The Big Loop: Day 19 & 20

DAY 19

From The Big Loop

For some reason I thought this was day 20 for me. I have no idea why. Maybe in my head yesterday's effort was worth two days. I was up early and ready to go at 6ish. Turns out, that last night I was nearly at my goal of the intersection where starts heading up to Pinchot Pass when I camped. I felt a bit gassed and the trail started right out switchbacking so I took it easy and stopped for a few photos after helping a Bay Area couple find the Taboose Pass trail.

From The Big Loop

I topped out Pinchot around 9am and had breakfast until quarter of ten, while chatting with a nice guy interested in retiring to Lone Pine. He also wants to do the South Lake to New Army Pass section of the JMT every summer until he can't. (and I don't blame him) Pinchot was beautiful and I took a few more photos before heading out.

From The Big Loop

The rest of my morning was a trudge down to the odd suspension bridge over the South Fork (of the King's River?). Got to hike with a nice guy from Arkansas for a while, and that helped a lot. I didn't plan it this way, but with only 8.9miles to the top of Glen Pass, I ought to get over today if I start walking at 2. I am not going to push it though and we'll see what time it is as I approach the pass. Doing Pinchot and Glen on the same day seems like a better idea than doing Glen and Forester. Toughness-wise that is...

From The Big Loop

Well I have stopped at Rae Lakes. I am just tired today. I ate a lot of beans tonight and I hope that will refuel me for tomorrow. I will certainly do Glen and Forester Passes tomorrow, but I am starting to doubt whether or not I should climb Tyndall. Split was walk up and seems to have kicked my ass. But after Tyndall there are no passes before Whitney. We'll have to see how I am feeling in the morning. I have a great bivy spot here between Upper and Middle Rae Lakes. A nice cave to block the wind. There were more storm clouds, which is my other excuse for not going over Glen tonight. And the clouds made for a pretty sunset, that I dragged myself out of my cave to go photograph.

From The Big Loop

This area is really pretty, but it has been used harder than any other area I have been through. So many impacted campsites and even though this is a Saturday most of them are empty. I hope to feel stronger tomorrow. I want to finish the trip on a high note.

DAY 20

Wow, I wrote a whole ton on day 20 so it is going to have to be its own post...

The Big Loop: Day 17 & 18

DAY 17

From The Big Loop

Made it to LeConte! According to Ranger Bob at the LeConte Ranger Station it's 20 miles to McClure meadows, which means I made about 24 miles without even pushing hard. Although, my feet were certainly ready to stop at 7pm when I did finally settle down for the night.

I had a great day though, my feet did really well. I made good time and met some cool people while walking through some really beautiful sections of trail. I managed to be through the low sections before they warmed up or after they cooled off for the evening. And given my current location I think that strategy will work again tomorrow.

I saw at least 15 Mountain Yellow Legged Frogs at Wanda Lake which was very cool. In the Muir Pass shelter I had lunch while hanging out with a couple of cool guy that had just finished a forest service internship of 6 months. They donated some more instant refried beans to me, for which I was extremely grateful.

From The Big Loop

On the way down into LeConte Canyon I met Anda, a runner from SF (originally Amherst, MA) who is doing the HR (or at least attempting it) in 10 days. I tried to give him some advice but he seemed to be learning the route as he went, which mean he was not familiar with the names of the places I was referring to. I also met a father daughter team that had climbed Black Giant this morning. They seemed like a burly duo, if perhaps not the best route finders.

So, I will get over Mather Pass tomorrow. Time and weather conditions when I get to the other side of the pass will determine when I attempt to climb Split Mountain. Good weather and before 2pm means GO. Otherwise I'll camp and get an alpine start on Saturday.

