Day 69 (7/25) Devil’s Postpile & Devilish Junctions

Despite the late use of cars and trucks last night, the surrounding campers also were not shy about running them this morning. I didn’t mind the wakeup, and we quickly broke camp and headed to the diner for breakfast. A nice bowl of oatmeal was in store for me, along with some plentiful coffee. After the call last night with my parents, I hoped the short morning charging during breakfast would give it enough juice to get me to Tuolumne Meadows. Jeannie and I talked about her plans, as Mike’s MRI came back showing that he had heel spurs in addition to the stress fracture, and he definitely wouldn’t be back on the PCT this year. I felt really sorry for both of them, as she decided she would end at Tuolumne and then go home to do stuff with him that didn’t require such strenuous activity. She seems to be alright with it, though clearly disappointed that she won’t finish this year. I’m in the same boat of not finishing, but I think everyone comes to realize their own dreams in different ways and hopefully you can make the most of each of your experiences out here. If that means hiking 2,665 miles in a year, more power to you, but I’m absolutely convinced that I can have just as much fun in the 1,300 miles I get to hike this summer, and then maybe I’ll come back and knock out the rest at some other point.

On the way out of Red’s we saw LowTech hike in, and then as soon as we said hi the bus to Mammoth Lakes pulled up and she hopped and and disappeared. Crazy seeing her one last time, in a fourth separate location. We walked out past the pack station again, and took a bunch of photos of the mules. Apparently the teams here will bring supplies out to trail crews in the mountains or will actually support hikers who want food and other essentials brought out to the midway point of their trip. That would be an interesting way to do it - instead of stopping at towns just meet up with your hired pack team.

The big attraction around here is the Devil’s Postpile, an area of exposed basalt rock columns from volcanic activity. These hexagonal columns are at all different heights and many have broken off and lay scattered at the base of the pile. I think the choice of the name “Devil’s” is derived from the chaos of this natural phenomenon. We wanted to get some close up shots, so at a 3-way junction we dropped our packs and followed the sign to the Postpile trail. This was only supposed to be a half mile tops, but we watched as we first came close to the site, then slowly progressed further and further from it. Without our packs we were moving at a solid clip, and soon realized we’d gone nearly a mile. At a creek crossing I decided we must’ve missed the side trail to the postpile, so we should head back. Back at our packs we were frustrated, but got some distant shots (well at least I did - Jeannie's camera refused to work) and decided that was good enough. We came to the junction and took the third trail - assuming it must be the PCT. It was about a mile before I realized we were heading Southeast, when the trail should be going due North. I guessed our location based on the map, and Jeannie confirmed with the GPS. A mile off trail. Great, now we’ve wasted four miles of hiking, and we’ve only gotten a mile and a half from Red’s Meadow. We stopped, had lunch, then made our way back to that same junction. Here we realized that the Devil’s Postpile trail was in fact the fourth trail there, and that we’d totally overlooked it previously. To make it worse, we had first walked a mile up the PCT, then walked back in frustration. To say we were crestfallen would be an understatement. The plan for the day had been to make it a relatively easy 16 miles to Thousand Island Lake for a nice evening swim, but that now seemed far out of reach. Plus, our motivation was totally sapped as we retraced our steps along the trail to that same creek crossing.

Immediately afterwards was a set of signs instructing JMT hikers on one route and PCT hikers on another. For the next 14 miles the two trails are on opposite sides of a ridge - the PCT stays high and traverses another ridge while the JMT stays lower and jumps around between lakes in various glacial bowls. We chose to be purists and follow the PCT, partially due to stories of a bridge out on the JMT. The guidebook says the JMT is more scenic, but I have to say that there were some stunning vistas from the path that we took. My only regret was that we had to go through Agnew Meadow, which would be more appropriately named Agnew Mudhole. I managed to escape with one shoe fully coated in the brown muck, and the other only spattered with mud. This turned out to be neat later as I stepped in water and kept my feet dry when the now dry dirt absorbed a bunch of water and prevented it from penetrating to my socks.

We had a nice climb of 1,500 feet to gain the high traversing trail, and amazingly I hardly noticed this one. It made me reminisce about the good old days in the desert when a 500 ft climb was something to worry about. I guess it was all great training and preparation so that my body wouldn’t flinch when I got out here. Jeannie and I started getting pretty hungry around 7, and we found a perfect spot which I dubbed the “Overlook Restaurant and Hotel”. It would be a great spot to eat dinner and pitch camp, except that we were both a touch short on water and didn’t have enough to cook dinner. What a shame, and with a touch of remorse we forced ourselves to move on until we first found a stream and then a suitable flat spot on which to cook and retire for the day.

