We started our day with a pep in our step, knowing we just had to cross over Kearsarge Pass to the east and head back to civilization. We’d been told that the trail to the pass was mostly clear, and that turned out to be the exact opposite of actual conditions. We traversed snowfields the entire way up, until about the last quarter mile up to the pass. It was immediately snowy on the opposite side as well. The going can be very frustrating over the snow, but the day was easier than the last two, and we were headed to town. We traversed, glissaded, and postholed our way down the mountain to the Onion Valley campground, where we got a ride father down the mountain to Independence before catching the bus to Bishop. Hot as it has been on the mountains the last few days, it’s crazy hot down here with temps over 100. We’re staying at the hostel in Bishop and plan to rest and plan for a few days before getting back on the trail.
