Mammoth Trip, 2016

September 10

Sonora Pass

When we arrived at Kennedy Meadows, I of course could not resist climbing Sonora Pass (West), which I had purposely left open. It comes as a bit of a shock suddenly starting work at altitude, beginning with a kilometer at an average 13%, some of it much steeper. It wasn't quite as much fun as I had projected. Eventually, the mid section became much more moderate, and I settled into a mid-intensity rhythm that I kept up for most of the rest of the climb. I didn't want to arrive in Mammoth all worn out, either, so my goal wasn't really to set a competitive time. I can be happy with that. In any case, I was happy to arrive at the pass.