DAY 18

From The Big Loop

Quite a day for me. I had a long walk through the valley to reach a series of switchbacks known as the "Golden Staircase." They are very tight switchbacks in some sections so I guess the name is not too ostentatious. My early start time of 5:45 or 6 (not sure when I actually started walking) got me to the "G.S." at 8:50 and up it to the Lower of the Palisade Lakes by 10, where I had a nice breakfast. At 10:55 I left to surmount Mather Pass, which I reached at 1:20. I ate lunch on the Pass with Laura (an editor for Wilderness Press) and the whole time I was looking at Split Mountain and drooling.

From The Big Loop

After lunch I booked it down to the Lake so I could ditch my pack and go climb the peak.

From The Big Loop

In a mere hour and forty minutes I was enjoying the fantastic views from a 14'er on the Sierra crest.

From The Big Loop

From The Big Loop

Everything today has been super pretty (especially since I was through the valleys before they had a chance to heat up). I did my crunches on the summit and hung out for about 20 minutes before approaching clouds precipitated my descent. In another hour and twenty minutes I was back at my gear and I decided to eat dinner before continuing on the trail for a bit.

From The Big Loop

I was walking again around 6pm and at 7:30 there was a a fantastic sunset, the first I have seen on this trip that had real color in the sky.

From The Big Loop

I spent 15 minutes taking photos before finally heading down into the woods to camp.

From The Big Loop

I am somewhere near the bottom of the descent before Pinchot Pass. Tomorrow I'll cross the pass a bit early in the day and then have all the rest to try to get through the Rae Lakes area.

The Big Loop: Day 15 & 16

Whoops. I guess I shouldn't go on anymore visits to the Bay Area if I want to finish this trip report. I am going to try to get out the 9 days without any more long gaps like this.

DAY 15

The feet are not doing well. I awoke cold and unable to get comfortable at about 4:15am and decided to get up and start walking as the best way to get warm. This was inspired both by Brandon and Clarence King who each made "alpine" starts sounds so nice. And it was very nice. However, first I had to deal with my feet. I fashioned a gauze and duct tape patch for my left foot. And it seemed to work as it is now lunch and my wound seems no worse, despite my walking on it for a good ways. However, the blood blister that I lanced on my 2nd toe on the left foot just moved operations slightly to the right. There is also a mirror blister on the same toe on my other foot. If things do not improve: 1) I will run out of duct tape, 2) I may not be able to finish. I know I can endure a lot, but I will have to ask "what is the point?" sometime. I am not proving anything to anyone at this time... but I want to finish. I am just not sure how much suffering it is worth to do so. I don't know if I can cut back my mileage enough for the left foot to heal and 9 more days is a long time for that to linger without real recuperation time. I think it needs multiple days, not just a night or a single rest day. I don't want to take any either. The rest of my body feels just fine, even vigorous.

On the other hand I did get a beer and a hot dog at the top of Silver Pass for Graham and crew. They awesome folks who pack in beer and hot dogs to give away to hikers. They do it for couple weeks every year for the last three years. Seems like an awesome bunch. And the PBR was not bad. Graham is an IPA fan and I would like to hook him up some time.

From The Big Loop

Well, I had a moment there where I wanted to give up. Feet were sucking, and one of my eyes was rejecting contacts. On top of this I was humping 10 days of food up 2000' of switchbacks through a dry pine forest with no view to speak of. Not my finest hour on the JMT. But, mere minutes later I said, "fuck it." All I need is some more duct tape and the feet will last to home. They won't be happy, and I may limp for a few days but they'll get the job done. Plus my eye will be fine (and it was, after an hour of no contact). So I kept moving along the most boring section of trail on the JMT. And now I am hitting the sack with a positive attitude. Just need to keep bumming duct tape from other hikers.

Doing the High Route first was a mistake... and yet not. it sure does make a lot of the JMT seem tedious. But, if I do have to bail out on part of the trip, I sure am glad it is the JMT and not the High Route. However, I would prefer to bail on the JMT section that I did over these last three days rather than the part in Sequoia and King's Canyon. I don't plan to ever walk these last sections again, not as part of the JMT anyway. I may go into the areas for fun, just not to hike through. Once you leave Donahue Pass the scenery gets pretty boring and far away. there are brief exceptions but they become fewer the farther south you get. However, I should be in SEKI tomorrow afternoon. And I will be very happy about that.

