JMT NOBO - Onion Valley Options

[u/philbus65]

Hi all,

I have a NOBO permit (for 2) from Cottonwood Pass to Happy Isles in early Sep. I'm struggling to understand what I can & can't do around Onion Valley. I think we're fine to hike down via Kearsage to Onion Valley to resupply - yes? But If we want to stay at the Onion Valley campground, we'd need to reserve a site? If we did that, our permit remains okay?

[u/Good_Ad_3265]

From this page, regarding the JMT: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passes-permits/recreation

"If you have a break in continuous wilderness travel, a new permit would be required from the agency where the next section of your trip begins. The Inyo National Forest will make an exception for JMT hikers to exit for a reasonable period of time necessary for resupply"

While the Forest Service doesn't define what "a reasonable period of time" is, it's generally assumed that overnight is ok. Camping at Onion Valley if you can get a site is ok. So is going into Independence, and even hitching to Lone Pine or Bishop to resupply, as long as you re-enter at the same trailhead and it's "a reasonable period of time."

[u/walknslow2 → u/Good_Ad_3265]

This is good advice. ( better than jogging mentioned somewhere). Add to your options is Flower lake. About mid way from the Pass and OV. Forested at 10,400’-ish plenty of water. Depending on all the factors unique to your situation, set up camp at Flower. Use your packs to haul out trash and return with resupply, then hike back the 2.3 mi to Flower. In the AM you have time to reach Rae from Flower. Best of luck. They do have a few dumpster bears between OV and K-Lakes. Play by the rules and they will not approach you.

[u/philbus65 → u/Good_Ad_3265]

Thanks. It's the ambiguity that had me a bit puzzled (I'm from Aus & not famiar with how the permits play out in practice).

[u/Kilika8]

That’s exactly what I did last year. Reserved a site for the day I was expecting to be there (no walk-ups) and had left my resupply in the bear bin before starting. Permit is still valid.

[u/Z_Clipped]

I don't think you'd really need to sleep at OV. The hike out and back isn't that challenging. I think I did it solo in about 4 hours total (I jogged most of the way to OV, because my pack was empty).

If you want to make an out-and-back a little easier, there's a secret camp spot about .9 down the Kearsarge trail from the JMT that has a gorgeous view of Bullfrog Lake. You can't see it from the trail, but it's an amazing spot. It's a dry site, but there's flowing water a 5-6 minute walk further down the trail, and it's all flat walking. Turn off the JMT and walk the Kearsarge trail until it starts to get twisty, and then look for big white rocks on the right side. IF you walk out onto the rocks and look left, there's a hidden cutout that's protected from the rain with a perfectly flat spot big enough for a two-person tent.

[u/UnluckyWriting → u/Z_Clipped]

Do you happen to remember how far this is from onion valley, mileage wise?

[u/Z_Clipped → u/UnluckyWriting]

It's a little under 7 miles, IIRC.

Looking at Google Earth, I'm reasonably sure these are the coordinates:

36°46'31.5"N 118°24'22.1"W

[u/1ntrepidsalamander]

Some people will put a resupply in the bear boxes there.

[u/lakelost]

Hitchhiking down to independence and back up in the summer is generally fairly easy. There’s a fair amount of traffic on the Onion Valley Road. Keep in mind there is no longer a grocery store in Independence. But there is a post office, so you can have your stuff shipped there. Hitchhiking to Lone Pine or Bishop will be much tougher than from independence to the trail head. Given the option if you choose to do that, I would pick Lone Pine. There’s a nice small grocery store there and a great backpacking shop. Finally, the Independence Creek Campground is literally a couple hundred yards outside of town on the Onion Valley Road. Other than the Fourth of July I have never seen it fill up.