John Muir Trail
(Onion Valley to Mammoth Lakes)
A hike of a section of the John Muir Trail, between Onion Valley and Mammoth Lakes (118 miles), June 2-11, 2018.
Timeline:
June 2, 2018. I had booked a taxi to pick me up at 9:30 from Mammoth Lakes and drop me off at Onion Valley. An old acquaintance, Joel, was driving. We picked up Philippe at his motel in Independence and drove to Onion Valley. There, we settled at the campground for a nice lunch and a nap. With 45lbs packs full of food for 10 days, we set out toward Kearsarge Pass at 14:40, reached the pass at 17:25 and were in camp at Charlotte Lake at 19:30. (A 4:50 hour day, 7 miles).
June 3, 2018. We left camp at Charlotte Lake at 10:10, reaching the top of Glen Pass at 12:30. I departed to climb the West Ridge of Mount Rixford after a quick lunch, at 13:00. I reached the summit at 14:30. I spent a few minutes on the summit and then started my descent, reaching Glen Pass at 15:46. I then proceeded to Rae Lakes, toward Woods Creek. Philippe had left a note on a trail sign saying he had proceeded to the Woods Creek bridge. Not wanting to hike in the dark, I stopped for the night a couple of miles before his camp. I found a wooded campsite right after fording a stream, at 20:00. (A 9:50 hour day, 11 miles including 1.6 to climb Mount Rixford).
June 4, 2018. I left camp at 6:32 and reached Philippe's at 7:14, waking him up from his slumber. We left at 9:00 and crossed the spectacular Woods Creek suspension bridge. We were atop Pinchot Pass at 15:56. We set up camp at a tarn just North of Lake Marjorie at 18:40. (A 12:08 hour day, 12.1 miles).
June 5, 2018. We left camp at 6:02, hiking toward Upper Basin and then up to Mather Pass. We reached the pass at 11:30. I opted to go straight up the snow at the base of the steep portion of the climb, while Philippe contoured right along the proper trail. We descended to the Palisades Lakes and took a break at the lower lake from 15:30 to 16:30. We were in camp in the woods near Deer Meadow, along Palisade Creek, at 18:00. (An 11:58 hour day, 13.2 miles).
June 6, 2018. We took our time in the morning, leaving camp at 9:45. We had a nice lunch of Ramen near the bridge over the Dusy Branch, and then proceeded up LeConte Canyon. We set up camp near a tarn below Helen Lake, resolving to get up early to go over Muir Pass and Evolution Basin before the snow got too soft. We were in camp at 17:45. (An 8 hour day, 12.5 miles).
June 7, 2018. We woke up at 1:25 and left camp at 2:20, hiking with headlamps toward Helen Lake and then Muir Pass. We were at Muir Hut at 4:57 and witnessed an amazing sunrise over the Goddard Divide and Evolution Range. We had coffee at the hut and descended to the far end of Evolution Lake, reaching at 9:15. There, we took a long break and had a nice meal. We set out again around 13:00, going down to Evolution Valley past Colby Meadow, McClure Meadow and Evolution Meadow. We stopped to camp at the bottom of the switchbacks after Evolution Meadow. We were in camp at 17:00 and in bed at 20:00. (A 14:40 hour day, counting the 3:45 hour break, 15.8 miles).
June 8, 2018. We left camp at 10:47 after a leisurely morning tending to gear and injuries. We stopped for lunch at 12:19 just after the bridge over Piute Creek, at the border of SEKI and the John Muir Wilderness. We stayed there for about an hour. We then proceeded up switchbacks to Heart Lake, just below Selden Pass. We were in camp at 18:30, and in bed at 20:30. (A 9:43 hour day, 12.4 miles).
June 9, 2018. It was a cold morning. We left camp at 8:30 and went over Selden Pass. We were greeted to wonderful views of the Western aspect of Seven Gables, Mount Hilgard, Mount Gabb, etc. We hiked over 15 miles to camp at 8,700ft below Silver Pass, near Pocket Meadow. There were numerous stream crossing, including a difficult fording of Bear Creek. We were in camp at 18:30 and in bed at 20:30. (A 10 hour day, 15.4 miles).
June 10, 2018. We left camp at 5:44, planning to go over Silver Pass before the snow got too soft. We reached Silver Pass at 8:41, then descended toward Fish Creek and into the spectacular Tully Hole. Philippe took a partial bath here while I proceeded up the steep switchbacks out of Tully Hole. From there the views of Red Slate Mountain, Red and White Mountain and the Silver Divide are outstanding. We went past Virginia Lake and Purple Lake, reaching Duck Lake at 17:30. We set up camp near the lake and I went for a dip in the lake. We spent the last evening finishing off our food. (An 11:46 hour day, 15.6 miles).
June 11, 2018. We left camp at 8:50 and proceeded the short way to Duck Pass, reaching it at 9:22. We were greeted to a view of Mammoth Mountain and the Ritter-Banner group. We proceeded down to Lake Mary, reaching the trailhead at 11:16. We started walking around Lake Mary toward Lake Mary Road but found a ride that took us to the corner of Minaret Road and Old Mammoth Road. We walked the rest of the way to my house, reaching it at 12:04. (A 2:26 hour day, 4.4 miles).
Philippe's report is here.
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