DAY 16

From The Big Loop

Wow, it was an interesting, people-filled day. I got up earlyish cause I wasn't sleeping any more, and managed to hit the trail by 5:45. I moved Selden Pass as the sun rose, reaching Marie Lakes right around 8 where I had a nice literary discussion with a girl whose name I can't remember (as always). I moved up to the pass for breakfast and was passed by a guy who turned out to be Alan from Texas.

From The Big Loop

I caught up with him just past Heart Lake (where I saw two chukars) and he and I booked it down to the Muir Trail Ranch together, reaching it just before noon. we proceeded to hang out and scrounge goodies from the hiker buckets. I stayed until 3:30 and met Mary and Michelle who were continuing north despite having no plans and no supplies (now they have plenty thanks to the hiker buckets). I then left to head into Kings Canyon (yeah!) and shortly met Paul. Paul is an experienced Sierra Hiker who I had a great time chatting with, and on top of that he ended up sharing his delicious hot dinner with me, mac and cheese with bacon bits. He also mentioned the High Sierra Hikers Guide from the 70's with maps containing off trail routes now lost to obscurity (sort of).

In the end I have moved from Bear Creek over Selden Pass to camp along the west bank of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. Maybe 5 miles inside the Park. Tomorrow I should get over Muir Pass into LeConte Canyon. (As long as I can still walk on these feet).

The Big Loop: Day 13 & 14

DAY 13

From The Big Loop

Well, I cranked the hell out of my ankle, again. But I walked it off and it seems okay. I was just yards away from my lunch break when it happened. Stupid Minarets. Although I think it was more my fault for being too fatigued. I've stopped for lunch at 2:00pm just above (and past) Garnet Lake. It is certainly a long way towards Red's Meadow from Tuolumne, especially since I should still get in 2 or 3 more hours of trail time before camping. Some clouds appear to be moving in from the south. I am not sure what that means for my weather tonight. With any luck they'll stay east of me.

Ran into two repeat customers today. Trevor from the backpacker's campground in Tuolumne and blue hat guy that I met while heading north on the John Muir Trail past Palisade Lakes. I think we were both a little surprised to run into each other, and he failed to recognize me right away because of the increase in my facial hair. Donahue Pass was about as lovely as I remembered it, despite my much great wealth of comparison material as opposed to the last time I saw it.

From The Big Loop

Thousand Island Lake and the surrounding lakes are very cool, but the Ritter Range just doesn't feel the same as other parts of the Sierra. Fortunately, I shall be back in the good stuff very soon, especially at this pace.

So I think I accomplished my goal of finishing all the uphill portions of trail between me and Red's Meadow. In fact I should be there for breakfast tomorrow. And that will allow an early start on the post-Red's Meadow JMT. I think that today's pace was too high. I don't believe my feet can sustain it for the long haul. The ankle seems okay. not good, but good enough. I am excited to get the rest of my maps tomorrow so I can look over the rest of the route. I can't wait to get back to the Sequoia/Kings Canyon section of the trail. Minor foot pain is my only real problem. All my other systems appear to be running just fine.

Oh, the trail after lunch today was not too interesting until Rosalee Lake and Gladys Lake, both had cool cliffs at their edges and nice evening light. Their were huge crags near Shadow Lake, I wonder if people climb on them...


DAY 14

From The Big Loop

Got up early and a bit damp. Need to air out the sleeping bag and bivy sack wherever needed. Maybe I should use the walking drying technique. Well, I have come and gone from Red's Meadow. Hit the trail just before 6 and rolled down to Red's Meadow by 8:20.

From The Big Loop

I had a frustrating photo experience on the way. Great clouds and light an the Minarets were blocked by the the trees and when I ran down to a meadow for a clear view I was too low and closer hill blocked the shot.

