This stretch has proven to have the most beautiful and difficult hiking that we have encountered yet. Averaging nearly 20 miles a day, often over vast elevation changes, has pushed us to our limits out here.
Over the course of 8 days, we have crossed 8 major passes, 100 miles, and we saw awe inspiring views along the way. On a plaque, we read that John Muir described the Sierras as “the range of light.” That’s as apt an assessment as I have a heard to put to words what we have seen.
A great day as we traversed two mountain passes. To reenter the PCT, we took the Kearsarge Pass again, and shortly after, the 3rd of the 8 passes: Glen Pass. Not the highest pass, but likely the most difficult due to its difficult terrain, steep incline, and trail-erasing snowfields. Going up this pass led me to ponder how an equestrian could possibly go over this terrain. I must vastly underestimate the might of the horse.
These challenging passes are each like a gate to another world. As we summit them, we gain the first glimpse of the valleys ever deeper and more remote in Kings Canyon National Park. The beauty, flora, fauna and geology never cease to inspire awe in us.
This is a challenging stretch as we push ourselves to do high miles so that we can reach the city of Mammoth Lakes on a supply of 7 days of food. Each day we will cross another pass before we reach the exit trail, Horseshoe Meadow. This trail is notable as the trail that John Muir used to enter the high sierra in his book, My First Summer In The Sierra. That summer he worked as a sheep herder to finance the endeavor. Reading it as I go through this terrain adds another dimension to the heritage of this incredible place.
A beautiful and odd day today. Beautiful crossing the 4th of the 8 passes we must traverse, Pinchot Pass, at 12,100 ft. Odd because I was very altitude sick today, despite that I have been at higher altitudes recently and have been otherwise fine. Due to this, crossing Pinchot took many arduous hours, making it one of the more difficult passes, despite that it had almost no snow present.
We’re making our way to Mammoth Lakes, and our goal is still within our grasp.
Brutal and satisfying day going over the 5th pass, Mather Pass at 12,090 ft. Incredible views, many marmots, and a horrific snowfield on the north side certainly made this a mixed bag. After six miles and 3,600 ft of elevation gain, we dropped sharply to the lowest altitude we have been in a while, 8k. Grateful to have purchased a set of medical knee braces in town beforehand, as so much downhill without them is just hell on my knees carrying a heavy pack. Makes the hiking a great deal more enjoyable.
Today was very challenging for me as the fatigue from these passes caught up with me. After a strong start to hiking in the morning, we were fortunate to get close to the least timid group of deer that I have come across.
Soon after, I began to slow down, then feel ill from exhaustion. After getting as close to the next pass as we could for an early crossing tomorrow, we set camp early to rest, counting on stretching our food for an extra day to still make the journey to Mammoth Lakes.
Today we crossed Muir Pass, often considered one of the most difficult due to snow often remaining there much later than most places along the PCT/JMT.
Muir Pass features the notable Muir Shelter, built in 1930 to commemorate the great naturalist and protect hikers caught in storms at that high, exposed altitude. This is the only place I know of where fires are allowed above 10,000 ft, as the NPS left bundles of wood in case of emergency.
We’re still exhausted from the exertion of altitude, elevation, rough trail and stream crossings, but feeling much more capable after a long rest the day prior.
Speaking of stream crossing, we forded Evolution Creek today, notorious as one of the most treacherous of the High Sierra river fords. In years with high snow melt, the rushing water can be as high as your chest. This year, it was not too difficult, and only reached our knees at the deepest portion.
Today, we crossed Selden Pass, the lowest of the eight. Though ‘only’ 10,800 ft, it was no easier than any of the other passes, and the heat definitely added some challenge.
The heat has also brought about what we hath feared most: the first mosquito hatch. When we cross a boggy area, the bug pressure can be almost nauseating! By pure coincidence, we were fortunate enough to buy a lotion in Bishop that has natural mosquito repellents such as rosemary.
Camping near Bear Creek, we were happy our tents have great bug netting, as I’m amazed how fast this change from cold to hot and bug dense occurred.
Beautiful day crossing the 8th and final pass of this stretch, Silver Pass. Due to our exhaustion, it was probably the most physically challenging yet, with a 3,000 ft gain over 5 miles. This leg has certainly worn me out, even consider why I’m doing this. The incredible views and accomplishment when you finally summit that pass is something I haven’t experienced before. After all this, I look forward to a well earned chance to relax in Mammoth Lakes. Then, we’re back at it!
Total Miles: 903
In this stretch, we have begun the section where the Pacific Crest Trail intersects with the John Muir Trail. The JMT runs from Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental United States, to Tuolumne Meadows near Yosemite Valley.
The average altitudes that we have been hiking at is in excess of 10,000 ft, often higher. These high mountains are entirely different ecosystem than anything I have ever seen before. Ancient trees, the cleanest water one could imagine, and my personally favorite, marmots.
A cold night with blowing winds, camped at ~10,200 ft. Forecast, 36°, 30° with windchill.We climbed 4,000 ft today to reach the high mountains, and our spirits are high as we are finished with the desert, experiencing cool temperatures, beautiful views, and water aplenty. It is an extremely low snow year in the Sierra Nevadas, and we moved a great deal faster today than we expected to, doubling the miles that we counted on, even with the thin air at high altitudes. We will be in the town of Lone Pine in 2 days, and then we will hit some of the highest elevations to be found in the United States.