Miles Today: 13 (+3ish)
Trip Mileage: 920

 Photo: Shadow Lake in a bowl across from the PCT

Day 68 (7/24) Downhill?!

This morning we took a cursory glance at the elevation profile, and it appeared to be mainly downhill to Red's Meadow. This was reinforced by running into several southbound JMTers who said they had done nothing but climb out of Red's, and we were greatly encouraged by these statements. Unfortunately only a few mikes into the day I stepped wrong off a rock and turned my ankle pretty badly. I calmed down pretty quick, but it was equally quick at tightening up, so I was significantly slowed by this minor injury.

As I limped along we ran into LowTech, who I've also seen in both Kennedy Meadows and VVR. This was the first time we'd hiked together, so it was near to hear some of her stories. Turns out her son is really into trains, and it was near to hear all the cool stuff he does at the local rail museum. We hiked together until a stream crossing where she took a break while we carried on. Jeanie and I experienced a quick mood change in the next few miles as we climbed several hundred feet rapidly, then slowly continued to gain elevation. Those JMT hikers had misled us! Normally we would think nothing of this, but when your mind is set on downhill, any climb is too much. Though I cursed at them, I doubt the JMTers even realized their mistake. Its a perspective thing. You remember the hard climb, but easily forget the downhill that you cruised through.

Later in the afternoon when we finally started the last descent, we ran into small groups who were all part of a trail crew. Most were taking down a tree over the trail, but got hung up when the sapling it was resting on sprung up after the first cut (using a 6' bow saw!). Another was in camp already, and he introduced himself as SirMixALot, a name I've seen in online PCT forums. It was  neat to put a face to a name, and we chatted for a good 15 minutes. Finally we parted ways so Jeanie and I could catch dinner before it closed.

Before we arrived we came through am old burn area which was beautiful in its own right due to the character of the charred and broken trees that still stood. Turns out this was a massive blaze in 1992, and this section of the Rainbow Fire was so intense it has taken decades to recover... At Red's we discovered that they also run a pack station and we saw two huge teams of mules plus a bunch of horses. The diner was also nice and I devoured a burger and rootbeer float. After that Jeanie called to hear about Mike's MRI and I chatted with Crusty Foot  and Banshee, two repeat JMT hikers out at it again. After awhile we made our way to the campsite where I chatted further before begging forgiveness and retiring to my tent for sleep that was for the first time on trail punctuated by the sound of motors or families hanging out around a fire until the wee hours of the morning.

Miles Today: 16
Trip Mileage: 907

Photo: Pack mules at Red's Meadow

Day 67 (7/23) Leaving the Valley

I definitely  had wanted to do a quick stop here at VVR, so the plan was to leave this morning. I got up early, grabbed a huge breakfast of steak, eggs, pancakes and hash browns before packing up my gear. Turns out that Boyscout, Karma and Number One wouldn't be ready for the ferry around 9:30, so it was just Jeanie and I taking off north on the PCT. I closed out my shocking $100 tab (mostly food, but also beer, the package fee and ferry ride) then said my goodbyes. I'd met a number of cool JMT folks, but most of them were hiking out the Bear Ridge trail to save the ferry fee. It was only a mile extra southbound, but 5 extra northbound, so that was an easy decision for me since these miles don't count.

Back on the trail, our sights were set squarely on Silver Pass. Well, at least mentally, because we couldn't see the actual pass until the last half mile before it. On the way up there were three stream crossings we'd been warned on. The first was easily handled by walking over a downed tree. The second was very hyped up, and when we saw some people crossing downstream at a fork we went that way. We ended up bushwhacking back to the trail only to discover a crossing that didn't stand up to any of Bear, Evolution or Kings. Oh well. The final water experience was a waterfall crashing into the trail, and a dozen feet of wet rocks to traverse. It looked worse than it was, and despite being forced to wet our feet, we made it fine.

Silver Pass was another relatively low one, and most of the ascent was snow-free. The descent featured a mile of snow, and I had the chance to glissade on one good slope. When we got off the snow we turned on cruise again and rolled down to Tully Hole. From here the trail climbs a steep face with a series of tight switchbacks. This was tiring at the end of the day, but it was good to get it done now. We made camp down by Lake Virginia (which only slightly resembles the state). Jeanie is still carrying the two person tent she and Mike used, and I was amazed how easily one person was able to set it up. I won the race to set up camp, but just barely... We were serenaded all night by the sound if frogs ribbetting out on the lake.