From The Big Loop

I got my breakfast at the cafe and my resupply box from the store. I jammed as much food as I could into my pack. It will not all fit in the bear can, looks like some of it will be in my pillow. I met a jazz bass player named Brandon who hiked from Lodgepole to Red's Meadow in 7 days and now has to quit cause his feet are giving up.

I left at 11:45 and hiked a couple hours to just short of Deer Creek. I should be able to hike until 7 or so tonight so we'll see how far I get. I might be able to get past Tully Hole.

Nope. Close though. I have stopped at Lake Virginia, lake shaped somewhat like the state of Virginia. It was a cool day even lower down in elevation. I don't know why I was surprised by how cold it is here. I am all bundled up and ready for the evening. I have chose a campsite at the edge of a talus field by the lake. There are some columbine flowers blooming nearby and that made me very happy, but ti did not last. I am facing potential disaster on my left foot. I was of the opinion that I would just walk through whatever skin pain I felt, muscles and joints might be different, but skin is just skin. Unfortunately a blister formed deep under the skin on the ball of my foot behind my left middle toe. The fluid in the blister found an outlet in the weak skin between my toes (2nd + 3rd), basically none of the skin in that region will survive, meaning I have at least a 2 inch square patch of raw skin, some of which is very deep. I am not sure how I will be able to function with this condition tomorrow and the next ten days. I guess it's appearance in the morning will be very significant. Other than foot skin I feel great and I have no doubt I would nearly fly on the way to Whitney. I am not prepare to stop now. Grr.

The Big Loop: Day 11 & 12

Day 11

From The Big Loop

Not much to say about today. A long walk on a trail or three. But I got my cheeseburger and a beer and some ice cream. A whole pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food. Yosemite is beautiful and I loved seeing the familiar rock as I got closer to Tuolumne. Sam and incredible waterfall along the Isberg Pass trail between the Lyell fork of the Merced and Lewis Creek. Met some cool folks around the Meadow. Tomorrow I will try to get to the Valley and back for my rest day.

DAY 12

I decided not to go to the valley. When I thought about it I couldn't see the point of paying $15 to get down and back, arriving in Tuolumne at 6:50pm. That is a little late to get started. I want to head up the trail a bit tonight for free camping and getting out of range of the day hikers. So, I figured the only thing I really wanted was a good book. I am going to get the Norman Clyde book here in Tuolumne Meadows and call that good enough. I'll have a hamburger, a beer, maybe more ice cream, buy my batteries and hit the trail around 4pm. Crunches and push ups might be necessary too. I am expecting to do around 20 miles a day on the John Muir Trail along with climbing Split and Tyndall. A guide book in the store says it's 150 miles from Red's Meadow to Whitney and that sounds like 8 days to me. Based on food I have 12 days left. I may pick up more at the Muir Trail Ranch, but we shall see. Red's Meadow seems so close and to think I have only 10 more days after that... I suppose it is really dawning on me that I at at the true halfway point in time and challenge if not in distance.

From The Big Loop

Up til now I have been hauling ass on trails. I may need to take that down a peg or two. We'll see though. If there are only one or two passes a day the JMT could feel very different as compared to my expectations. Hmm, tomorrow night might be re-fried bean night again if I make it far enough to get my resupply the next day...

Well, trying a new beer is always interesting. This time especially so because in addition to tasting unlike any other beer I have had (other double IPA's, I mean) it also knocked me on my ass. It was an interesting state to start out the JMT in. I had gone over to the Visitor's Center as a last resort for a good book to read, and had success with "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" by Clarence King, as in Mount Clarence King, as in pay attention they didn't name a mountain after me for nothing...

Upon my return I resolved to get a burger, some ice cream and a beer to go with my burger. I decided to try the 395 IPA from Mammoth Brewing Company, but it was in a bomber. No problem I've drank bombers before and been fine. But I don't want to start out the JMT with Double IPA in my mouth, I'll need another beer to wash it down... In comes the Sammy Smith Nut Brown Ale. Needless to say given my lack of calorie surplus recently, the effect of these beers was to render my departure on the JMT into a bit of a fog.

