Inyo NF Wilderness Permit — Kearsarge Pass (JMT)

Inyo National Forest describes the route in one sentence worth reading twice: "The Kearsarge Pass trail begins at an elevation of 9,100 ft. at Onion Valley and climbs through forests and alpine tundra past several lakes including Big and Little Pothole, Gilbert, and Flower Lakes on the way to Kearsarge Pass at 11,700 ft." That is 2,600 feet of climbing on the east side, most of it in the open.

From the pass the trail crosses into Kings Canyon National Park and drops toward the Kearsarge Lakes basin, joining the John Muir Trail near Bullfrog Lake 6.5 miles from the car. Sequoia and Kings Canyon rules take over at the boundary and they are stricter than the forest's: no camping within a quarter mile of Bullfrog Lake, and a two-night limit at Charlotte and Kearsarge Lakes and along the JMT from Woods Creek Crossing to Vidette Meadow.

From the junction most people go one of two ways. North on the JMT takes you into the Rae Lakes country and the Rae Lakes Loop. South takes you toward Forester Pass, Crabtree and eventually Whitney — and if you plan to finish at Whitney Portal, Inyo requires the permit to name "Mt Whitney (Trail Crest Exit)" as the exit point, because Whitney Portal carries a separate exit quota.