Embedded Files
June 14, 2011
HEYHOKA and KEMOSABE picked up as well by CANADOUG - they stayed at the infamous KERN MOTEL (hot water 7-9 PM only).
11:30: At Walker Pass: SKIPPER, DAIN, and OKI GAL trail angels: Burgers and beer.
Hiker talking about getting sucker punched in a Mojave bar and just kept on talking. Family campers complained about the loudness and language. OK - time to go.
Talked to a female runner who was wearing HOKA shoes: really comfortable.
camped at Joshua Spring (alone). Trail notes: "bear problems every year". Sign at spring: "Contains uranium. OK to drink, but not regularly.
664.1, 12.1, 5300 ft
Went up to 7,000 - hot, dry, burned trees, no shade.
June 15, 2011
7 AM - 5 PM: just like yesterday. Over a 7,000 foot ridge, back to 5,000: Canebrake Road.
Couldn't find campground host, so no drinks/candy for $$.
Go for Kern River tomorrow? (17.5 m). Then 4 more to Kennedy Meadows.
Another couple with dog night hiking: clear, full moon - good idea. Should I?
681.3, 17.w, 5600
Let's play "Spot the trail"
June 16, 2011
Up at 6:20. Water at spring, then 9 m. to next water. Climbed to 9,000 ft, but not too hot, little breezy - nice.
New plan - stop every 2 hours, have snack.
First mosquitoes: 2 nights ago. Started to carry DEET in pocket, but stained it.
WILD LIFE passed me at 11.
Tried walking without Ace bandage this morning. OK, but putting it on now (11 AM) just to be safe.
Finished at K.M. after pain-free leg (with bandage), no drugs (except 2 antihistamines; but still sniffling a bit).
Brief dip in Kern River - cold, fast, refreshing.
Pitched tent behind KM General Store (closed at 4 ). No water, but KILROY gave me a liter.
Later KILROY invited me to chili dogs at trail angels' trailer. Supposedly 24 hikers left the previous day. Tired, went to bed at 8.
702.8, 21.5, 6280
June 17, 2011
Warm mornings, very few clouds, forecast is clear next five days at least.
Picked up box and bear barrel Hal shipped to me. Way too much stuff (I had planned to carry enough food to get to Vermillion Valley Resort, but the snow this year makes that long a section without resupply impossible). Will send some ahead (or put in hiker box?)
TICKETTE at KM porch.
Shipping to Independence:
- cliff bars: 9
- oatmeal: 12
- hot chocolate: 8
- tuna: 4 (2 large, 2 small)
- spaghetti: 2 (17 oz each)
- mashed potatoes: 2
- peanuts
- almonds
- pecans
- macadamia nuts
- powdered milk (1/2 pkg)
- peanut butter (16 oz)
- notebook
- coffee (small amount)
Shipped home:
- umbrella
- pack cover
- map of S. California
- Dri Ducks rain jacket
- solar panel
- Tehachapi medical bill
- 1 pair underwear
- purple handkerchief
- notepad
Talked with EURO TRASH (from Finland)
For best prices on new, used gear: geartrade.com, trailspace.com
met CLARK KENT at Tom's (gave nice lesson on ice ax handling), and MASTER (because last name is BATES, duh).
Deciding to stay at least one more zero day. Talked to a guy on the General Store porch who has done the PCT several times. He said should take a bit longer to tackle the Sierras: this would be the perfect time if it were a normal year, but the extra snow means two weeks later would be ideal. So, plan:
- stay at KM one or more days
- get off at Lone Pine (?) for few days.
- get off at Kearsarge Pass and stay a few days.
So for tomorrow:
- Figure out how to carry ice ax on pack.
- Ditto for micro spikes
- Pack 7 days' food in bear can (done!)
Dr. SOLE tending to everybody's feet.
The scene at Kennedy Meadows.
June 18, 2011
Up at 8, goofed around, went to Tom's to see if could write big email, but internet wasn't up (he runs everything on solar power). Packed everything, and left around 9:30.
11 AM: Survey taken by park official on my trail use.
Ahead of me: CHILLY WILLY, KILROY, CLARK KENT, SILENT JOE.
Tarptent MOMENT: both CHILLY WILLY and CLARK KENT have them: super design.
Tough day: uphill 2000 feet, and I'm packing 7 days of food in my bear barrel. But the others were complaining even more; and I got to the campsite by the South Fork Kern River first. So five of us in sync for tomorrow (over 10000 ft).
716.7, 13.9 m, 7820 ft
June 19, 2011
Day 2 from Kennedy Meadows. Again, climbed 2000 ft, this time to over 10000 ft, then down to 8900. Tomorrow promises the same. But today for the first time I felt I was in the Sierra Nevada: the big trees, the bareness between trees and rocks, the granite outcroppings. Plenty of little streams for water - I drank at least four liters, and it really wasn't that hot (I'm in my tent, drinking from my lemon-flavored Platypus as I write).
I lost my way today! Took a left onto the wrong trail instead of a right onto the PCT, and didn't figure out my boo-boo for about 1/2 hour (kudos for my iPhone's GPS and HALF MILE's PCT waypoints).
