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 Wilderness. We walked through meadows, across streams, and along rivers up to 8,000 feet, where we camped after hiking 15 miles. The desert landscape has disappeared and we come closer to the snowy peaks ahead with each passing mile. The going was slower today with all the extra weight on our backs. Paul broke a trekking pole this morning so he’s trying out using just one, a tough section to try it out on. Tomorrow we climb to 10,000 feet!
