Mt. Gould (ish) — May 16–17, 2026
These days, I’ve been venturing into the Sierra earlier and earlier each summer. Part of it is getting to see the mountains as they shed their winter coat, but another part is making sure I’m in shape for the big objectives I usually plan later in the summer. My first real objective this season was a summit bivy of Mt. Gould near Kearsarge Pass. This ended up being a really excellent trip with some unsettled weather and the phenomenal photo opportunities that accompany it.
I pulled up to the Onion Valley trailhead around noon and started the slow task of making my way up the switchbacks. My lungs weren’t used to the elevation yet and my pace was quite slow. By 4:30, I was at Kearsarge Pass and picking my way up the easy talus slopes to the summit of Mt. Gould. It was a cold and very windy day with lots of low clouds to the west. By the time I was at the 12,500 ft mark, low clouds had descended on Gould’s summit. I took a long break to eat my dinner and assess the situation, during which clouds continued to swirl around the Sierra crest. Since I was at an optimal location, I decided to call the day early and setup my bivy. There’d always be the option to summit in the morning if conditions allowed.
Looking west from Mt. Gould.
I woke up around midnight to take some photos of the Milky Way. The unsettled weather meant that low clouds filled Kearsarge Pass while high clouds periodically obscured my view of the Milky Way. I stayed up much longer than I should have just waiting for an opportunity to get a decent view. In the morning, I was too cold to bother continuing towards the summit and decided the view would likely be identical to the one I had at my bivy site. Low clouds hovering to the east beyond the Owens Valley also meant that the start of sunrise lighting was delayed.
I soaked in the views while trying to stay warm and shield my stove from getting blown out by the wind. Even when the sun was fully out, it was still absolutely freezing, but I stayed a bit longer to capture the major peaks in some different lighting. On my descent, I met some PCT hikers from Germany on the pass and ended up giving them a ride to town before making the long drive back to the Bay Area.
Late sunrise over the High Sierra as seen from the slopes of Mt. Gould.
Early morning over the High Sierra.
—Justin
