Kearsarge Pass

Kearsarge Pass lies on the Sierra Crest at 11,709′ beyond Onion Valley (9,600’). Because Onion Valley usually has disappointing fall color, few collor spotters venture past it in search of autumn brilliance. Soyoung Kim was an exception, posting a First Report for Kearsarge Pass and making it Hike of the Week.

The pass (named after a nearby mine which was named in honor of USS Kearsarge which defeated CSS Alabama during the American Civil War) is a favorite hiking route that travels from Onion Valley in the Eastern Sierra, west to Kings Canyon National Park.

The Onion Valley is at 9,600′ though she found an Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja naja) still blooming at a high elevation. The wildflowers grow up to timberline, attracting hummingbirds to its tasty nectar, so wrote old friends Lynn and Jim Wilson in their guide, Wildflowers of Yosemite.