Dinner: 1/2 pkg of angel hair pasta, plus cheese from Mac 'n Cheese, plus pkg of red salmon: delicious! And enormous serving, too.
CLARK KENT showed me how to properly lash my ice ax to my pack. We five are together tonight as well, and I suspect we'll stay together thru Kearsarge Pass.
Nice campsite: Death Canyon Creek (!). Flat places, fireplace by previous hikers, stream very close. Lovely evening, slightly cool, handful of clouds.
SILENT JOE used to have my old tent! We agreed it was the best tent ever, but too heavy for PCT hikers.
CLARK KENT has a sore ankle that is not improving - he hobbles around the campsite now. I wish him luck...
SUN - 730.8 - Death Canyon Creek
MON - 744.0 - Mulkey Pass (has water p
TUE - 760.3 - Rock Creek Crossing (has bear box)
WED - 775.0 - Tyndall Creek (has bear box)
THU - 789.5 - Bullfrog Lake Junction (bear box .7 m away)
FRI - Kearsarge Pass: 9 m, then hitch
730.8, 14.1, 8880 ft
June 20, 2011
Left at 7, behind other 4. Gained elevation to around 10000 ft, then miles of relatively level (slightly uphill) gorgeous meandering trail through widely spaced stands of (first rare, then more often) lodgepole pine and more numerous amazingly twisted (esp. the frequent bare trunked and branched) golden-yellow pines whose identity escapes me. No flowers at all, just scattered trees, boulders, pine cones in these smooth brown gently undulating fields of white. For awhile the trail skirted the e. edge of the Sierras, dropping almost straight down to the desert below.
Trail wonderful for feet: pine needles, gravel, pine cones makes for a cushioned carpet.
Full of energy today. Was it the angel hair pasta last night? (With Mac 'n Cheese cheese and pkg of red salmon). Had 2 oatmeals w/ powdered milk for breakfast. Tried a coffee/chocolate combo - not great. And only 3 Cliff bars all day. Should I be eating more?
Lot of walking through snow patches and meadows of melted snow, rivulets, mud. Got my shoes, socks, and bottoms of pants thoroughly wet and filthy. Got lost several times when trail was covered with snow, and iPhone's GPD wouldn't kick in. Eventually ended up at Chicken Spring Lake, but companions didn't make it this far. Left word with other campers, then pitched tent at lakeside. Beautiful amphitheater, but hard to get water from lake (ice covered, and muddy around edges). Finally in bed with dinner eaten by 10.
750.2, 19.4, 10960
June 21, 2011
No idea how far I'll get today. Socks are still wet and gross from yesterday. Plenty of time to get over Kearsarge Friday. Just get going (with red gaiters for first time) and see where I end up.
Finally got going around 8, with new red gaiters, K-Mart socks (wool ones drying on the back of the pack, held on by safety pins).
Tried to follow trail past Chicken Spring Lake, but soon got lost. Decided to wait on trail for the next thru hikers. Not safe to hike alone up here. So I waited for about two hours until the other 4 showed up. I was glad I did. My plan to cover the next few miles was a bad one - it would not have left me on the trail. CLARK KENT turns out to be a good navigator, plus he has a GPS (my iPhone's GPS wouldn't get a signal, or, if it did, would take a long time.) I had shipped my solar panel to Mammoth, but I'm beginning to regret it. Best plan: stick with someone who has a GPS.
Now that there is no water shortage for the next 450 miles, I'm down to a liter bottle and my Platypus. I may even dump the latter. Just every so often drink a liter, refill, Steripen it, dose it with Polar Pure iodine, and onwards (maybe add some flavor). I can grab the bottle from my pack without stopping, even easier than drinking from the Platypus.
Camped at Rock Creek Crossing. Scary river to cross tomorrow morning. Three Brits are here (4th has finished - already done the JMT), plus one or two others. Four tents are Tarptent Moments.
760.3, 10.1, 9640 ft
June 22, 2011
Up early, still takes me twice as long to pack up as others. Ripped tent stuff sack: definitely returning my tent to REI!
Had to cross Rock Creek on knees on a log. (KILROY took my picture). Then up 1000 ft to 11000 by 9 AM.
Met IGUANA and KINDERGARTEN COP at Crabtree Meadows. He had done Mt. Whitney the day before. Said the first few miles were hard, and then it got harder. Count me out.
Crossed two streams, the first one at which everybody remarked on how I didn't take off my socks. Don't they realize your feet are fine a little wet? Second stream the water came up to 6 inches above me knees, and very strong current.
Another 4.4 miles from Walker Creek to our destination for tonight, Tindall Creek. So far it has been a lot of slow going through snow on north facing slopes - just straight down the steep sides, no hope of following the trail. Ahead of us is another pass - the southern side looks snow-free, but the n. side will probably be another matter.
Next stream was wild. NACHO watched us cross, linked 5 across, with our arms between each others' backs and packs, New Zealand style. He was too scared to take any pictures. QUASI banged his legs half falling. It was a very close call for the five of us. Water up to about a foot above my knees. CHILLY WILLY had a tough time, even losing both footholds. I thought several times that we weren't going to make it - one of the toughest and scariest moments of my life.
