Day 67

Trail miles: 23.7

Total: 858.8

Yesterday’s pass was the sketchiest, and today’s was the most physically difficult. The snow came up pretty quickly and it was a long steady uphill. I took it slow with Big Owl and enjoyed the views. The snow was everywhere, no patches this time around. We had to keep checking where the trail was because there were footprints going everywhere. Basically we traversed straight up the hill and cut off a lot of switchback miles. It was ok because the snow was still very frozen and the spikes dug it confidently. The sun cups made it hard to keep in between the holes. One time I was looking up the hill at the trail ahead, and I fell into someone’s post hole! I completely ate it and rolled on my side. At the top was Muir Hut! It was much better than any hut on top of the mountain because it wasn’t fully filled with snow. We got more photos and more people joined in to the butt pics. It’s what John Muir would have wanted. After the pass, it’s always every man for themself, so the boys run down the hill. I was so lethargic from hunger, but I wanted to make it past the snow before it got too soft. And boy, did it get soft quick! As soon as the sun rose, we were sliding all around. Unfortunately, that was the last we saw of the sun today. It started raining on us as soon as Brad got his sleeping bag out to dry! It was the first time I’ve had to deal with rain in over 60 days! I was glad that I had my umbrella. It was in and off though and a light rain. We had a alternate route today to cross the river at a lower spot of the river, and then the rest of the water crossings had bridges! After lunch, Brad and I made it a mission to finish the 8.3 miles to camp before 6:00 and we made it at 5:55. Dinner was chicken fried rice and much better than last nights dinner. Jonah told us that some people are going to try to push into town a day early, and we went over mileage for how we can make it work and still do the last two passes together. I will still get into Mammoth on Tuesday, because I am enjoying the Sierras!

Day 66

Trail miles: 19.5

Total: 835.1

We passed over what was labeled as the sketchiest pass this year, and for good reason! Before there was light in the sky, the ton of us set out to climb 1 mile to the top of Mather pass. There wasn’t snow on the first 30 minutes of climbing but the next section was the steepest switchbacks of snow that we have come across. It definitely called for a nice axe. The boys headed right on up without wasting anytime. I of course wasted all the time by taking photos of them climbing up and of the sunrise over the mountains. While Moss is as climbing, Krista had to call up and tell him his ice axe was backwards, and then started giving him a lesson in how to do it while he was looking back from the pass. The snow was the easy part. We climbed straight up the scariest rock scramble I have ever done. And I had to do it was a 40 pound pack on. Luckily, halfway up there was snow steps I could transfer to. The part that was worrisome was the gravel just fell down the side of the cliff as you stepped on it, so every step was a gamble. And you were headed sliding down the pass if you missed. It took so much energy to get up that I had to catch my breath. The rest of the snow was good as long as you took it with caution. Then we sand happy birthday to Moss at the top! I got it all on GoPro; it was a shock to everyone. I set up the GoPro on the tripod like always for a group summit photo. Once I took the two photos, I said “GoPro start recording,” and began the birthday song. I just thought of doing it in that moment and I’m so glad I did. Krista and Jonah have been taking ass pictures on the top of every pass and today they recruited Big Owl. I think Brad with join tomorrow. Seems like we will all have to do it on the last pass. The way down was no as scary for sure so I put away my ice axe. And then we got to cruise to lunch with 8 or so miles of downhill through the beautiful Sierras. I accidentally slipped into the dumbest puddle on the way down, twice. I tried to get out and slipped right back in. At least I had time to dry my shoes and socks out before bed. I didn’t hear until lunch, but Dan fell and Jonah had to catch him. Then Brad had to help him back his way down the mountain while someone carried his pack. The water crossings today were easily manageable by rock hopping or taking a log. I met a dayhiking group who met through their job at the Berkeley REI. The next 7.5 miles to camp were uphill and I got there by 5:00! Enough time to watch some Stranger Things. Dinner was a Mountain House fettuccine. It tastes good at the start, probably because I am so hungry. Then by the end, when I am not hungry anymore, it tastes way worse. I am getting real tired of these dehydrated meals. Blah. I saw so many deer today! One was right by the trail eating, so I was able to get some close pictures.