Miles Today: 12 (+1.5  off trail)
Trip Mileage: 891

Photo: Standing atop a snowy Silver Pass

Photo: Virgina Lake - you can't really see the shape from here... 

Day 66 (7/22) Vermilion Valley Rest Day

Today was billed as a rest day, but that didn't mean I wouldn't be getting up early.  In fact, I had a great sense of urgency this morning because I had to make it 6.5 mikes to the ferry by 9:30 or against I would have to walk an extra 4.5 miles. That was an easy choice. I was out of camp by 6:30 and cruising up the trail. The first mile or so featured the remaining climb up Bear Ridge, followed by a long descent into Vermilion Valley and Lake Thomas Edison. I made great time on the climb, and easily cruised down the switchbacks into the valley.

On the way down I was treated to some sweet views of the Vermilion Cliffs. I swear these were the stock material for some artists drawing their idea of cliffs where dragons would live in a fantasy world. No kidding, I bet any gamer worth their salt would recognize these cliffs, and think to themselves 'Thar be dragons'. I snapped a few photos and smiled to myself about this esoteric connection.

Photo: Vermilion Cliffs

I finished off the trip to the ferry, only to find that it wasn't running today. Instead they were taking small fishing boats across the lake all morning, so the rush was a bit unnecessary. I came across with a southbound JMT hiker from Canada who had hiked that trail a few years prior. It was neat talking to him during the 20 minute ride across the lake. He's a teacher, so this is the perfect trail for him as it lasts only three weeks, and goes through some of the most scenic areas of the country. When we guy to the resort I ran into Boyscout, Karma, Number One and Jeanie who had been hanging around for the last few days. There were also a bunch of JMT hikers around, all a few days into their hike and just about to enter the best part of their trip.

I blew through the remaining half of Boyscout's breakfast burrito, then a tall stack of pancakes as well. For lunch I took down fish and chips, and then a burrito for dinner. I also snacked on extra JMTer food; Ana and her partner decided they didn't want their trail mix anymore. Most of those hikers had extra food because they haven't really hit the hiker hunger we experience, so they have plenty of food to spare. There are only 5 of us from the PCT and probably 20 from the JMT. We all chilled out and enjoyed some beers (first one free!) and talked about our hiking experiences both here in the Sierras and around the world. Someone had done the GR20 in Corsica, another had been to Turkey and Korea, another in Spain, plus people had been all over the US. Lots of hiking to do out there after I finish this particular trail.

Miles Today: 5 (+1.5  off trail)
Trip Mileage: 879

Photo: Boat ride across Lake Thomas Edison

Day 65 (7/21) Back on the Horse

This morning seemed like any other morning, except today would be different. Well, different in the fact that it finally was a day like those before I injured myself. I rolled out if camp late - probably close to 9, and made my way towards Muir Trail Ranch. At the junction with the side trail I met a hiker from Idyllwild, and it turns out one of the ladies in his group was originally from Glenview, IL. We chatted for a bit before I went on ahead. I took an early half-lunch break around the 5 mile mark right before a big climb towards Selden Pass. The group passed me while I ate, but I caught them a short 30 minutes later on the uphill section. I finally feel that I have most of my conditioning back as I could power through the climb today with no problems. Its nice to have that engine cranking hard again.

As I neared the plateau at the top our the climb I had a truly unique experience. The trail was flooded through a meadow, and as I crossed I saw small trout take off back into the stream proper. I never have and probably never will again see fish on the trail itself. Kind cool and I chuckled to myself about the strangeness of it. When I came to the top I saw the deep blue Sallie Keyes Lakes, and there was a young boy fishing there who had caught 6 fish so far. A few short strides down I ran into his grandfather who said they were catching dinner for the Muir Ranch. He was landing a good number of fish, so I left him to his work.

Now the real approach to the pass started,  and I climbed past the  partially frozen Heart Lake and up some boulders around patchy snow. Suddenly, unexpectedly, I was looking out at the other side of the mountains and down into the Sallie Keyes lakes. No joke, the hardest part of Selden Pass was believing I was already at the top... The far side was also only patchy snow, and I made great time on the descent. I flew through Rosemarie Meadow and down towards Bear Creek, which also has a reputation for being difficult. I waded out into the chilly water, feeling it rise above my knees and then nearly to my waist. Right as I hit the center, the mosquitos struck, causing me to involuntarily flinch. I regained my composure, waited momentarily, then proceeded to the far bank. The time spent in one spot did allow me the chance to notice that the water level didn't remain constant but rather ebbed and flowed in a very dynamic way, changing depth by at least a few inches over the course of seconds. Intriguing, though I wondered to myself why I would expect a river to have a constant level like a lake would.

