Field trip: Sonora Pass

In May 2007 I took a much anticipated trip through the Sierras. My trip started in Angels Camp at the Calaveras County Fair, where I entered the frog jumping contest. My rental frog jumped 5'1". Not enough for a record but, hey, it's a rental. After spending the night in Sonora, I headed east on Highway 108 over the Sonora Pass.

One of my first stops was at Kennedy Meadows Resort, to hike to a waterfall (shown here) on Kennedy Creek. It was 3 miles round trip, through a meadow, along a tributary of the Stanislaus River and then through a trail blasted out of granite. The waterfall shown, Kennedy Creek Falls, is across a canyon but the distance doesn't diminish the spectacle or the sound. This area, by the way, was used to film the Gary Cooper movie, For Whom the Bell Tolls. In terms of a variety of scenery, the effort and the payoff, this hike was fantastic.


After spending the night in Bridgeport, I woke before dawn to head south, to Mono Lake. Now you know what it looks like as the sun rises. I really like this photo as it looks like a painting. The image has not been manipulated in any way.

My trip continued west, over Tioga Pass, through Yosemite (with a detour to Foresta), then back up Highway 49.

It was a fun trip and one I'd gladly do again. I hope you've enjoyed the results.