By Chuck Bennett
Back in the day, when Borelli and I were far less encumbered by family and responsibility, we had more opportunities to grab a bag and head out camping. In fact, that’s about all there was as far as preparation for the most part, we had a bag of gear ready to go, and we went. Now that we have significant others and various offspring to consider, things get a bit more complicated. So, when my wife informed me that it was time for us to go camping I was rather hesitant at best. You see, my wife has never been camping, as far as my definition of camping.
Well, first decision was location. We had a couple other families going also so the location was more or less a done deal: we were headed to Onion Valley Campgrounds. Onion Valley is located in the eastern Sierra, thirteen miles west of the town of Independence, California, near Kearsarge Pass at an elevation of 9,200 feet. The website says, “Restrooms are provided.” Those of you that spent some time on the ground in the military will understand that statement. It means latrine. It’s a very well built latrine (concrete designed to handle 10 feet of snow, more on this later) but it is essentially a seat with a tank full of excrement beneath it. Also, there is running water (not potable) as long as the sun is shining but not in the bathrooms. The pump is solar powered. There are also bear boxes to store all your food supplies. They are quite adamant about this rule. Apparently having a bear tearing your car apart or, worse yet, your tent with you in it is a bad thing. These, and a table/bench and each campsite are all the “improvements” you’re going to encounter at this campsite. Of course this was perfectly fine with me.
Having made a 04:00 exit from our home we entered the town of Independence, California (population 574, elevation 3,925) around 10:00. The temperature on the valley floor at this hour was already low 90’s. Nice. You take a left at Onion Valley road and drive roughly 15 miles to the parking area of the campgrounds at 9,200 feet. Do the math, that is one mother of a hill climb. It is actually listed as one of the hardest bicycle climbs on the planet. Now, I consider myself an avid bicyclist, but there is no way I’m doing that unless my life is on the line. One nice thing about the elevation change is the temperature variation. We arrived at the campground to cloudy 72 degrees. I say cloudy but I really mean more like fog. It seams the cloud elevation was around 9,000 feet so we were sitting in the middle of them. Occasional showers continued throughout the day. Not really an issue as it kept the temps low and the mosquitoes at bay.
Those of you that have spent some time at elevation will understand the word acclimation. The air is thin at 9,200 feet above sea level. So much so that you will have a grand old time unloading your gear and setting up your campsite. This is when I learned that Onion Valley Campgrounds is often used as a staging area for hikers preparing to summit Mount Whitney. Climbers stay at 9,200 for a week to get accustomed to the altitude before tackling the 14,505 foot Whitney (that’s only 1335 feet short of three miles high.) Acute Mountain Sickness (nausea, dizziness, headache, fatigue, and disorientation are most common) can get you if you don’t hydrate and take it easy the first couple days. I didn’t feel quite right until noon the second day. The first evening resulted in a headache even after downing plenty of water. Don’t be in a hurry. That’s not what camping is all about anyway.
Having taken notice that many of you want to see more pictures in NAT, I brought along my camera and did some hiking. This particular trip occurred in Mid-July but you’ll notice that there were still signs of snow on the mountain. From our campsite you could see (and hear) three waterfalls. There are a handful of lakes “just” above the campgrounds. The first of which is Little Pothole Lake and it’s about a mile and a half steep hike (yes, higher in elevation). Each successive lake is even higher. I recommend you take the time to check them out. Once again; hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and don’t be in a hurry. They aren’t going anywhere. These campgrounds didn’t open this year until June 14th due to snow. We talked at length with the campground attendant (he lives up there during the summer months) and he said that he came up in late May to check things out and only found the top of the air vent for the latrines. That’s over ten feet of snow, in May! Bring warm clothes, regardless of the temperature on the valley floor.
If you’re looking for a place to get away from it all (including cell service) that isn’t too far off the beaten path, you must look at Onion Valley. There are numerous lakes within “walking distance” and many more if you care to get back in your car and take a drive south to Lone Pine or north to Big Pine and Bishop. The towns in this area offer a quaint look at what a developed area was 100 years ago and there are several other attractions like ghost/mining towns to explore if you get the urge. Camping in this isn’t area isn’t for the faint hearted (literally). Hauling your supplies and gear to your campsite can be pretty arduous. Some of the campsites (#25 in particular) are a pretty good hike from the parking lot and they are relatively secluded. The scenery is outstanding and the air up there, although thin, is as clean as you’ll find anywhere in California. We had a great time, even my one year old, and we plan on going back as soon as our schedule and the weather up there permits.
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Great article; I will have to check out Onion Valley someday, and bring my camera.