On the far side a JMT hiker was camped, and he was planning to cross in the morning. As we chatted a group of 5 hikers came up and prepared to cross. He decided he preferred going with the group, and begged them to wait while he broke camp. I left them to sort it all out... A few miles up I stopped for dinner while being swarmed by mosquitos. I ate with my bug headnet on, lifting it briefly for each bite. Did I ever easy tonight. I knew I would hit VVR tomorrow, so there was no need to ration food. I put down a 12 oz can of spam (1100 cal), a pack of potatoes (600 cal), rice (400 cal), and a snickers (200 cal). The 2,300 calories I consumed in that sitting are more than the average person should eat in a day... After dinner I was re-energized and worked my way up a bit of a climb before finding a good spot to camp. Tomorrow should be an early morning to catch the ferry, so I quickly retired and dropped right to sleep.

Miles Today: 20
Trip Mileage: 874

Photo: Sallie Keyes lakes from Selden Pass

Day 64 (7/20) Seasons in Fast Forward

I started today on top of Muir Pass, still held in the clutches of winter under a thick blanket of snow. Wanda Lake below the pass was just beginning to ease into spring as the edges of the ice were slowly starting to melt. Descending further, Sapphire Lake showed a full springtime beauty, with a variety of plant life pushing up from the soil recently vacated by snow. And if that was spring, Evolution Lake was the epitome of summer; a deep blue lake nestled in the trees, with the bright sun beating down everywhere. I walked through three seasons in the course of 5 hours and 7 miles, and I was smiling the whole way.

At the bottom of the descent I came to a register at the McClure Meadow Ranger Station and discovered I was now only a day behind Fool, Good Karma,  Boyscout, and Molder (formerly Jeanie). My big day yesterday must've helped me close the gap. I'll probably see them all at VVR resting and eating. I ran into some interesting people today, including one guy originally from DeKalb, which is just about an hour from where I grew up. Small world. There was also a pair of girls who asked "How far do the trails go to the south towards Muir Pass?" I first gave the facetious answer of 'all the way to Mexico' but then answered their actual question by describing where the trail becomes obscured by snow. They thought they would need serious winter gear to go further, but I showed them my trail runners and trekking poles which were the only pieces of gear I needed to get to the pass, even with the snow.

Snow has been probably the biggest obstacle so far, but that changed today when I encountered Evolution Creek. This stream is swollen with snow melt, and there is even a sign advising a safer crossing point in case of very high water. I had ben advised that this alternate crossing wasn't necessary given the current conditions, so I went ahead and took the normal trail. Approaching the river, and yes I'll call it that because on the map it wasn't represented by a thin blue line but was instead shown as an actual body of water, it was that wide. In fact, I think I've seen lakes that were narrower than this creek/river. I would be doing a solo crossing, so patience and care were critical. I put all my electronics into bags in case I fell and got my pack wet, then I eyed the water.

The first 5 and last 5 feet would be easy as it was slow moving at the shore. The rest looked deeper and faster moving, but definitely not as fast as the Kings a few days ago. I mentally reviewed the course of action - face upstream, poles planted wide and out in front, knees slightly bent, leaning slightly forward into the current, test each step before committing, eyes only at my feet and towards the other shore (never downstream), and be willing to turn back if it goes over my belt. Okay, I'm ready, I thought to myself. The water was chilly but not numbingly cold. I was right about the first 5 feet, actually the first 10 were fine. Then the water level started rising. From my calf it rose up to my knees. Another step. Now mid-quad, and pushing hard on me. No thought if turning back yet, I still felt stable. Another step. I feel a damp sensation between my thighs - its cold (not warm - I never got that nervous!) and I realize the water is all the way up to the inseam of my pants. I steady myself, then take another step. The water recedes 4 inches. Another step, once again into shallower and slower water. With care I finish the last few feet to the opposite bank, where a massive sigh of relief pours out. I just made it through one of the most challenging crossings on the whole trail, and solo at that! I make a promise to myself not to get cocky, and to treat every one of the future crossings with caution and respect. Shockingly, I nearly got in trouble at one of the smaller crossings just a few miles later when my sunglasses slipped off the top of my hat and into the current. Before I could even curse at myself for my stupidity, my hand darted out and with my pole I snagged then before they made it more than a few feet downstream. I was so shocked and relieved, because in the snow there its no more critical piece of gear. If you spend too much time staring at the snowy trail without eye protection you're likely to get temporary snow blindness from the reflected sunlight. Definitely not good and something I'd like to avoid if possible.

