High Sierra Topix

Hello all. I went up to Rae Lakes from Onion Valley over the 4th of July weekend. It was my first time out there, and I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking for wonderful landscapes. We saw maybe 5 other people around the the Lakes that weekend, and traffic along the trail was sporadic.

The original plan was to take 4 days / 3 nights with camping at Charlotte Lake, Rae Lakes, and Kearsarge Lakes. But once over Kearsarge Pass, we just continued on over Glen Pass to the lakes.

Day 1 (Friday): 10 miles, from the Kearsarge Pass TH to Rae Lakes
Day 2 (Saturday): 5 miles, day hike to Sixty Lakes Basin area
Day 3 (Sunday): 10 miles, out to Kearsarge Pass TH

On Friday and Saturday, it was blue skies, sunny, temps in the mid 70s and dry. Night temps probably dipped into the mid-40s. The air pressure began to drop around 3am on Sunday morning, and by 6am, the skies were a dark grey. At 8am, it began to drizzle as a weather system was moving in from the north. We left Rae Lakes as it began to rain, and by the time we reached Glen Pass, the rain had stopped and the sky was clearing up. The clear air and cloud cover created amazing lighting for photographs.

Below are some photos I took. The entire set is here:

Sunrise from Grays Meadow Campground


Hiking up to Kearsarge Pass


Rae Lakes, Black Mountain, Painted Lady


Milky Way over Painted Lady


Mount Clarence King


Rae Lakes






Party on Glen Pass


no-name lakes north of and below Glen Pass


no-name lake south of Glen Pass


Heart Lake


Almost back at the TH


fco

Thanks Pako for the TR and pretty pictures. Were there a lot of JMTers and Rae
Lake Loopers at Rae Lakes?

Lovely landscape pics, thanks for sharing.

I think rae lakes are a bit more than 10 miles from onion valley. So kudos to you for making it on day one. Plus beautiful pictures!

Thanks for the report. I love the color in your photos. Did you feel rushed with only 3 days?

The hermit wrote:I think rae lakes are a bit more than 10 miles from onion valley. So kudos to you for making it on day one. Plus beautiful pictures!

Yes it is. According to precise GPS readings taken on the PCT & spur trails (eg Onion), it's exactly 22% further than 10 miles: 12.2 miles. So kudos to the OP.

For those interested in accessing precise PCT/JMT & spur trail measurements, including the main Whitney trail, Onion, Bishop, Mammoth, Yosemite valley and others, here's a link to Halfmile's mapping applications:

http://www.pctmap.net/google/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BTW, he's hiking the PCT again this year; here's his blog:

http://lon.net/2014/08/03/day-122/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great clarity in your photos. It looks like you had perfect weather the whole time. BTW, thanks Hobbes for the reminder about Halfmile's site.

Nice! Loving the photos. Great post.

Interesting, on a Tuesday hike, early to mid afternoon, in mid to late July, I encountered several dozen (if not more than one hundred) folks just in the couple-few miles from Rae Lakes (*I was* coming from Dragon Lake side trail somewhat near the Ranger station) to the stark tarn area just south of Glen Pass. I also saw a few people in the Kearsarge Pass area that day, but nobody anywhere else on an O.V.-Golden Trout Lake-Gould-Dragon Lake-Glen Pass-K. Pass loop. Maybe early July preceded the JMT/PCT/Rae Lakes Loop rush hour in that area I experienced. I also often wonder how crowded 4th of July really is in the backcountry. I always suspect it will be busy, but always give hiking a go anyway and actually end up seeing few people. Maybe some folks can't stand to miss fireworks and other social festivities. Others probably plan permits later than is most likely to encounter significant lingering snow.

Anyway, yeah, the Onion Valley packer told me Rae Lakes was about twelve miles via K. Pass and Glen Pass after I got back from my hike, so y'all were moving along pretty fast. Nice images; I need to get some up myself before I head out again.

*Edit for clarity*

You took some nice shots some beautiful wilderness! Rae Lakes in one day over Kearsage and Glen Passes - you have stamina, or maybe you are a climber. Are you saying that a large group of people were coming from Dragon Lake?