Nonetheless I made it far enough down the trail to camp legally. I am just past the Evelyn Lake Trail in the ever flat, very long Lyell Canyon. I lucked out despite my "fog", making good time under threateningly cloudy skies, and distant rumbles of thunder. But, it didn't rain (more than a few drops) and the clouds kept me cooler than I had any right to expect. Well, I am hitting the sack early tonight. Tomorrow is my first real day on the John Muir Trail, and it will be interesting to see how close I get to Red's Meadow.

The Big Loop: Day 9 & 10

Warning: The notes from Day 9 may contain objectionable language. It was not a good day.

DAY 9

From The Big Loop

Fuck the Minarets. Get me away from this gawdawful pile of volcanic, metamorphic fucking choss. Today I met the first person on the trail that I wished I had not met. Old dude told me that the Minarets were the most beautiful part of the High Route. What a load of shit. Ugly brown volcanic rock, loose, sandy slopes. A few nice waterfalls, lot of route finding through brush and trees. I have fallen, on my ass, at least 6 or 7 times! Before lunch! I've almost injured myself badly enough to have to quit! Twice!

I suppose if you like big pointy bits of choss with trees in between, the Minarets are great. I am not a fan. Also, dude told me "no" when I said I was aiming for North Glacier Pass. "No."? Maybe, "That'll be tough." or "That's pretty far." But, "No."? I didn't say I was going to walk to Tahoe or even Tuolumne... Then he examined my map to tell me how to go. And he told me how to ascend a pass. Like I can't figure that out on my own. I've only climbed 2-5 alpine passes a day for the last 8 days. He may be right about my making it over the pass, which is fine because it was only a goal and it might be warmer on this side tonight anyway. We'll see how things go after lunch.

DAY 10

From The Big Loop

Well, I got sleepy and didn't write anything last night. Which is just as well as I was in a foul mood. It was certainly the worst day I have had mentally. Might have been the worst day of the High Route for scenery too, I don;t find the Minarets that attractive. Must be the climber in e noting the rock quality. I am not sure why it was: my resupplied suddenly heavy pack, post rest-day fatigue, shitty rock, bushwhacking, or what, but I was stumbling around like a newborn colt yesterday. It was weird too, because I had a half rest day, big meals, and I slept for like 10 hours. Somehow that did not equal good day the following morning. Last night, however, it was damp, I ate dried hummus, and got chilly several times during the night, but I feel great this morning. I feel more nimble on the talus and here I am at the top of North Glacier Pass at 9am.

From The Big Loop

After this break for granola, writing and a bit of bedding drying, I set out across Bench Canyon, my last cross country section of the High Route. It is a bit sad, but also exciting. I know my feet will be happy with the vast reduction in talus hopping that comes with trail walking. This morning has been beautiful, and there were like 40 marmots enjoying it in the lower section of the pass.

From The Big Loop

I have traversed to just below Blue Lake, arriving at 2:30 just in time to meet a group of Scouts doing the same route as me (editors note: only the same route through the Bench Canyon area). They were consulting the map to determine the best route to continue. I've been invited to camp w/ them at Blue Lake. I'm certainly thinking about it, but also about ice cream at the Tuolumne Meadows store. If I do the pass early tomorrow with the Scouts, I should still make it for ice cream, we'll have to see how I feel when I get up there.

The hike today has been going well. I have felt inspired by the scenery rather than repulsed. There is quite a waterfall down from Lake Catherine. There has been some crazy chossy rock and lots of slabs, none of it has felt slippery like yesterday. It is sort of dry in this section, but there are places where it is wet and blooming with flowers. Lots of the pink/purple not-paintbrush (editors note: later found out that this flower is paintbrush of some kind, just not indian paintbrush). The upper of the Twin Island Lakes was very neat and full of fish. I can't stress enough how much of a complete 180 today has been compared to yesterday.

