*this post contains foul language, you’ve been warned We spent nearly half a day trying to get back to the trail to return to the PCT. We finally got up to the trailhead in the afternoon, and started the ascent up Kearsarge Pass. Water was flowing over and all around the road at the trailhead, … Read More “Days 50-53: Flipping, Flopping” »
Month: June 2017
The Hostel California in Bishop is a great place to stay. The owner is laid back and friendly and gives you a beer on check in. There are plenty of bathrooms, a large kitchen and living area, and huge back porch complete with a kiddie pool. Typically a hostel for rock climbers, this time of … Read More “Days 47-49: 3 Zeros in Bishop” »
We started our day with a pep in our step, knowing we just had to cross over Kearsarge Pass to the east and head back to civilization. We’d been told that the trail to the pass was mostly clear, and that turned out to be the exact opposite of actual conditions. We traversed snowfields the … Read More “Day 46: Kearsarge Pass to Bishop” »
None of us slept very well last night, worried about being behind schedule, about the creek crossing ahead and getting over the pass, the highest point on the PCT. We’re hiking with another hiker named Frederik, as it is very helpful to have a group in this terrain. Our morning was mostly walking over snow … Read More “Day 45: Forester Pass” »
Day 43: Today has been long and tiring. We started the day with a creek crossing. The creek was raging, so we crossed farther upstream, where it was branched off into several smaller crossings. After some climbing we ran into more significant snow. We tried out our microspikes, and took some time to practice self … Read More “Days 43 and 44: Mount Whitney” »
Today was a monstrous day. From our campsite at 10,000 feet, we enjoyed a leisurely first few miles of the day as the trail very gradually gained elevation. We climbed over Mulkey Pass and continued climbing over Cottonwood Pass. At over 11,000 feet, the trail began to be covered more and more with snow. Route … Read More “Day 42: Into the Snow” »
We did a lot of climbing today. From camp at 8,000 feet, we climbed up over 10,000, back down to 9,000, then back up over 10,000 again. The elevation and the weight of our packs made for slow going today with plenty of breaks, but we still managed 20 miles with plenty of daylight left. … Read More “Day 41: 10,000 Feet” »
Before leaving Kennedy Meadows, we made sure to stop at Grumpy Bear’s for breakfast: bacon, eggs, potatoes, and the biggest pancake I’ve ever had. Packing up with the bear canisters and extra gear was a challenge, but we made it work and got going around 11am. We climbed from Kennedy Meadows into the South Sierra … Read More “Day 40: Into the Sierra” »
Today has been all about getting ready for the Sierra. From Kennedy Meadows the trail ascends to over 10,000 feet fairly quickly, and the landscape will be mostly covered in snow. We are carrying ice axes and microspikes for the snow travel, as well as gloves and a few extra layers of clothing. We are … Read More “Day 39: Sierra Preparations” »
Our original plan for the day today was to hike 23 miles and camp 3 miles outside of Kennedy Meadows. We slept in a little bit this morning as it was cold and windy, but the hiking was easy and we made better time than we anticipated. When we stopped for lunch at 1:30 and … Read More “Day 38: Marathon to Kennedy Meadows” »