Granite Dome Fall Backpacking

PC: Rachel McCullough

When 38 Degrees Out Is Bliss: Fall Backpacking in the High Sierra

  • What: 3-day backpacking trip at Sonora Pass with a day hike in the middle
  • Where: Lower Relief Valley with a day hike to Granite Dome 10,332 ft.
  • When: September 2024


38 degrees can be delightful.

That is, when it’s spent in my tent on a fall morning, with nothing to do but wait for the sun to rise.

I breathe the crisp air and feel the chill on my face while cozy and warm in my sleeping bag, knowing there is nothing to do and nowhere to be. No hurry to get a cold start when waiting just a couple of hours will bring summer-like warmth, along with the motivation and excitement to hit the trail.

Fall brings a calmness to the mornings. There is no talk of getting in as many miles as possible before the heat of the day hits. Or getting up before sunrise to bag that summit before the thunderstorms roll in.

The evenings bring calm, too. No one is sent running for their tents to escape the onslaught of mosquitoes. Or staying up past when their eyes can barely stay open from exhaustion, just to catch a glimpse of the stars and the Milky Way. In the fall, we find plenty of bug-free time to look skyward and warm our toes by the fire before retiring.

Add three days, about 21 miles of hiking, a cross-country summit of Granite Dome, a swim in a chilly Iceland lake, pops of yellow fall colors, and my favorite sunset of the season, and you have a happy camper!

Ahhhh fall backpacking at Sonora Pass!

Time to stop and smell the flowers and harvest leaves for tea.
Time to stop and smell the flowers and harvest leaves for tea. 

 

Campfire and UNO FLIP! 
Not too cold for swimming (by my assessment, you might want to read here). Iceland Lake, 9,134ft.
 PC: Rachel McCullough
The best sunset of the season! 

 

Our 3-day Fall Backpacking Route

Each day was ~7 miles.

  • Day 1: Kennedy Meadows to Lower Relief Valley – on trail
  • Day 2: Iceland Lake to Granite Dome – off-trail cross-country day hike
  • Day 3: Lower Relief Valley to Kennedy Meadows

The Crew 

Some of the crew at Iceland Lake, 9,134ft. 

 

Some of the crew at our Lower Relief Valley camp. 

Getting After It

Day 2:  First stop was here at Iceland Lake. Next stop was Granite Dome. 7 miles of cross-country travel. 

 

PC: Rachel McCullough
Getting closer to Granite Dome. We hiked up the right shoulder. Some yellow fall colors!

 

More pops of fall colors. 
  PC: Nicolas Smith
We walked on a lot of granite! 

 

We saw snow!

 

 PC: Nicolas Smith
View from the summit of Granite Dome. 

 

PC: Rachel McCullough
View from the summit of Granite Dome. Ridge and Iceland Lakes

 

PC: Rachel McCullough
The hike back to camp. More granite! 

Things We Brought On The Trail

PC: Rachel McCullough
Water filters galore. 

 

  PC: Nicolas Smith
Osprey pack. 
Darn Tough socks and Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes.
 
Yummy Backpacker's Pantry dinner. 

 

 
Big Agnes tent. 

 

Patagonia Nano puff jacket.

 

Gear list highlights


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