Bob Dylan's Rainy Day Women - I don't know why but it has been persistent.


Made it. I stepped on to the trail at 7:00pm, it took a bit longer than I had expected after going over the pass near Foerester Peak. It was all easy walking though it was no problem, even when I thought I might have missed the trail. I hit the trail and immediately ran down some switchbacks that looked nasty on the map (and they were in reality too). I didn't want to leave them for tomorrow, and today nothing could trump my feeling of bliss from diving naked into the lake on the Yosemite side of my last cross country High Route pass.

From The Big Loop

It is amazing how quickly I can go from having such near misery on the trail yesterday to near transcendent bliss today. I think it may be that my natural state is bliss when I am out here and the bad day just made everything seem that much better today. It is going to take me a while to get to Toulumne Meadows tomorrow. I have to remember not to try to run there. I may even have to eat breakfast AND lunch before I get there. Relaxing is the name of the game. Every step gets me closer, and I will get there tomorrow. (Camped in the canyon of the Lyell Fork of the Merced River)
.

The Big Loop: Day 7 & 8

Day 7

From The Big Loop

Met Chris and Jannine from Tahoe at Laurel Lake. They seemed very cool, making up thier own High route for 7 days out of Pine Creek. The descent down Mills Creek and Second Recess was nice in the shade. A bit rough, but it is cross country. I did do a fair amount of bushwacking, but it can be avoided, I think. The trail up laurel creek was nasty, exposed, overgrown with manzanita, steep, rocky and dusty when it was not rocky. Laurel Creek Canyon and the Lake were quite nice, lots of cool boulders around the lake. Very clear day.

From The Big Loop

Ran out of water up Red Finch Pass and decided to stick it out until the other side of Silver Divide hoping the north facing bowl would still be melting off. This did pay off. Made it to Cotton Lake for lunch, lots of nice super-polished slabs around.

Songs in my head so far: Ballroom Blitz (could be the worst video I have ever seen, even making allowances for how long ago it was made), The Humans are Dead, Hot in Herre, Frere Jacques, and my cadence getting mixed up with Thumb War declarations.

From The Big Loop

On and off the John Muir Trail again. After lunch I wandered down to Lake Issac Walton, which was very nice, then I negotiated some slabs and gullies to reach the trail through "Horse Heaven." A short while late I hit "Tully Hole" and the JMT. I started walking on it at 5:30pm and got off right at 7:48pm. It was good time to walk that section of the trail because the temps were good and the setting sun was pretty. Red's Meadow tomorrow. (I am camped just off the trail before Duck Lake)

DAY 8

From The Big Loop

Well now, that was a section of the High Route I will never need to repeat. Mammoth Crest was nice, there were some cool views, and the Deer Lakes and Duck Lake are worth seeing. However, the crappy sandy walking, sun exposure and the long descent to Red's Meadow are not thing I'll remember as fondly as I will the rest of the High Route. I failed to make it to breakfast at Red's Meadow. I rolled in at about 11am. I did get a double cheeseburger and a salad. The burger was almost big enough to justify the price. There were menu items with country gravy, so I was not disappointed to miss breakfast by mere minutes. I ate, got my resupply (crap, the pack is heavy again), and mostly hung around shooting the shit with Jamie from NYC. Cool guy, a recent cancer survivor walking off his convalescence. I must be getting hairy in the face, no one thinks it is surprising that I am 29. red's was a zoo with high school and younger kids. But nonetheless, after making the requisite phone calls, I stayed until 5pm before marching down the trail in order tog et back off the JMT before camping. Mo way I would pay to camp down in that pit. I am camped at a pretty random spot tonight right around 9000' just after some switchbacks on the Beck Lakes Trail. Hopefully, this will be warmer than the other night recently.

Age of Aquarius - who knows why?

looks like 2-3 days to Tuolumne and ice cream!