chandanlog(3C): Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass

09 Oct 2006 Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass

A beautiful glacier carved valley, Kennedy Meadows is near Sonora Pass on highway-108. Last Friday night, we (an eight member trekking team from Stanford Outing Club) camped in Pine Crest campgrounds off highway 108. Temperature had reached subzero levels during night, and we could see ice formation on stagnant water. In the morning, mist was fuming out of a small lake next to the campgrounds - it was mystical!

On Saturday morning we found that Sonora Pass was closed due to slippery snow covered road. We turned back towards Kennedy Meadows. A small horse friendly resort camp, while far from the touristy Yosemite, reminded of the Yosemite Valley. An elderly gentleman on a bicycle recommended a hiking trail going south east on the meadows.

The trail frequented by horses had horse dung sprewn all the way. The unpaved trail with rough rocks on side had and smell of horse excreta created an old world aura. Imagine how it might have been when horses empowered travel and transportation.

Two foot bridges on the trail crossed the hilly Stanislaus River. High above our heads hovered snow topped mountains - Relief Peak (10530ft) and NightCap Mountain (10,000ft)

On the way out of nowhere appeared a totally closed PG&E cabin (can be seen on google map). It was picturesque. We stopped on top a boulder peak, which had mountains on all three sides and valley of Stanislaus river on the West. When we returned to the basecamp, the same gentleman was there to enquire if we enjoyed our hike - we certainly did.

Sunday we stopped at New Melones Lake near Tuttletown for a short hike. After having lunch at the lake shore picnic area, headed back home.

More pictures, Saurabh's Pictures, Sumanth's Pictures

Link | Comments [6]

Comments:

Great pictures of a great trip. My family is in Sequoia Nat'l Park and Carson Pass so this makes me quite nostalgic. If you have an opportunity to get to the eastern Sierra in the next few weeks, do it. Cold weather, but wonderful trout fishing and the Aspens turn like no other place on earth!

noel

Posted by Noel on October 09, 2006 at 10:17 PM PDT #

Fantastic snaps. The PG&E Cabin,in particular, stands frozen in time. Tranports you to a different century. Seems like a must-visit place. Great work.

Posted by Bharath R on October 09, 2006 at 11:41 PM PDT #

Hey, Interesting blog, keep making waves. It has an effect. I miss ur creative and fun stuff which u used to post. This is a request for an immediate update.

Posted by Anonymous on February 26, 2007 at 01:33 AM PST #

Did the trail south east through the meadows start at the Kennedy Meadows trail head?

Posted by steve on June 17, 2007 at 06:01 PM PDT #

You get trail maps from the camp-resort. On google map it is here

Posted by Chandan on June 18, 2007 at 09:15 AM PDT #

I really like your pictures, I am surfign the net to find a place to go camping with the family, and I think this is the place of my choice. Thanks, Ozzie

Posted by Ozzie on June 26, 2007 at 12:26 PM PDT #