2000 Onion Valley to Forester Pass

For various reasons, we decided to take it easy at the start of our backpack this year, not having backpacked for 5 years. Doing an out and back route would also give us some flexibility as to the length of the trip. And as an extra luxury, we arranged with the horse packers in Onion Valley to drop our week’s supplies at one of the Kearsarge Lakes so that we could hike over Kearsarge Pass with just a very light pack. We’d do the rest of the backpacking from there ourselves.

Our route, then, went over Kearsarge Pass with our first camp at Kearsarge Lakes. From there, we dropped down to Vidette Meadows via Bubbs Creek and Bull Frog Lake. From there we continued up Bubbs Creek Canyon on the John Muir Trail to a camping spot near the junction with the Center Basin Trail. This day was short enough to allow time for a side trip into Center Basin and Golden Bear Lake. We remained at this camp for 3 nights in total. The next day we spent exploring the area around Bubbs Creek with its areas of smooth granite with rushing water and a variety of wild flowers. Our last day at this camp was spent hiking most of the way up Forester Pass, with its expansive slopes of granite and sterile but imposing views. The next day we packed back to Vidette Meadows. This day/evening had its adventure; a mother bear and its cub wandered into our campsite while we were finishing dinner. It was a scare, but we all went our way without any damage. From Vidette Meadows it was back to Kearsarge Lakes for another night before packing back out over Kearsarge Pass to Onion Valley and our car.

Tuesday 8 August – Onion Valley to Kearsarge Lakes
Wednesday 9 August – Kearsarge Lake Basin to Vidette Meadows
Thursday 10 August – Vidette Meadows to junction of JMT with Center Basin Trail
Friday 11 August – Junction of JMT and Center Basin Trail – Layover day
Saturday 12 August – Junction of JMT and Center Basin Trail – Layover day
Sunday 12 August – Junction of JMT / Center Basin Trail to Vidette Meadow
Monday 13 August – Vidette Meadow to Kearsarge Lakes
Tuesday 14 August – Kearsarge Lakes to Onion Valley