I made a few more miles before dinner, and before I knew it I was ready for bed, though I had wanted to do a few miles after eating. I threw down my sleeping bag since the bugs didn't seem bad, and tried to sleep. As though summoned by an invisible force the moment I laid down, a horde of mosquitos descended on me. I tried putting on my bug net  and sleeping with that, but keeping the bag buttoned up tight with the net cinched over my face caused me to overheat. Summoning a massive side if courage I tore out of my sleeping bag, set up my tent in record time, and slipped inside, suffering only a dozen or so bites in the process. I guess this is the real sign of summer - small biting insects. Too bad I can't rewind to spring or winter until I climb the next pass...

Miles Today: 16
Trip Mileage: 854

Photo: Evolution Creek - Yeah, I walked across that

Day 63 (7/19) What a Day

So last night the Leisure Crew never did catch up to me after the descent from Mather around the Palisade Lakes. I figured they must've camped only a mile or two back, but with their propensity fourth late starts, I didn't really expect them to catch me in the morning. I left a note on the trail leering them know where I planned to camp, so maybe I would see then again in the evening...

The day started with a set of descending switchbacks, which were described to me last night by a pair of JMT hikers as "the gnarliest switchbacks" they had ever hiked. By the time I reached the bottom I wasn't all that impressed... Try stacking these up against the ones coming down the back of San Jacinto. No comparison. The rest if the morning continued the descent until I turned uphill into LeConte Canyon. I was now following the  Middle Fork of the Kings River, so after seeing two of the forks, I can't imagine what the full river must look like. A few miles up I stopped at the ranger station and told Ranger Rick about our experience at the top of Mather. He was thankful for the info and promised to put up a sign until the conditions cleared. I also had a chance to check out the register there, and I'm two days behind Karma, Boyscout and Jeanie, and a day behind Fool. I almost caught Muumuu and Avocado, but they took the 12 mile Bishop Pass trail out to resupply this morning. It was as I left the ranger station that I realized how fast I'd been going, and had to reconsider  my plans for the day. If I stopped below Muir Pass as planned, I would be done at 4pm. If I tried to go over, I may not make it before sunset and would face the prospect of night hiking over snow. Then I remembered several people had mentioned sleeping in the Muir hut atop the pass, and that sounded like a good backup in case the climb went slowly.

The next few miles to the start of the ascent went well, and I stored to snack at a creek crossing right before beginning the climb in earnest. While I was busy putting down a Slim Jim and a powerbar, a group of three came down from the pass and stopped to chat. The older gentleman succinctly described the conditions as "soft slushy shyte" which made me chuckle each time he repeated the phrase. One of the other guys did give me some hope as he said most stuff would soon be in shade and start refreezing. They also said the other side had a good few miles of snow, so my chances of making it all the way down to dry land were slim. Nonetheless, I wanted to get this pass done today, and I definitely wasn't ready to call it at this early hour (4pm). Sadly this meant I was leaving the Leisure Crew behind as there was no way they would attempt the pass today.

The start of the climb went well and I was on and off snow for a couple miles. Then at the second lake the snow became continuous and I drifted from the official trail. I preferred to follow some of the footsteps in the snow as that provided the most secure footing most of the time. I left the footsteps at a stream crossing where they used a snow bridge that I didn't trust. They are usually reliable in the morning, but as the day hours on and the site softens, they are more and more likely to collapse below you. After this I chose not to follow the tracks and make my own way instead. When I came up on the third lake, I got to see one off the neatest things. Standing at the outflow of the lake, I could peer across the mirror flat surface and watch as the still water slowly started to gain speed, swirling in tiny eddies, and building up to a deafening roar as it quickly cascaded down the hillside.

The climb to Helen Lake was straight up a snow bank, but at the top I chose a quick detour, gaining a little more elevation to see over a ridge down along the Black Mountain Divide. What a view! Totally worth the extra 15 minutes it took. Next it was up and around the massive frozen lake, now starting to open up around the edges. A week ago you could've walked straight across it, but today that shortcut would be far colder and wetter.

I realized I was standing among giants, as I looked around at all the 13,000+ peaks. The pass was only a half mile away, but on the now icy snow it seemed ti take forever. Finally, I saw it; over the ridge stood a stone hut, my destination for the evening. I snapped some photos of the sun setting behind the distant peaks, then brought my stuff inside. I set up my sleeping bag on wooden planks atop the stone bench lining the wall, and quickly drifted off to sleep at 12,000 ft.

Miles Today: 17
Trip Mileage: 838

Photo: Muir hut atop Muir Pass at sunset