The hike begins with a steep climb, “but don't let that stop you,” says Becky from Riverside, CA. "Once you get past that, it starts to even out and you get the beautiful sceneries that the Sierra Nevadas promises you.”

As the trail slowly ascends the valley, it passes numerous mountain lakes and rushing streams.

The push to the top of Duck Pass switchbacks steeply up a rocky mountainside, but the views from the top of the pass are absolutely stunning! If you’re already tired by this point, the top of the pass is the perfect spot to turn around. If you decide to drop down the other side of the pass to Duck Lake, realize that you’ll have to turn around and climb back up the pass, as you have to retrace the same route to return to the trailhead near Lake Mary.

If you do put in the effort to reach Duck Lake, the reward is totally worth it! Everyone that has visited this lake raves about how stunningly beautiful the deep, dark blue water is. With majestic mountain peaks ringing the lake on all sides, setting up camp and spending a day or two in this alpine paradise sounds like a superb idea!

Sources: https://www.mammothtrails.org/trail/9/duck-pass-trail/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFEgdQpNfY