Saturday, Aug 6, 2022
Start: campsite 1mi from Kearsarge Pass
End: Onion Valley trailhead
Miles: 5.5
Elevation gain/loss: 682’/2608′
We slept in until 6:30am, took our time prepping for the day, and headed out at 8am. We climbed the last mile up to Kearsarge Pass, took some pictures, and then headed down towards the trailhead. We arrived at 12:15pm, used the privies, changed into our cleaner night shirts, and then found ourselves some shade while we waited for cars to drive by.
The first 2 cars didn’t have space but stopped to say they’d take us if they had room. The 3rd car stopped for us, but clearly one of the three people didn’t want to stop for us so it was a little awkward. But they took us to Big Pine when we’d initially been told they’d only take us to Independence.
In Big Pine, we ate some snacks from the gas station and then stood out by the road with a cardboard sign to hitch to either Bishop or Reno. We lucked out and after 5 minutes, Julie stopped and picked us up. She lives in Chester and is very familiar with giving rides to PCT hikers; she was heading home and offered to take us all the way to Reno! We had a relaxed 4-hour drive north up to Reno with good conversations and a lunch break at a deli in Lee Vining. We then spent the night at our Reno friends’ house, doing laundry and showering, and planning for the next chapter of our CA adventure!
Transcending Mountains 