Pass the Palette at Kearsarge Pass
Meet: Friday, October 2 @ 3:30 PM @ Hecuba Statue in the Village
Return: Sunday, October 4 @ 6:00 PM
Member: $101 Non member: $132
Participant Driver (1): $54
Participant drivers will also have all gas reimbursed!
Activity: hiking, camping, lake plunging, painting/ watercolors, scrapbooking
Difficulty: (8/10) Hard Distance: 15.2 TOTAL miles/ 24.5 km Elevation: 3,490 ft MAX gain/ 1063.7 m
Recommended Prior Experience: Prior strenuous hiking experience necessary; experience camping/ hiking at altitude strongly recommended
Location of Trip: Sierra Nevada Mountains (between Inyo National Forest and Kings Canyon)
Native Land: Nuumu; Newe Sogobia
DIFFICULT TRIP WARNING: This trip is an (8), meaning this is a DIFFICULT trip. This means 8+ hours of CONTINUOUS STRENUOUS activity. This is NOT like walking and is more comparable to doing the stairmaster at altitude.
Artists and creatives, get your pens and paper ready because we’re trading our screens and homework for a creative weekend in the Eastern Sierra! We're heading to Kearsarge Pass for a camping trip built around hiking, alpine scenery, and the occasional creative break to capture it all on paper.
On Friday, we'll leave the USC Village in the afternoon and drive up to Onion Valley Campground after a 4-hour drive. Once we arrive, we'll set up camp together and have dinner before getting ready for the long hike on Saturday. Once we wake up, we'll hike up to Kearsarge Pass, passing a string of alpine lakes on the way, with wide views of the stunning high Sierra once we reach the top. After this steep 12.6-mile round-trip hike with 3,490 ft elevation gain, we’ll share dinner together before sleeping under the stars. Sunday, we’ll enjoy one last 2.6-mile hike with 1,351 ft of elevation gain to Robinson Lake, and take our time to paint, write, or just soak in the last few hours high up in the mountains (take your pick). Once we’re done, we’ll take the return trip back home to USC in time for dinner.
Whether you’ve ever picked up a paintbrush before or not, let this be your chance to try something new in one of the most stunning natural environments on the West Coast!
Pre-Trip Meeting: Thursday, time TBD based on group availibility
Contact the Guides:
Ellen: ellendav@usc.edu
Anders: anderspj@usc.edu
What to Bring:
*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need!
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Mess kit (utensils and bowl/plate/tupperware)
3+ liters of water
Hat/sunscreen/sunglasses
Comfortable hiking shoes
Comfortable hiking clothes
Toiletries/medications
Headlamp/flashlight
Warm clothes for night/sleeping
Something to get wet in (if you want a lake dip)
(Optional) Any art supplies you would like to bring!
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times
Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!
This program is open to all eligible individuals. SC Outfitters operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact the guides listed above on the trip page. We request that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 7 days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.