straight ahead and not look down. Step, place pole, step. … done. Next I had to negotiate a few more small switchbacks and a snow drift across the trail. Then at the top I looked out toward the other side of the pass, the northern side, and was covered in a recent snow fall and the trail was obliterated. Argh! All by myself I had to decide what to do. Where do I go? There is no trail. Do I give up? How do I make progress when there is no trail. Then I saw the footsteps below and on the left. I decided to follow them carefully one-step-at-a-time. I had to walk for miles on the sloped snow and get to a lower altitude somewhere near that distant forest. I knew that one misstep and I’d slide for thousands of feet. Even after I got down to a somewhat lower altitude I postholed until my feet and pants were soaked and I still couldn’t find the trail. Then while on a distant ridge I looked down and saw the trail far far below. Whew! I’m saved and in a little while I was back on the trail. At the end of the day I was totally exhausted.
My first pass and it is the highest point on the PCT at 13,200 feet above sea level. It was a five mile climb to get to the pass. Can you see the switchbacks leading up to the pass?
This is my view as I ate my mid-morning snack. Gorgeous!
We hikers don’t need no stinkin’ bridge. We just wade across without our shoes on and with our packs unsnapped. The water was so cold afterwards I couldn’t feel my toes for minutes.
Been climbing a lot around 9,000 – 11,500 feet above sea level. Lots and lots of huffing and puffing. But the views have been spectacular.
At 10,700 feet above sea level I sat and ate my lunch here looking out on the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. Oh did I mention that it was one heck of a climb to get here – just up and up and up.
