Category: PCT Sierras

At mile 772.7. Hiked 6.4 PCT miles today plus 15 miles to Mt Whitney summit and back plus 0.8 miles to return to the PCT. Total distance hiked today was 22.2 miles.

I was cold in the sleeping bag when I awoke to see that the ground had frozen.

I was up at 3:35 am and on the trail to Mt Whitney just after 4 am.

There was a nearly full moon so I left my headlamp turned off most of the time. Without the headlamp beam, I could actually see more of the surroundings. While the headlamp was on, I could only see the trail. Just to my left, I spooked a large animal, causing a loud scattering of rocks. Switching on my headlamp I saw that it was a large buck sporting an enormous rack of antlers. Once again extinguishing the headlamp, I gazed at the white cliffs and mountains rising around me. Stars and planets shone above the line where the sky joined the darkened mountains. The lower corner of Orion laid just above the mountain in my path. In the moonlight lakes and meadows were darker pools of calm.

The trail crested above Guitar Lake where I could spy distant headlamps just beginning to form in small groups and move out in lines. Tents around the lake glowed like lamps marking where others were still waking and packing for their turn to join the early morning ascent of Mount Whitney. As I moved through the lines of slowly moving headlamps, people thought it strange that I walked in the dark. Some wrongly assumed I didn’t have a headlamp. I thought it strange that they used headlamps on such a brightly lit and beautiful night.

I started climbing with Guitar Lake below me.

Many switchbacks later, I reached the junction with the Whitney Portal trail that ascends from the desert floor eastern approach. Soon after, I passed these 2 pinnacles. Only a few days earlier, while roaming the streets of Lone Pine, I had used these features to pick out Mount Whitney.

On top of Whitney.

Here is proof that I made it to the top of the highest point in the lower 48. After hiking a few thousand miles, I must truly be in great physical shape, because I was never out of breath for the entire climb. I arrived before 8 am after hiking 7.5 miles in less than 4 hours. It did feel great not having to carry a loaded backpack.

The pinnacles next to Whitney.

A view looking down toward Guitar Lake.

On the return trip to Crabtree Meadows, I was able to see by sunlight that which I had seen by moonlight. Here is Timberline Lake. I climbed on the rock you can see in the photo centered among the reeds. From this rock, I pushed off for a short swim in this very cold lake. When I stepped on the rock I saw that a snake was already there enjoying that sunny spot. Snake number 19? 20? Not sure.

Another view of Timberline Lake.

After a nap in my tent, I broke camp and hiked further on the PCT. Here is a late afternoon view.

Here is my tent set up on Big Horn Plateau. It was a cold spot with frost all over the next morning. Also, a great view of Whitney in the distance. At the end of the day, it’s nice to see where you have been.

At mile 766.3. Hiked 15.5 miles today plus 1.2 miles on Crabtree Meadows trail. August 27, 2018

I’m seeing a lot more people now. Most of the hikers are out to climb Mt Whitney. Some are hiking the John Muir Trail. I met one hiker who told me he was giving up. He had started at Cottonwood Pass with intent to hike the JMT northbound. After 20 miles he is hiking back to Cottonwood Pass. He told me that he had gotten dehydrated. 

The heat is real. It is bothering a lot of hikers slower than me because they are exposed longer and take longer to reach water sources. After today everything north is supposed to have frequent water.

It may be hot during the day, but it is cold at night. I had to zip my sleeping bag the whole way and close the tent doors. I’m guessing that it was around 35 degrees at Chicken Spring Lake where I camped last night. I began hiking this morning wearing literally all the clothing I have. That included long silk underwear, long pants, down vest, wool hat, and precip rain jacket. This is the coldest it has been since Oregon.

The cold morning had me out of camp and on the trail early just to warm up. Here is a photo before the sunrise.

I watched the moon as it neared setting.

It was a blue sky day without a cloud.

Here is the daily trail photo.

I passed through wide-open meadows.

And more meadows.

Here is the toilet at Crabtree Meadows. With many hikers camping at Crabtree Meadows while on the way or returning from a summit of Mount Whitney, this single toilet sees a lot of use. It is wise to do your business before you begin your Mt Whitney ascent. Those climbers exiting via Whitney Portal are required to pack out their “waste” in a blue bag.

At mile 750.8. Advanced 5.5 miles on PCT by completing alternate route began on Day 126. Total alternate route distance was 5.9 miles. Returned to PCT via the Cottonwood Pass Trail. 

August 26th

Today was a Near Zero day called by hikers a “NERO”. I spent most of the day in Lone Pine doing laundry, eating pizza buffet (8 slices plus large salad and 3 refills of root beer). 

I also worked on reducing pack weight by getting rid of rope and underwear. I reduced fuel carried by leaving full can of denatured alcohol at the Dow Villa Hotel with instructions to hold for me when I return on August 30th. I’m carrying only 4 oz of that fuel, enough for 4 hot meals. I will return to Lone Pine after getting off the trail at Kearsage Pass 4 days from now. At that point I’ll resupply for the longest stretch of trail yet. 

