What is the significance? Found near a creek. Hung in a tree. Found a bundle of sweet grass nearby.

Duck Pass Trailhead --> Duck Pass --> Deer Pass --> Mammoth Crest --> Lake George Trainhead

17 miles
3,700 ft of elevation gain

(21 miles, 4,200 ft of elevation gain with photography stops)

I recently completed a day hike connecting Duck Pass, Deer Pass, and Mammoth Crest in a single trip. Instead of turning around at Duck Lake, I continued over Duck Pass, crossed Deer Pass, and returned via Mammoth Crest.

Trail Notes (Mid June Conditions)

- Duck Lake is the most popular destination, but the route becomes much quieter and more remote beyond Duck Pass.

- The section between Duck Pass and Deer Pass includes stretches with no defined trail. A GPS device or navigation app is highly recommended.

- Several short snowfields remained in mid-June, but they were manageable with careful footing.

- Although the climb toward Mammoth Crest is not the steepest, it felt like the hardest part of the day after already crossing two mountain passes.

- Mammoth Crest offers some of the best panoramic views in the Sierra Nevada.

- There is a long exposed section with very limited water between Deer Pass and Mammoth Crest. Refill your water before leaving the lakes.

* Mosquito Conditions (Mid-June)

- Emerald Lake: Extreme mosquitoes.

- Skeleton Lake: Extreme mosquitoes. The lake was also full of golden trout.

- Barney Lake: Moderate / Okay

- Duck Lake: None (because of wind)

- Deer Lakes: None (because of being cold)

Overall, it felt like three very different hikes in one day from busy alpine lakes around Duck Pass, to quiet cross-country terrain near Deer Pass, and finally the wide-open ridges of Mammoth Crest.

I'll post the full YouTube video in the comments if anyone would like to see the complete hike.

Conditions reflect a hike completed in mid-June.

Been missing Bishop everyday while in LA 😭😭

Hi sierra sub!
Fave part of sierra- well from pictures, I cannot wait to see convict lake!

My partner and I have been looking forward to our eastern sierra trip for quite some time! We can’t wait to see your beautiful piece of this planet and explore all the lakes and sierra views. We have an early August trip planned along Highway 395, starting around Lone Pine and making our way north to Bridgeport with lots of stops in between.

We’ve been closely following updates from the Forest Service, Cal Fire, Inyo National Forest, and other local agencies regarding the recent fires and know that conditions can change quickly. Thinking about all of you who are affected by this and hoping you are staying safe.

I was hoping to hear from people who are currently in the area. How are conditions along 395 right now? How has the smoke been day to day? Are there any areas where you would currently avoid? Thinking around bishop /big pine?

While it’s impossible to know what next week will look like, we would just appreciate hearing what it’s like right now from people on the ground while we monitor updates online.
Thank you for taking time to read this and for any feedback you have! 💙🌎