Then 8 MILE crossed alone, despite my pleas not to attempt it - and he made it! I filmed it (see below), and will send it to him and to SILENT JOE. Lost our way a bit afterwards, finally dragged in around 8:30. What a day.
774.3, 14 m, 11000 ft
2011-06-18 PCT crossing River.MOV
Jun 23, 2011
Up and walking at around 8. Another two stream crossing (Tindall was up to my knees.).
Quit the PCT, exited via Forester Pass. Too much snow! Rivers too dangerous to cross! No way we can continue on the trail. Crossing Forester Pass was epic. Punching through soft snow with micro spikes on almost the whole day. The pass itself required ice axes and lots of navigation issues. At one point traversed a steep slope which gradually became less gentle, at which point we glissaded down - lots of fun. Did three glissades in the day. Camped about 8:30.
784, 9.7, 10,720
June 24, 2011
Really cold morning. Shoes frozen solid; socks, too. Next time, bring wet items into tent!
Started the day with another creek crossing. WILLY NILLY went across behind her husband KILROY, who held on to her when she lost her footing and got her going again. She's got a bad knee from the 5-person crossing two days ago. Really cold snow melt water.
Stream crossings are a real pain. Everybody prepares by taking off socks and having shorts on. What with sitting around in the sun to warm our feet, etc., must take an extra 45 minutes. But our feet are cold and numb regardless of whether they are wet. And doodling around you really feel the cold. My idea: save the 45 minutes and just cross and keep walking. Feet don't sit around, and they don't get as numb. But CLARK KENT says some hikers who had wet feet for long periods develop trench foot. So I may follow his example in the days to come.
6 PM: Still not to Kearsarge Pass (about 1/4 mile away). Tough going - lots of snow, trail hard to find; but not potholing, even though snow is soft. Passed RHINO and buddy going the other way. He says 15 m north of Columbia Meadows is an impassable river - our first hint that we may be unable to continue. Now discussing where we will spend the night. Supposedly long haul down on other side of Kearsarge, lots of snow; but trail angels at bottom with goodies and rides to Independence. My bet: we have to camp before we get to them.
9 PM: Over Kearsarge Pass, and bedded down. Spectacular views of jagged pinnacles, frozen lakes, sweeping fields of snow. Another very tough day, though - that makes 3 in a row. We are all really tired and somewhat weak. Hiking in snowfields that often cover the trail for hundreds of yards at a time, showing itself only in brief glimpses. DICK TRACY is our navigator. He uses an iPhone 4, just like me, with a different mapping app: Gaia GPS. It gives the course and distance you are from any waypoint. So when we don't know where the trail is (which is often), he gets Gaia to direct us to the waypoint on the PCT nearest to us. Sounds easy, but scrambling around these mountains, especially on steep slopes and over raging rivers, is a real tiring challenge.
We are camped on a little ridge about 1/2 hour down from the top of the pass - the trail being completely covered by snow that extends hundreds of feet below, to the shores of a frozen lake. We got in around 7:30, pooped. It's another couple of hours to the trailhead. Very cold, a little windy, but spectacular views all around.
I finished the rest of my food this evening (except for breakfast): 1/2 pkg mashed potatoes, 1 pkg Mac 'n Cheese cheese sauce, and 1 pkg red salmon, all mushed together: delicious. I had forgotten to add the last of the crushed Doritos, so I ate them separately. Oh, and a cup of hot chocolate. The only food remaining in my pack: a few tablespoons of coffee and dried milk, 3 instant oatmeals, 1 Swiss Miss chocolate.
790.2, 6.2 m (!), 11,220 ft
The toughest 6.2 miles I've ever hiked.
June 25, 2011
Relatively easy walk to Onion Valley trailhead. Passed SEXY TAXI and SHAKE 'N BAKE and their puppy out for a walk. They are trail angels, and invited us to campsite 13: drinks, dutch oven with stew, rides to Independence - woo-woo! Two other angels here as well.
11 AM: sitting at UBER BITCH and BRISTLECONE's campsite, eating and drinking. So nice. Gorgeous view back towards Kearsarge Pass, sunny, maybe 75 degrees, so happy not to be moving.
Just discovered that WILLY NILLY and KILROY are each 52 years old. Hey, I'm not doing so badly after all. WILLY NILLY had earlier asked me how old I was, and when I told her, she was silent for awhile, and then: "that's amazing."
12:15 - HONEY BUZZ and QUAKE and UNLOAD arrive.
SWISS MISS is here. Had to be helicoptered out to Visalia. Not clear whether she will continue.
Ride to Independence from SEXY TAXI, along with SWISS MISS. Then Subway and candy and JERRY walked up and asked if anybody needs a ride to Bishop. Yes! So off I go. Passenger offers me a Haagen Dasz ice cream bar. Yes! Temperature in the 80's, but so what - 40 miles on 395, heading for the Village Motel.
This is what real PCT hikers look like.
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