Sapphire Lake to Kings River/Mather Pass junction over Muir Pass

Mileage: 14.6 miles (23.5 km), total 144.8 miles (233.0 km)

Today was an awesome day as we climbed our first big pass of the southern end of the JMT. The day began with our campsite at Sapphire Lake which was an awesome spot as the sun came up. The sun reflected off the water and it was a beautiful place to be as we started our day’s hike.

The day started with a climb up from Sapphire Lake through rocky and barren terrain. With our early start, we passed a few hikers who still breaking camp on the way up to the pass. Although yesterday had been a tough day, we were glad to have done the extra miles to Sapphire Lake as it made Muir Pass today that little bit closer.

After climbing up, we reached Wanda Lake which was a stunning sight. The trail keeps to the left of Wanda Lake as it edges its way upwards towards the pass. John Muir had two daughters in his lifetime, Wanda and Helen. Muir Pass has two lakes on either side of the pass, Wanda Lake and Helen Lake. It’s nice to think that the pass named after the man himself has lakes named after his daughters on either side.

After passing alongside Wanda Lake, it was time to start the final climb up to Muir Pass itself. I’ve seen plenty of photos of this climb from bigger snow years when the entire approach to Muir Pass was covered in snow. However, we were in a historically low snow year due to the California drought and the pass was entirely free of snow.

Muir Pass itself is at an altitude of 11,955 feet so it was our biggest climb so far. It is the only pass to have a manmade structure at the top with Muir Hut. The climb wasn’t too bad but we had to take it slow and steady to the top. It was amazing to reach Muir Hut after seeing it so many times in photos and it really struck me what a bleak place this must be in winter. The wind was pretty cold across the pass and we were glad to head inside to check out the hut and get some respite from the cold and wind.

Inside, we met a couple of people who were also taking a break at the top of the pass including one hiker who had brought his dog with him. I remember thinking this is a tough ask on the dog to make it all the way up here but he seemed pretty happy and had plenty of energy to run around. It was nice to spent some time in the hut and I remember looking through the glass window down the climb up to the pass imagining what it would be like covered in snow.

There is a great inscription to John Muir on the shelter which was put there when the hut was erected in the 1930s which reads ‘To John Muir, Lover of the Range of Light’. I can’t think of a more fitting description for the Sierras.

We still had some miles to go today, however, and it was time to start down the trail. The trail was certainly more rocky and difficult on this side of the pass as we descended downwards pass Helen Lake. We picked our way down the trail and eventually had a great view of the valley ahead which would lead us onwards to Mather Pass tomorrow.

Once we got down below treeline, everything seemed so much more full of life than it had been up on the pass. On the way, we passed the famous JMT monster rock so had to stop and pose for the obligatory photo.

We eventually reached our campsite which was a great spot to rest for the night. There were a few other hikers there including one creepy guy who came up and sat right outside the mesh of my tent. Obviously not one for personal space and I was glad when I heard he was heading northbound the next day.

The spot was beautiful, however, and I waited for the sun to set that evening whilst watching the deer graze in the area around my tent. Tomorrow is Mather Pass which I have heard is one of the most difficult passes on the JMT.