After exiting the backcountry early, we had a bonus day in the Eastern Sierra. We decided to hike to Kearsarge Pass in the John Muir Wilderness. Round trip from Onion Valley it is just under ten miles and 2600 feet elevation change (Kearsarge Pass is at 11,700 feet). When we hiked 120 miles on the JMT in 2017 we camped for two nights at Kearsarge Lakes and Steve ran out to Onion Valley for a resupply - so this was his second time at the pass (first for Norah and me). I enjoyed the trail - it’s nicely graded and the hike didn’t feel that hard (it certainly helped that we were hiking without our backpacks). And the views are great. The trail passes by multiple lakes before topping out with great views at the pass. Norah and I hung out at the pass while Steve ran up Mount Gould. There were a lot of backpackers coming through and we enjoyed chatting with them while we waited.

We made good time on the hike and had the afternoon free and decided to visit Manzanar National Historic Site. Manzanar was a Japanese internment camp during WWII and the site was established as a national historic site in 1992. I thought the exhibits were very well done. There is a main exhibit in the preserved auditorium and additional reconstructed buildings on site that you can tour. The exhibits were informative, engaging, and did a great job preserving the history and stories of Manzanar. I highly recommend a visit here if you are in the area.