Every hiker's life list should include the 270 miles between Mt. Whitney and Sonora Pass. It may take a month, but it's a trivial sacrifice to make for the most unrelenting wilderness eye-candy you'll ever feast on.
Some things are so inevitable there's no sense disputing them: death, taxes, and the unrivaled beauty of the Sierra. Following the John Muir Trail much of the way, the PCT rambles through dozens of scenes suitable for framing—13,000—and 14,000-foot granite skyscrapers, canyons a mile deep, and thousands of lakes in beds of polished rock. You'll walk the longest strip of roadless trail in the nation and bump into civilization just twice. The best campsite is...virtually anywhere, though an enduringly classic spot to pitch nylon is Vidette Meadow, below the soaring Kearsarge Pinnacles. If you absolutely can't spare more than a week, knock off the 76 miles from Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass; here, the PCT ventures beyond the popular JMT into remote northern Yosemite and the Emigrant Wilderness. And leave your umbrella at home: The Sierra in summer is reliably sunny and mild.
LOCAL WISDOM Flatlanders should hike this stretch north to south to acclimatize before reaching the higher elevations of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.
-Mike Lanza
TO TRAILHEAD: Sonora Pass is 35 miles E of Pinecrest on CA 108. The Whitney Portal trailhead is at the end of Whitney Portal Rd., 13 miles W of US 395.
Position Format:
Datum:
Tracks
KPT03
Distance: 4.85 mi
Points: 97
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Off PCT: Kearsage Pass Resupply Track
VVR04
Distance: 6.16 mi
Points: 118
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Off PCT: Vermillion Valley Resort
STM05
Distance: 1.42 mi
Points: 29
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Off PCT: Shortcut to Tuolumne Meadows
PCT01
Distance: 8.44 mi
Points: 803
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Whitney Portal to Trail Crest
PCT02
Distance: 220.10 mi
Points: 3466
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
PCT Best Month Track
Points of Interest
PCT430
Location: 36.587288, -118.238289
From Whitney Portal, head W on Mt. Whitney Trail to Trail Crest.
PCT431
Location: 36.561325, -118.292763
Trail Crest; drop packs and head along crumbling spine of scree past Mt. Muir
PCT432
Location: 36.578617, -118.291985
Summit Mt. Whitney, highest point in lower 48; enjoy views of the Great Western Divide, the central Sierras, and the Owens Valley below
PCT433
Location: 36.573349, -118.314651
Campsite by stunning Guitar Lake; great basecamp for Whitney attempt. Even if you decide not to summit, enjoy camping in this high-alpine cirque
PCT434
Location: 36.563618, -118.349434
Crabtree Ranger Station and bear box; John Muir Trail to Mt. Whitney across creek
PCT435
Location: 36.558849, -118.361870
Rejoin PCT/JMT; from here to Red's Meadow, the PCT and JMT are the same trail. Follow all JMT signs until Devils Postpile NM.
PCT436
Location: 36.594131, -118.371117
Wallace Creek and High Sierra Trail junction and bear box
PCT437
Location: 36.598915, -118.374153
Wright Creek
PCT438
Location: 36.620144, -118.380638
Bighorn Plateau
PCT439
Location: 36.635017, -118.385468
Bear box
PCT440
Location: 36.639717, -118.388046
Spur to Tyndall Creek Ranger Station
Location: 37.052647, -118.578674
Middle Fork Kings River Junction; follow signs for JMT N into LeConte Canyon
PCT472
Location: 37.110615, -118.604897
Campsite at Big Pete Meadow
PCT473
Location: 37.113251, -118.633163
Helen Lake Outlet, climb continues
PCT474
Location: 37.118668, -118.659866
Muir Hut on Muir Pass
PCT475
Location: 37.111984, -118.670914
Crossing at Evolution Lake inlet
PCT476
Location: 37.187855, -118.745514
Nice, flat camp on Mc Clure Meadow with sublime views of The Hermit and Evolution Peaks
PCT477
Location: 37.195000, -118.773170
Old PCT junction @ Evolution Creek; high-water crossing can be swift
