At mile 794.3. Hiked 5.4 PCT miles today. Returned to PCT via Kearsage Pass Trail by hiking additional 7.2 miles. I bought 2  breakfast burritos at the Shell Station in Independence to carry with me for lunch. The person working in the store seemed strange. When I asked how much my food cost he seemed to just make up an obviously inflated price. Then he quickly reduced it by a dollar. Observing this pricing system, I asked how much the Cliff Bars were. Again, he threw out a price,...

At mile 815.6. Hiked 21.3 miles today. I climbed over 3500 vertical feet from the swinging bridge to Pinchot Pass. I climbed again to a point just below the final climb of Mather Pass.  Here is a rock formation that looks like a giant thumb. Last night I camped close to this dome. This view is looking back after hiking beyond camp for a short while. Here are some of the many mountains I have been seeing. Only one person at a time is allowed on this swinging bridge over the King...

At mile 838.8. Hiked 23.2 miles today. Today I climbed both Mather Pass and Muir Pass. The valley that the PCT follows up to Muir Pass is my favorite spot on the PCT. The Middle Fork Kings River spills through this valley and there are quiet groves of trees at each level of the valley. The valley finally ends at a series of high mountain lakes.  While taking a dinner break on the Mather Pass climb, I met several young girls with day packs. They said that they were on...

At mile 857.7. Hiked 18.9 miles today plus 1.5 miles to Muir Ranch. At Muir Trail Ranch there were 5-gallon buckets labeled with categories for each type of food and other non-food items. Amazed at the abundance and variety of free food and supplies, I went down the line selecting the food I needed. I grabbed several Mountain House scrambled egg dinners. It was pleasing to think that I would have a break from the daily morning oatmeal over the next several days. I provisioned with enough food to...

At mile 878.7. Hiked 21 PCT miles plus 1.5 miles back to PCT from Muir Trail Ranch (MTR) plus 1.5 miles from PCT to Edison Boat Ferry for Vermillon Valley Ranch (VVR). As I departed at 6:20 am, I took this photo of just a few of the later risers tenting at MTR. One of several lakes leading up to Selden Pass. Another lake. I met a large group from South Korea here. One of them had hiked the SO-CAL portion of the PCT last year.  Another view of the same lake. The...

At mile 896. Hiked 17.3 miles today plus 1.5 miles to return to PCT via Edison Ferry trail. Everyone exiting the Edison Ferry after a good time at VVR. Now, Hike! The trail toward Silver Pass. A lot of vertical from VVR. Clouds, but no rain. View from Silver Pass. I think that might be Ritter Peak in Ansel Adams Wilderness. Lake and clouds. Virginia Lake. I don’t want a weather repeat. My down vest is stuffed in my dry sack this time. My campsite for the night. Big day tomorrow at Reds Meadow. I'm planning a...