Mono Pass (THE Pass)

(GPS: N37 25.545 W118 46.340)

Before I get into this one let me just say that I got hit hard with the sickness during the past few days. I started to feel it about the time I put up the last blog, but then it really hit me hard after that. I have not had much sleep the last few nights, but I think my body is in recovery mode. I do not feel bad now, but I am fatigued. I had something about two months ago, but that was more of a sore throat with congestion. I thought I would be invincible for another year, but I guessed wrong. In any case, I am a little behind on putting up the next few blogs and some of you have sent e-mail I have not responded to yet. Give me another day or two and I should catch up. Hopefully, anything I write about will not sound as delusional as I have felt in the past few days.

In the last blog I was really getting close to the pass. When I finally reached the end I turned around and looked back.

Then I looked on my right side to all the granite rocks. I think people that enjoy the Mt. Whitney Trail would like this hike because it is that same type of situation with this type of rock on your side.
This is what I was happy to see. This was the very end to the pass. When I got there the icy snow was not as issue, but I had seen pictures someone had taken from a month earlier when the area was covered with snow.
So, what did I have to reward me on my quest to get to the pass? All you get is a sign that greets you by saying something about no campfires above 10,000 ft. I looked back to where I just come from.
The interesting thing about this pass is it feels like being on a beach with mountains right next to you. Of course, one can continue on the trail. I will come back to that in another few blog entries.
However, the main reason I came here was I wanted a nice mountain climb to get me in the mood for further mountain hikes I would do. Of course, if you have followed this blog since last September you would know that did not work out very well due to the Yosemite fire which really messed things up. In the next few blog entries I will show my climb up Mt. Starr.

For the final time, the video of the hike to Mono Pass:

Mono Pass (Little Lakes Valley) Hike (Youtube Version)

Mono Pass (The Final Ascent to the Pass)

This is the second part of what I started in the previous blog entry. At this point I was encountering the "moon crater" look to the mountain side. No more trees or streams at this point. Just sandy scree and granite rocks. I was glad to be at this point, but knew there would definately be more trail until I got to the pass.
These huge rocks were right above. It was kind of like, "I hope nothing changes at this moment, or I will be the nail that gets hit by a huge hammer."
I went further then took a look back. There appears to be something that was a small lake or is a lake for some of the year down below.
Then on my left side I saw the moon just above the ridgeline.
In the next blog I will show the pass itself. I am going to post the same video from last entry which cover the whole hike:

Mono Pass (Little Lakes Valley) Hike (Youtube Version)

Mono Pass (Little Lakes Valley from Mosquito Flat Trailhead)

(GPS: N37° 26.110 W118° 44.830)

Okay, it is time to get rolling on another hike. There will be a series of blog entries to get this one done. I really had to narrow down a lot of pictures, which was difficult, but this should do the job. The video is listed at the bottom and should cover the next few blog entries.

Let me start by mentioning the name of this hike is kind of confusing. If you go back a few months you may remember I already did "Mono Pass" in Yosemite. For quite some time if I had heard someone say "Mono Pass" that is what I would think they were talking about. There are two different and completely separate Mono Passes. This one I am going to talk about is south of the one in Yosemite outside of Tom's Place off the HWY 395. Some months back I was reading something online where the events took place at this Mono Pass, but the pictures were at the one in Yosemite. Alright, I hope that makes sense, let's go...

I was up early enough in the morning to get to the trailhead without hassle. The Mosquito Flat Trailhead (10,000+ elevation) is the highest one you can get to by car in the Eastern Sierra. It is a popular beginner introduction to the Sierra for this reason. I had heard about the final mile to the trailhead and was sort of nervous about what I would expect. Although it is paved it it is a one lane road where you have to watch out for oncoming cars. I did not have to pull out into any of the turnouts since I did not encounter anyone coming out. It really was not a big deal, but I wanted to get hiking and not worry about car issues. I have a real issue about worrying about my transportation when I do these hikes. Sometimes getting to the trailhead is more work than the hike itself.

Not too far outside of the trailhead the obligatory stream shot took place.
Not too much further I was into the John Muir Wilderness. Then, I started getting more elevation. In the next picture, Mt. Morgan is on the left and a bunch of the little lakes below. Most of the families I encountered on the way back were heading to those lakes. Someday, when I go back, I will probably take that trail below which is easier (unless you go really deep into the canyon) that tours most of the lakes below.
Rock Creek Canyon is very beautiful. There are lots of high mountains surrounding the area. Here is a pond I passed by.
The trail goes up higher and higher up switchbacks. The whole hike reminds me of a massive upside down U-turn. I continued up going to my right most of the time. Less and less trees, and more and more granite rock.
Earlier, I encountered a trail split. To the left would take me to Ruby Lake where I met some while coming down telling me they were going to camp there. I only saw this Lake from above. I show a little more of this in the video.
I finally made the turn that would take me to Mono Pass.

Much more work would be needed to get back there, but once I cleared this corner I would be able to see the final ascent to the pass.

Mono Pass (Little Lakes Valley) Hike (Youtube Version)