PCT478
Location: 37.195465, -118.781670
Rejoin new PCT @ crossing of Evolution Creek
PCT479
Location: 37.193016, -118.794968
Bridge over South Fork San Joaquin River and Goddard Canyon trail junction
PCT480
Location: 37.202965, -118.800537
Cross metal bridge
PCT481
Location: 37.225250, -118.832748
Bridge, leaving Kings Canyon NP into Sierra National Forest
PCT482
Location: 37.225899, -118.860786
Florence Lake trail junction
PCT483
Location: 37.242100, -118.871696
Spur to Florence Lake trail and Muir Trail Ranch
PCT484
Location: 37.253551, -118.864647
Senger Creek
PCT485
Location: 37.270134, -118.876549
Outlet of eastern of Sally Keyes Lakes
PCT486
Location: 37.280918, -118.874649
Outlet of Heart Lake
PCT487
Location: 37.289917, -118.872803
Selden Pass
PCT488
Location: 37.321884, -118.868286
Leaving PCT to cross Bear Creek at three forks section; use caution at dangerous ford
PCT489
Location: 37.330166, -118.866882
Return to PCT at normal crossing of Bear Creek
PCT490
Location: 37.368000, -118.888153
PCT leaves Bear Creek to climb ridge
PCT491
Location: 37.382534, -118.910370
Trail to Bear Ridge trailhead and foot access to Vermillion Valley Resort
PCT492
Location: 37.412518, -118.924370
Leaving PCT for ferry across Edison Lake to Vermillion Valley Ranch at this junction
PCT493
Location: 37.405216, -118.942368
Ferry landing
PCT494
Location: 37.375702, -119.012451
Vermillion Valley Resort (http://www.edisonlake.com) first beer and one-night stay in platform tents free for thru-hikers; meals in diner are pricey, but filling
PCT495
Location: 37.470165, -118.923233
Silver Pass
PCT496
Location: 37.501301, -118.924835
Bridge over Fish Creek
PCT497
Location: 37.527317, -118.949135
Outlet of Purple Lake; no camping allowed
Location: 37.615002, -119.074852
Red's Meadow Resort: great diner and moderately stocked store; thermal showers at group campsites; shuttles run to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and town bus runs into Mammoth town
PCT503
Location: 37.627018, -119.085548
Bridge near Devils Postpile
PCT504
Location: 37.632801, -119.088654
Resume PCT @ split with JMT
PCT505
Location: 37.653168, -119.080032
Bridge over Middle Fork San Joaquin River
PCT506
Location: 37.682449, -119.097519
Another trail to Shadow Lake
PCT507
Location: 37.681984, -119.086334
Agnew Meadow parking lot
PCT508
Location: 37.682800, -119.084618
High trail trailhead
PCT509
Location: 37.723267, -119.132484
Great camping with view of the Minarets, Banner Peak and Mount Ritter -- the centerpiece summits of the grand Ritter Range
PCT510
Location: 37.725349, -119.134415
Trail to Clarke Lake
PCT511
Location: 37.728535, -119.171280
JMT and PCT merge @ Thousand Island Lake
PCT512
Location: 37.761833, -119.249367
Donohue Pass trail; enter Yosemite National Park
PCT513
Location: 37.777416, -119.261833
Bridge over Lyell Fork
PCT514
Location: 37.794300, -119.263000
Campsite in grass just off trail along Lyell Fork
PCT515
Location: 37.866749, -119.322151
Bridge and trail junction to Tuolumne Pass
PCT516
Location: 37.868717, -119.333069
Spur to campground and store; not official PCT
PCT517
Location: 37.877808, -119.338722
Nearing Tioga Road; Lembert Dome to N
PCT518
Location: 37.874298, -119.357101
Tuolumne Meadows General Store--fully stocked and package service @ US Post Office; backpackers campsite nearby S of road
PCT519
Location: 37.876980, -119.353065
Turn L @ parking lot and follow the gravel road
PCT520
Location: 37.879101, -119.366852
PCT trailhead sign; here the JMT goes S to Yosemite Valley and the PCT heads to Glen Aulin High Sierra camp. Enjoy the views of Tuolumne Meadows framed by the Cathedral Range while heading northbound
PCT524
Location: 37.885109, -119.377289
Cross Delaney Creek
PCT525
Location: 37.888416, -119.380669
Go L @ Young Lakes trail
PCT526
Location: 37.901501, -119.412453
Multi-section bridge over the roaring Tuolumne River
