Carson-Iceberg (Sonora Pass)
Stanislaus / Humboldt-Toiyabe NF · near Kennedy Meadows (108) / Bridgeport · Eastern Sierra
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 20 miles
- Elevation gain
- 3,500 ft
- Time needed
- multi-day
- Best season
- July–September
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- Yes
- How the permit works
- Free wilderness permit for the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, self-issued or picked up at Stanislaus / Humboldt-Toiyabe ranger stations — no online quota. High access from Sonora Pass on Highway 108. PCT runs through the area.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 1 of 5
What is here
- Features
- High volcanic-and-granite country · PCT ridgewalking · Sonora Pass alpine access · Free, easy permits
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Nights
- 2–3
- Resupply
- None needed. Bear canister recommended; food storage rules apply.
- Intl tip
- Starting right from Sonora Pass puts you above treeline immediately — a rare treat, but it means exposure to weather and afternoon storms, so watch the sky. The free, no-quota permit makes this the go-to when the reservable areas are booked solid. Fill water when you can; the high volcanic ridges can be dry between sources.
The guide
The Carson-Iceberg Wilderness straddles the Sierra crest around Sonora Pass, a high, wild expanse where the range's classic gra…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Carson-Iceberg (Sonora Pass) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 38.328, -119.636