Day 65

Trail miles: 11.2

Total: 815.6

The slow pokes got started at 5:30am and made our way up the pass. It was slow going until I reached the snow and then it was kinda fun! It was very easy again today. We made it to the top before the fast group, but then again they did leave after 6:00am. The summit was beautiful as usual. Then I took the next 4 downhill miles pretty fast to keep up with Moss and Cool Beans. I crossed a water crossing and totally fell in up to my thighs, so I’m glad I had a dry bag to put my camera gear in. Then since my feet were already soaking wet, I just walked through the next one. I went in between Cool Beans and Moss. Then we waited on a rock for an hour until the rest of the group showed up. It was only four more miles to camp, so I headed up the hill with the gang. I took my shoes off for the other water crossings because I’m afraid my shoes will be frozen in the morning if I go in the water too late in the afternoon. Now we are at camp and I immediately made oatmeal because I was so hungry. There’s a large crowd here waiting to do the pass in the morning. We are all watching people go over the pass in the afternoon, which I thought was crazy, but they all seem to be doing fine. Maybe it’s easy? Either way, it has been great entertainment. Krista taught us a reaction game, which I did terrible at because I of course kept laughing. Tomorrow is the first of our long mileage days so I will have to go down the hill fast to make up for lost time on the uphill.

Day 64

Trail miles: 14.4

Total: 804.4

Trail mileage doesn’t mean anything anymore. It wouldn’t matter anyway because the days are hard enough at altitude. Basically what we do is set ourselves up to get up and over a pass as early as possible, because there is usually snow in them and they are steep which makes them dangerous. If you hit them in the morning, the snow is frozen, which makes it easier to cross with microspikes. Right now, we are 3 miles below Pinchot Pass. Wake up is at 4:30 for us slow pokes. The snow is reported to be on the ascent this time which is better for us because we will hit the snow earlier.

Today we went over Glen Pass. It was only a mile to the top, but I was going very slow and I woke up with a headache. But somehow I am not the slowest person. I am the third slowest. It’s nice that they wait for us for the dangerous sections; that’s all I need. There was no snow in the ascent. When we got to the top, there was a long stretch of snow we had to cross almost horizontally down the hill. The footsteps were so deep though, it kind of made a sort of wall of protection to prevent falling or slipping down the hill. The rest was almost straight downhill. There was a mix between rocks and snow, none of which were terribly difficult. Once at the bottom, we got the chance to glissade (when you slide down the snowy hill on your butt)! I picked up way more speed than I was expecting that I almost ran into Raechel. We were rewarded for finishing a pass with Rae Lakes, such beautiful lakes. And we also got an easy 8 mile downhill to lunch. Raechel caught a fish with Oracles fishing rod. We crossed a river using a very swing-y suspension bridge that was only able to allow one person on the bridge at a time. It said you could take stock on it though, which was scary to think about. Also one of the grate panels was broken so that made it all the sketchier. The water crossings today were not very deep so most of them we are able to rock hop. There was one that we just walked through, but it was early enough in the day to dry our socks and shoes out completely before they froze at night. There is so much was here. The water rushes down the trail sometimes and feels like we are walking in a creek. I’d probably rather carry a few liters of water than cross rivers and creeks every quarter mile. And waterfalls are so abundant I have to pick and choose which ones I take photos of. If they are smaller, I just skip them for the strong and big ones. The last 4 miles were uphill so it took me a while, but I enjoyed it. Dinner was rice and barbacoa from a bag. It took like 40 minutes for my rice to rehydrate, probably because of the altitude, so I will not be doing that again. I went to get water from the little lake nearby and totally got my socks wet from the damp marshy grass. I think they are dry now though. We met a hiker from South Africa at the campsite which was cool!

Day 63

Trail miles: 1.1

Total: 790

Off trail miles: 7.5

No matter how much time I get in town I feel like I’m rushing to do stuff on the last day. I still had to go to the post office and pack my bag. I ended up having enough time because the taxi wasn’t picking us up until after 1:00pm. While walking around town, I saw a group trying to hitch with no success, so I’m glad we got the taxi, which was $15 each. Another 45 min drive back to the trailhead and we were headed up. I was able to climb the 4 mile pass without taking more than a water break, but it caused my undiagnosed sports asthma to reappear. I had to take the hill up to camp pretty slow. I discovered that people now use me as a pacer, where they get behind me because I am so slow that they know they won’t get altitude sickness from rising too quickly. That’s ok, Cool Beans and I chatted most of the way up the hill, well when I could breathe. I’m now in my tent eating subway that I packed out and I’m glad I have a chance to recover before pass #2 tomorrow - Glenn Pass. We are right below it this time, so we will hopefully hit the snow while it is still frozen.