PCT527
Location: 37.906418, -119.418251
See the rushing cascades of Tuolumne Falls from here
PCT528
Location: 37.907902, -119.420700
Go R @ McGee Lake trail junction
PCT529
Location: 37.909100, -119.420250
Bridge below White Cascade
PCT530
Location: 37.909584, -119.419853
Bridge going R to Glen Aulin High Sierra camp (don't cross it)
PCT531
Location: 37.953548, -119.405701
The trail welcomes you into a large meadow in Cold Canyon; in early season mosquitoes can be horrible
PCT532
Location: 37.995815, -119.378799
Go L @ McCabe Lake trail
PCT533
Location: 38.004932, -119.377480
Virginia Canyon creek
PCT536
Location: 38.004917, -119.377449
Virginia Canyon creek; can be a dangerous ford
PCT537
Location: 38.006550, -119.376732
Virginia Canyon trail; go straight, bearing W
PCT538
Location: 38.006901, -119.390503
Cross Spiller Creek
PCT539
Location: 37.993999, -119.418434
N end of Miller Lake
PCT540
Location: 38.014950, -119.413033
Go L @ Matterhorn Canyon trail
PCT541
Location: 38.014099, -119.414520
Matterhorn Creek
PCT542
Location: 38.019817, -119.448280
Last ford of Wilson Creek; head up to Benson Pass on well-graded path for fairly easy climb
PCT543
Location: 38.015148, -119.461197
Benson Pass
PCT544
Location: 38.012165, -119.486618
Smedberg Lake
PCT545
Location: 38.006134, -119.493103
R @ junction to Rodgers Lake
PCT546
Location: 38.005798, -119.497314
R @ Pleasant Valley trail junction
PCT547
Location: 38.022896, -119.520020
Cross Piute Creek with Benson Lake Spur trail going L; Piute Creek can be a deep, wet ford in the spring and early summer even though the current is minimal in this wide river. A visit to the "Benson Riviera," a large sandy beach on Benson Lake's N shore is well worth the detour, but the bugs can be bad in this wet, heavily vegetated area.
PIC; roll 112; 1283; A hiker hoists her pack above her head crossing Piute Creek
PCT548
Location: 38.039150, -119.526863
Beautiful sparkling pond nestled amongst granite, which should not be passed quickly. It's well protected from the wind, fairly warm and has great diving rocks. Be sure to camp 100 ft. from shore; no fires
PCT549
Location: 38.044949, -119.522285
Seavey Pass
PCT550
Location: 38.044750, -119.572464
Go R @ Kerrick Creek and Bear Valley Trail Junction; Kerrick Creek can be a very dangerous ford.
PCT551
Location: 38.059265, -119.590080
Stubblefield Creek
PCT552
Location: 38.062901, -119.624382
Go R @ Tiltill Valley trail
PCT553
Location: 38.064167, -119.623718
L @ Tilden Lake trail
PCT554
Location: 38.069218, -119.639900
S end Wilman Lake
PCT555
Location: 38.073467, -119.645897
Falls Canyon Creek crossing; can be dangerous
PCT556
Location: 38.073849, -119.646500
Straight @ Laurel Lake junction
PCT557
Location: 38.087799, -119.634003
Straight @ Tilden Lake junction
PCT558
Location: 38.133701, -119.619530
S end of long and beautiful Grace Meadow
PCT559
Location: 38.169815, -119.601547
Straight @ Bond Pass trail
PCT560
Location: 38.176033, -119.594070
Dorothy Lake; exposed camping can be found away from the lake
PCT561
Location: 38.194733, -119.570847
Cross Cascade Creek and reach the 1,000 mile mark from Mexican Border. This area can be very buggy.
PCT562
Location: 38.199917, -119.568634
L @ Y with Walker River trail
PCT563
Location: 38.223934, -119.578568
Straight @ Cinko River trail
PCT564
Location: 38.225750, -119.576736
L @ Long Lake trail and bridge
PCT565
Location: 38.253315, -119.597870
Cross creek in Kennedy Canyon
PCT567
Location: 38.294018, -119.637154
Cross through a notch on E ridge of Leavitt Peak
PCT568
Location: 38.320259, -119.643532
Potentially dangerous slope if covered in snow
PCT569
Location: 38.327835, -119.637230
Cross CA 108 @ Sonora Pass; turnout and sign explaining history of passes in area. Campground a few hundred feet W; hitch W to the northern Kennedy Meadows Resort for food and relaxation or hitch E down to Bridgeport for a town with more services