I had done this route a couple of times before, as a means to return to the East Side after an east-to-west ski tour along the Monarch Divide. The first time, I was with a group and we overnighted along the way, 26 hours. The second time, a friend and I got it over with in a day, wearing clunky plastic telemark boots and carrying our skis up most of the ascent, 11 hours. This third time, I was trying to halve that time, but didn't manage to do it. 6 1/2 hours.
It's beautiful country, especially when the cascades on Bubb's Creek are full of water. Rocky Kearsarge Pass provides a dramatic climax to the trek, and excellent views of the High Sierra.
I did my run / walk on July 20th, starting at 6:30 in the morning and finishing a bit after 1:00 p.m. I reached the top of the first set of switchbacks drenched in sweat, but fortunately the temperature dropped as I ascended. The afternoon thunderstorm didn't start until I was over the pass, but it came in with a vengeance. With a couple of miles to go, my Garmin GPS watch was threatening to quit due to low battery. It was not a surprise; it had been hailing and the watch was too cold, coated with ice water. I stuck it in my shirt next to warm skin, and that was enough to keep it going to the end.
The logistics of this route are a bit of a challenge. Once you're way over there on the East Side, how do you get back? A car key exchange with a friend coming the other way might be a good strategy. I had cached overnight gear and food at the Onion Valley Trailhead after a climbing trip the week before. When I got there, I put on the backpack and started walking back, slowly. I was back at Road's End by around 4:00 p.m. the next day, in another thunderstorm.
I hope that this route will become a popular classic. I'm 57 years old; I expect that my FKT will stand for about two weeks.