Here is the Dow Villa I stayed in. I had a historic room. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and John Wayne were among those that stayed here while using local scenery to shoot Westerns. This is really a unique place to stay. 

Here is where I hitched a ride. That is my lonely backpack.

The first person to pass picked me up. He was driving a pickup and hauling a horse trailer. His name was Mark and he was a packer who ran mules and horses through the John Muir Trail. His outfit called Rocky operates through pack stations throughout the Sierras. He’ll take you on horseback on the PCT for about $300 per day. Another option is that you hike and he delivers your resupply by mule directly on the trail. This runs $300 per delivery, but it includes up to 100 pounds. Don’t ask me how you are going to carry that 100 on your back after the mile delivers it. Seriously, the idea is to hike with a group and split the delivery and the cost. 

When I arrived at my camp on Chicken Spring Lake, I saw campers with full ice chests and tables. Someone was running around and cooking for the others. This was one of the packer companies. This one was called Yosemite 

Chuck, Cris, and Sara were also camping at the lake. I had  met them on the trail a couple of days ago. I met their very good friend, Roger as I walked up to Cottonwood Pass this afternoon. He had carried a resupply in for them. Who needs delivery by mule for $300 when Roger delivers 70 pounds for free? I’ve got a lot of respect for anyone that will climb Cottonwood with 70 pounds.

Here is my tent set up near the lake. It was strange to step out of Mark’s truck and into cool air when it was in the high 90’s in Lone Pine. Camped at 11,288 feet, it is even cooler and I expect my coldest night in many weeks.

Here is a stark tree just a short distance from my camp spot.

Here are some of the sites along today’s hike near and around the top at Cottonwood Pass.

At mile 745.3. Hiked 14.4 PCT miles today plus 2.2 miles from Trail Pass to parking lot at Cottonwood Pass trailhead.

Here is an opening to the broad desert thousands of feet below. It is also where I had cell service. The day started cold, but by mid-day I was sweating my way on a long climb in the blazing sun. Walking faster and not stopping was the only way to make  it end. Starting yesterday afternoon, I have been hiking around and above 10,000 feet elevation. It should help for my climb up Mt Whitney in a few days.

I think this is Mt Langley. If not, it is still one big mountain. 

I reached Horseshoe Meadows where I hitched a ride down the eastern face of the Sierra to Lone Pine. I recommend this drive if you ever visit Lone Pine. No guard rails and it felt like I was flying in a plane, not riding in a car. 

What to do if you are in Horseshoe Meadows? Ride horses through the wilderness of course.

 

At mile 730.9. Hiked 24.2 miles today. 

Here is where I woke up this morning. That’s right, I camped on a footbridge over one of the Kern rivers. I had left KM at 6:30 pm the day before and hiked into the dark. Last mile was dark  and I used headlamp and played music out of my IPhone speakers to scare away those spooky animals that stalk around in the dark. Really, it just keeps my wild imagination of those beasts of the dark in check.

Near the end of the day I saw my first hikers since Walker Pass. Sometimes the solitude is nice.

There was an older couple going southbound. I stopped to talk to them and offer information on water, but the lady seemed to be in a hurry and quickly became agitated when I told her that the first Cow Creek Water was dry, but there are many Cow Creek crossings with water. The last several days I had been making notes of water sources to update the PCT water report once I had internet access.

She became irritated and said that I was giving her info in the northbound direction. I told her that I was giving it in her direction, southbound. Shortly she was yelling at me. Her husband seemed very calm and friendly. They both hurried on without having the patience to try to understand the water sources ahead of them. Nearly all of the people you meet on the trail are relaxed and friendly, but there are the rare stressed out hiker you will run across. I was perplexed about this behavior and thought about how our aging brains sometimes intensify some of our less desirable behaviors. Just a theory of mine.

On to more pleasant topics..

Another nice climb above a drainage and above 8000 feet when I came out through a pass that opened to an equally high valley.

There were cows that acted like they had never seen a PCT hiker even though the trail passed right through their backyard.

Many great photo ops with rock formations of every imaginable kind. 

I walked above the Kern river above this valley. I later crossed the river on a footbridge built in 1986. I thought about what I was doing that year. Graduate school, marriage plans. I soaked my feet in the river no soaked my shirt and put it back on wet. Cold at first but it helps with hiking I  the hot sun.

Here is the Kern.

Great skies.

Clouds and rock.

Gomez Valley

 

At mile 681.5. Hiked 22.1 miles today.

Last night I laid under a sky full of stars and. gazed at Orion, Cygnus, the Milky Way, and even the small cluster Pleiades. In the early morning, I awoke for a few minutes and quickly counted 7 falling stars.

The trail was good. Now I remember how much I like the desert. I just hate carrying so much water.

Jack rabbits were huge and loved to hop high.

A lot of climbing around a valley that went for miles when it looked like I could have walked straight across that valley in a couple of miles.

Rock formations.

This rock looks like a domino.