Sierra Nevada backpacking: Center Basin from Forester Pass – Kings Canyon National Park

Sierra Nevada backpacking: Center Basin from Forester Pass – Kings Canyon National Park

Sierra backpacking: Forester Basin and Forester Pass to Bubbs Creek (Kings Canyon), Center Basin out and back to Golden Bear Lake

Kings Canyon National Park
Independence, California.
Eastern Sierra, Sierra Nevada.

Trailhead: Onion Valley, Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

August 2024

Itinerary:
This video covers the fifth day of a seven day backpacking trip from the Kearsarge Pass Onion Valley Trailhead which included Kearsarge Pass, Forester Pass, the Bighorn Plateau, the Kern River headwaters and the Lake South America Loop, Center Basin, Charlotte lake and the Kearsarge Lakes.

Day 5: Forester Basin (from Lake South America), Forester Pass, Bubbs Creek camp in Kings Canyon. Out and back hike to Golden Bear Lake in Center Basin on the Junction Pass Trail.

Trip Section Stats:
13 mi, approx 2,300 ft elevation gain.

AllTrails Map:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-backpack-trip-fdad3b5-6

Notes about the map: the map is indicative of the trip itinerary although mileage and moving time cannot be considered as reference as I often deviated from the route for filming and photography; also the moving time on the map includes all stops and breaks during the day as I stopped recording only when camp was setup for each day.

Hike Notes:
On my way back to Kearsarge Pass from the Lake South America Loop I spent an afternoon hiking up to beautiful Center Basin from my Bubbs Creek camp in Kings Canyon. The weather was clearing but still unstable and the wind was pretty strong and chilly. I only had time to hike to Golden Bear Lake and back. I wish I could have gone farther as Center Basin is truly spectacular. Center Peak and the Center Basin Crags dominate the landscape on each side of the basin. The view up the basin is also beautiful. Despite being so close to the JMT/PCT corridor there was very little traffic on Center Peak. In fact I did not meet anyone but I saw a tent at Golden Bear Lake. I entertained the idea of camping in the basin, but with the weather turning cold and having only warm weather sleeping gear with me I decided the Bubbs Creek camp would have been a better option. The Junction Pass trail to Junction Pass sounds like a very interesting route connecting to the Shepherd Pass Trail.

Music:
Findings by August Wilhelmsson
Licensed by Epidemic Sound.

#sierranevada #centerbasin #backpacking #foresterpass #kingscanyonnatiionalpark #goldenbearlake #hiking

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
01:15 – Trip Highlights
04:16 – Forester Basin, Forester Pass to Bubbs Creek Camp
08:11 – Junction Pass Trail to Center Basin, Golden Bear Lake and back