How I Didn't Die in the High Sierra - Part 3

After two nights in the resort town of Mammoth Lakes, and having bid farewell to our friends who have opted to end their hike here, Coach, Advisory, and I make our way back to the trail. With our trail family having been cut in half, we expect to pick up our daily mileage a bit.

Matterhorn Creek in Yosemite National Park

August 6 - 13
Reds Meadow mile 907
to Sonora Pass mile 1017

We decide to get a cheeseburger dinner at the Reds Meadow Cafe before an evening hike out. After a side trip to the Devils Postpile National Monument, we set up camp, after only a few miles, next to San Joaquin River Middle Branch. After back-to-back zero days, it still feels like an accomplishment. A new tradition starts when Coach breaks out a pint of bourbon, and we each take a swig as a symbolic end to the day's hike.

The unique hexagonal basalt columns of Devils Postpile

The trail meanders into the eastern sections of Yosemite National Park. The terrain is still difficult, and some of the streams are still raging. This late in the season, there are very few snowfields to traverse, which is a good thing in my opinion. As expected, we're doing more miles per day here in the northern Sierra. The John Muir Trail, which shares the tread with the Pacific Crest Trail through these parts, branches off temporarily north of Devils Postpile, but only for 12 miles. The reduction trail traffic is obvious, and we enjoy the increased solitude during that stretch. The trails rejoin at Thousand Island Lake, and there is a small mob of JMT hikers there during lunchtime.

Lunch break at Thousand Island Lake

The PCT traverses the less popular sections of Yosemite and avoids the more popular attractions like Half Dome and Vernal Falls. After an early morning trek up and over Donahue Pass, elevation 11,038 feet, which I found to be especially exhausting for some reason, we descend to the Lyell Canyon and follow it all the way to the camp store at Tuolomne Meadows. It takes us less than 48 hours to complete the 36 plus miles from Reds Meadow, and we reward ourselves with chili dogs at the cafe.

The camp was forced to open quite late this year, just a week before our arrival, because of the heavy winter and spring snows and the many downed trees that had to be cleaned up. Its filled to capacity with RV people, families, vacationers and the like. We spend the night crammed into a spot in the hiker section of the camp ground. A ranger gives a talk about bears at the little amphitheater as curious deer boldly snoop around the perimeter, nice entertainment before bedtime.

A small resupply at the camp store

After downing pancakes and picking up another pint of bourbon and a few other resupply items, we make our way out of Tuolomne Meadows. Some hikers opt for a side trip and hitch a ride to Yosemite Valley to visit those popular attractions. Others wait at the Post Office for a resupply package to arrive. The John Muir Trail hikers branch off a separate trail down to the Valley where their hike will end. Coach, Advisory, and I, along with our friend Constantine, hike up the road and hop back onto the PCT to continue our quest.

That's Constantine approaching Lembert Dome

Glacier-scraped landscape

Delivering provisions to rangers and outposts

Tuolomne Falls

It will take a couple more days to hike through Yosemite National Park. We trek through a series of canyons divided by high passes. It's a similar pattern... ford a river, then up, up, up, then down, down, rinse, repeat. The shoes and socks never completely dry out. It's actually a bit tedious, but being in the wilderness with my new friends is better than any alternative I can come up with. The most notorious of the Yosemite stream crossings is the Rancheria Creek, which claimed the life of one hiker just a month ago. We choose a crossing 100 yards upstream from the trail and there are a few tense moments, but we all make it across without issue.

Coach crosses Piute Creek at a log jam

Pure serenity

Just past Dorothy Lake, there is a snowy pass with a sign marking the northern border of the national park area. Soon after that, we reach the 1000 mile mark of the PCT. I'm happy to have discovered the rocks in the dirt spelling out the number, because before that, I was worried that I had gone the wrong way at a fork in the trail a while back. The others catch up to me and we do the obligatory photo session.

Constantine at mile 1000!

That night, we camp next to the creek in Kennedy Canyon. It's an extra chilly night, and thin sheets of ice form along the creek side overnight. This would be our last day in what is considered the Sierra section of the PCT, to Sonora Pass. There are still some snowfields covering the trail, but we opt for a steep detour eliminating the snowy switchbacks and pushing straight to the top.

No need to treat this icy mountain water

Sonora Pass should be the last bit of snow-covered trail

By mid afternoon, we arrive at the highway and get a hitch down the mountain to the Kennedy Meadows North resort area. We enjoy a huge dinner at the restaurant there and camp in the PCT site with several others. In the morning, a pancake breakfast has me feeling groggy. We decide to take a zero day, which turns into a double zero day. Needless to say, we enjoy the rest break, the food, and the camaraderie.

I enjoy traveling with Advisory and Coach. But it is just a tiny bit weird since they have been boyfriend-girlfriend since their first days on the trail way back in May. It's not a big deal, and I don't mind being third wheel. It seems that we have these occasional team meetings to discuss plans. When this happens, it usually means we're going to take a zero day. Zero days are usually expensive, in terms of food, accommodations, and time off the trail. I'm not sure how far I can make it this year, but I had hoped to at least get to the Oregon border.

We rented this cabin at KM North for two nights

August 16 - 20
Sonora Pass mile 1017 to
US 50 (S. Lake Tahoe) mile 1092

Once we finally get motivated to head back up to the trail, we have a tough time thumbing a ride. We wait hopelessly for about 90 minutes with no takers.

So pathetic

We step up our game and incorporate some choreography. Finally, a couple from New Zealand in a rental car pull over and we all cram into the back seat. Check out our moves in this video clip below...

We don't get too far, maybe five miles, before the skies begin to darken and thunder rumbles. We find a place to pitch our tents and decide to wait out the rain. When it stops, it's too late to bother with any more miles. The next morning, I get an earlier start than my mates. I wait around during breaks, but they don't show up. I'm fine with flying solo for a bit, so I proceed on, scratching notes in the dirt and leaving them other clues along the way.

Vibrant colors

Joining up with the Tahoe Rim Trail

After a few days, I reach the end of the section at Highway 50. I'm able to get a ride into South Lake Tahoe and even score a nice motel room at a reasonable price. After cleaning up and doing some laundry, I make my way down the street a bit to the Nevada State Line. The first casino I come to is Harrah's. I walk past all the ringing slot machines to the elevator, because my focus here is the all-you-can-eat buffet on the 18th floor. Four plates later, I'm ready for bed.

Plate #1 of 4 overlooking Lake Tahoe

Advisory and Coach roll into town the next day, sharing harrowing video of a hail storm they survived the prior evening. Coach has arranged for us to stay with trail angels that night, parents of a friend. We get pizza and beers, and then take care of our town business. I purchase some trekking poles, repair my broken tent pole assembly, and ship home my snow gear. We take a taxi to our hosts and they are super nice and accommodating.

We have another team meeting, and it becomes clear that Coach and Advisory will soon be ending their hike. They aren't exactly sure when and where, so they will take a second day off to think about it. I'm going to move on without them and complete as much of the trail as I can. The next morning, after breakfast at a local diner, we share hugs and well wishes, and our host drives me up to the trail head at Echo Lake. And just like that, I'm on my own.

Photo credit to Katie Allwood for the pictures of me. :)