DOOSVIEW

  The Most Magical Hike in the Eastern Sierra DOOSVIEW Sierra Trail Guide • Episode 05   I've hiked many beautiful places throughout the Sierra Nevada. The first time I stood in Yosemite Valley and looked up at Half Dome , I was amazed. The first time I saw El Capitan , I couldn't believe how massive it was. But Big Pine Lake No. 2 surprised me in a completely different way. El Capitan felt monumental. Half Dome felt iconic. Big Pine Lake No. 2 felt magical. The unreal turquoise water beneath Temple Crag looked more like something from a fantasy movie  than a real mountain landscape. Even after hiking many trails across the Sierra Nevada, this is still  my favorite view in the Eastern Sierra. Why I Keep Coming Back There are only a few trails I make a point of revisiting every year. Big Pine Lakes is one of them. The scenery is one reason. The other is timing.  Because the trailhead begins at around   7,800 feet (2,377 m) , it usually...

Episode 06 — Duck Pass Mammoth Lakes, California "The view that brought me back one week later." Why Hike Duck Pass? Some hikes reward you with distance. Others reward you with difficulty. Duck Pass rewards you with one of the biggest alpine views in the Eastern Sierra after a surprisingly short hike. I've hiked many trails throughout the Sierra Nevada, but I can't remember another trail where such a relatively short climb opened into a panorama like this. Standing at Duck Pass, three layers unfold in front of you. First, the deep navy-blue water of Duck Lake. Behind it, the smaller Pika Lake. And beyond both, the Sierra Crest stretching across the horizon. It's a view that photographs struggle to capture. The scale has to be experienced in person. Quick Facts Distance: 7.9 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 1,791 ft Highest Elevation: 10,797 ft (Duck Pass) Difficulty: Moderate Best Season: June–October Visited: Mid-June My Hiking Time: 6.5 hour...