Backpacking Rae Lakes: A Sierra Journey Over Kearsarge Pass

Some places are almost impossible to explain until you’ve stood in them.

Juan Veruete calls the Sierra Nevada his “million-word places”—landscapes where even the best photograph never quite captures the scale of what’s in front of you.

In this conversation, Juan joins the Sierra Rec Now Podcast to talk about a backpacking life shaped by the Sierra Nevada: the John Muir Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, High Sierra Trail, Kearsarge Pass, Kern River, and an upcoming return to one of California’s classic backpacking destinations—the Rae Lakes Loop.

Why We Keep Coming Back to the Sierra

There’s a difference between hiking through the Sierra and spending enough time there that certain trails, creeks and camps start becoming part of your own mountain story.

That’s where my conversation with Juan really went.

We talked about the John Muir Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail and High Sierra Trail, but the interesting part wasn’t simply the mileage. It was fishing a Sierra creek with his son, planning a zero day at Kern Hot Spring, stopping overnight in Tahoe City, and giving himself enough time on a trail to actually experience where it takes him.

Juan regularly plans longer backpacking trips—often 100 to 200 miles. Not because hitting a big mileage number is the goal.

He just wants to stay in the mountains longer.

“I wanna be out there as long as I can be out there… and be in the mountains for as many miles as I can be in the mountains and see as much as I can see.” — Juan Veruete

That idea may be the real theme of this conversation.

Backpacking Rae Lakes Through Kearsarge Pass

Juan’s next Sierra trip brings him back across the country for another journey into the High Sierra.

His plan is to enter through Kearsarge Pass, climb out of Onion Valley and connect with the John Muir Trail before continuing toward the Rae Lakes area.

For many backpackers, the traditional Rae Lakes Loop begins from Roads End in Kings Canyon National Park. Entering across Kearsarge Pass creates a different experience—one that immediately puts you into classic Eastern Sierra terrain before connecting with the larger trail system west of the crest.

For Juan, the route will be roughly 50 miles.

That sounds short compared with some of the 100- and 200-mile trips he has completed, but that is also part of what makes this return interesting. The objective isn’t another endurance test. It is another chance to spend several days moving through a landscape he already knows he loves.

[INTERNAL LINK: Inside the Rae Lakes Loop / Rae Lakes backpacking guide]

Sometimes the Best Part of a Long Trail Is Stopping

One of my favorite parts of our conversation had almost nothing to do with covering miles.

While backpacking the High Sierra Trail with his son, Juan planned a zero day at Kern Hot Spring.

They reached the area early enough to spend roughly a day and a half there. They soaked in the hot spring, explored the area and fished the Kern River, eventually catching some beautiful Kern River rainbow trout.

The trip still included some big days—including a couple of 20-mile efforts—but they intentionally created space to stop.

Juan described doing something similar on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Instead of treating Tahoe City as simply another resupply point, he stayed overnight, grabbed a good meal and headed back onto the trail the next morning.

I think there is an important backpacking lesson in that.

It is easy to plan a trail around mileage, camps and resupply points. But sometimes the places you remember years later are the ones where you decided not to keep walking.

Research the route.

Notice the interesting places along the way.

And occasionally give yourself permission to stay awhile.

Backpacking the Sierra Is More Than One Famous Trail

Juan has now spent time on several of the Sierra Nevada’s signature long-distance routes.

His experiences include the John Muir Trail, High Sierra Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail, along with countless miles of backpacking outside California.

Each trail offers a different version of the mountains.

The John Muir Trail carries backpackers through some of the most famous high-country landscapes in North America. The High Sierra Trail crosses the range from Sequoia toward Mount Whitney. The Tahoe Rim Trail circles one of the Sierra’s defining landscapes while repeatedly moving between wilderness and trail communities.

And then there are trips such as Rae Lakes—shorter on paper, perhaps, but capable of delivering every bit as much Sierra.

That is one reason backpacking here can become a lifelong pursuit.

There is always another drainage to explore, another pass to climb and another trail that changes how you see the range.

Fishing the High Sierra Along the Way

Fishing also plays a role in many of Juan’s trips.

And interestingly, when I asked him about favorite Sierra fishing experiences, he didn’t immediately point toward one of the famous alpine lakes.

He talked about the creeks.

Some of his most memorable backcountry fishing has happened along moving water discovered while backpacking, including the Kern River experience with his son on the High Sierra Trail.

That combination—walking, camping, fishing and simply having enough time to explore—is another reminder that a backpacking route doesn’t always need to be treated as a line that must be completed as efficiently as possible.

Sometimes the trail is simply the way you reach the experience.

Ultralight Gear Without Losing the Experience

Of course, Charlie and Juan also get into the practical side of multi-day Sierra backpacking: pack weight, shelter, clothing systems, camp shoes, fishing gear and the small decisions that make several days on trail more comfortable.

Juan has spent years experimenting with ultralight backpacking systems and reviewing gear through his Juan Backpacks YouTube channel.

But the interesting part of our discussion wasn’t chasing the lightest possible number.

It was finding the balance between carrying less and still having the gear that lets you enjoy being out there.

That becomes particularly important in the Sierra, where a warm afternoon can quickly become a cold evening at elevation and mornings can begin with wind, shade and temperatures that feel nothing like the valley below.

The best backpacking setup is rarely the one that wins a spreadsheet.

It is the one that works when you are several days from the trailhead.

Trails and Places Mentioned in This Conversation

If this episode has you thinking about your own Sierra backpacking trip, these are some of the places and routes Juan and I discuss:

• Rae Lakes Loop — One of Kings Canyon National Park’s classic backpacking destinations and the focus of Juan’s next Sierra trip.
• Kearsarge Pass and Onion Valley — A spectacular Eastern Sierra gateway into the John Muir Wilderness and the greater Kings Canyon backcountry.
• John Muir Trail — The legendary Sierra route that has played a major role in Juan’s backpacking experience.
• High Sierra Trail — A cross-Sierra journey linking Sequoia National Park with the Mount Whitney region.
• Kern River and Kern Hot Spring — One of the memorable stops Juan shared from backpacking the High Sierra Trail with his son.
• Tahoe Rim Trail — A long-distance journey around the Lake Tahoe Basin that combines wilderness, Sierra views and trail communities.
• Pacific Crest Trail — A much bigger goal Juan hopes to tackle after retirement.

A Different Way to Think About Your Next Sierra Trip

I spend a lot of time talking about trails, destinations and places worth exploring across the Sierra.

But conversations like this remind me that the trail name is rarely the entire story.

Twenty years from now, Juan may not remember every campsite or every mileage total from these trips.

But I bet he remembers fishing the Kern River with his son.

He’ll remember soaking at Kern Hot Spring.

He’ll remember walking into one of those enormous Sierra landscapes where the photograph could never quite explain what it felt like to stand there.

Those are the million-word places.

And ultimately, those are probably why many of us keep coming back.

Continue Exploring the Sierra

Planning a Rae Lakes backpacking trip?
Explore our [Inside the Rae Lakes Loop guide] for a deeper look at one of California’s most famous High Sierra backpacking routes.

Interested in longer Sierra trails?
Discover more about the [John Muir Trail], [High Sierra Trail] and [Tahoe Rim Trail] in Sierra Rec’s trail library.

Looking for your next mountain adventure?
Visit [Hike the Sierra] to explore backpacking trips, day hikes, Sierra trail regions and trip-planning resources.

And you can find more conversations with backpackers, outdoor leaders, guides, creators and people connected to the mountains on the [Sierra Rec Now Podcast].