Bundling up for our coldest night yet on trail, camped above 10k. Forecast of 22°, wind chill of 11°. Luckily, we are in a comfortable 4 season tent and mountaineering sleeping pads, as well as shielded from the bulk of the winds here. While not necessarily comfortably warm at all times, we are safe and set for a good night of sleep. We are slowly adjusting to the high altitudes here, and the views make all of this worth it. The only downside I can state for our experience so far in the high sierra are the low flying fighter jets making excessive noise in an otherwise serenely silent landscape. Silent except for the birds of course.
We hiked into Lone Pine three days ago, and were lucky to make it off when we did, as a snowstorm came in quickly as we got a ride 8,000 ft down to the town of Lone Pine. A charming, small town with a great history in film documented at the Western Film Museum. Movies such as Gunga Din, High Sierra, Star Trek, and many John Wayne films were shot in this area, with Death Valley to the east, the sierra to the west, and the strange looking Alabama Hills to the north.
After a rest, we’re happy to be back at it. In this stretch, we will be summiting Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48, and Forester Pass, the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail. For much of the next few weeks, we will be above 10,000 ft. It is beautiful out here, and the weather is miraculous. We are fortunately here before the annual black fly and mosquito hatch, so it is very pleasant. Water is plentiful, life is good. All I can take note of is that our backpacks are weighed down with a week’s worth of food, as well as cold weather.
Camped at the base of Mount Whitney, around 10,600 ft. We’re going to rise very early tomorrow in hopes of summiting around sunrise. Today felt like our first true day in the high Sierra surrounded by pristine water, and far-off snow capped peaks. In late May this year, only the summits of these high mountains remain covered in white powder. We have begun fording many streams filled with this year’s hatch of young golden trout and fragile meadows with scurrying chipmunks.
I love seeing marmots on trail, as they often have curiousity to stick around for a photo or as we stop for a break. I caught sight of one right outside his den in a hutch of rocks, taking advantage of the fresh snow just outside as convenient water.
Weather could not be better with highs in the 50’s and lows at night in the low 30’s. Well within comfort on both ends, we could not be here at a better time of year.
Woke up at 1:30 AM to begin our ascent of Mount Whitney, across some of the most difficult and beautiful trail that I have ever seen. Crossed alpine lakes, marmot dens, and as many switchbacks as you could ever want in your lifetime to reach the summit at 14,508 ft. We also were fortunate enough to see a lunar eclipse, really was some of the most memorable hiking that I will have in my lifetime.
At the summit, there were a pair of house finches so friendly that I could get them to eat out of my hand. Seriously though, this was some difficult trail. We averaged about a 1.5/hr at best, about half of our average. After about 5 hours, we were surprised to find that we had acclimated enough to the altitude that we felt strong, although slow. At 14,000 ft, there is about 57% as much oxygen as at sea level.
There was also a fun sign that I found at the summit, which marked Mount Whitney as Fisherman’s Peak, it’s original proposed name. The story goes that fishermen from Lone Pine wanted to get a view of their surroundings to find the best alpine lakes, and climbed the highest mountain they could see to do so. They came back with fish from the lake they went to. This is the first confirmed summit by white men, and advocates such as John Muir proposed the mountain be named Fisherman’s Peak in honor of this. The powers that be hated this name however, and it became Whitney after the first to do a geologic survey of the area.
Our round trip today took 13 hrs from when we started. Worth every step. Tomorrow, we’ll be ascending Forester Pass, the highest point on trail for the PCT. Can’t wait!
2 marathon days as we crossed the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail, Forester Pass, named in honor of the forest rangers who discovered the pass in 1929. At 13,100 ft, crossing the pass at these altitudes it was like walking through arctic tundra. We alternated walking over frozen lakes and hardened ice, tussocks, rock and talus, and grasslands.
It is something to see frozen lakes in late May, and a source of major snowmelt as we drank the cleanest water I have ever seen. Though I still don’t wish to take the risk, this water is so clean that you can drink it directly from the stream with little risk of danger from giardia or other waterborne bacteria.
Crossing the pass, we are welcomed by alpine frogs into Kings Canyon National Park, a pristine wilderness. While Yosemite was developed with infrastructure, Kings Canyon was left as is. While Yosemite receives millions of visitors each year, Kings Canyon only receives about 300k, the least in California’s extensive national park system.
Forester is the first and highest of 8 passes that we will traverse, and I am happy that we might not get such intense effects from altitude from now on.
Today we took a side trail to a trailhead near the town of Bishop. A small town of 4,000, it has a strong tourist industry due to its location as the only large city along the southern half of the John Muir Trail.
As we have learned, a side trail in the Sierras is no small feat. In Kings Canyon National Park, you are closed in between towering mountains on every side, jagged and appearing almost sculpted. To escape this enclosure, one must take a pass over the mountains. In this case, we took Kearsarge Pass.
At 11,670 ft, it is one of the lowest passes of the eight we will cross.
The view from these high vantage points to the valleys below is truly something of wonder, and I hope the photos can capture some of the beauty if not the scale. Humans appear minuscule against these vast landscapes. After a quick resupply in Bishop, I cannot wait to be back in the John Muir Wilderness. I don’t think that I have been in a place so sublime, save perhaps the Swiss Alps. If you stand still, you can sometimes hear the mountains sing as the wind passes over their peaks.
Total Miles: 789
Finally have a chance to post again. We have been going through more remote portions of the trail, and I have found data perhaps 3 times in the last two weeks.
We have reached a major landmark, finishing the first 700 miles and the desert in this stretch.
We’re worn out, but excited for what lies ahead.
Got all your questions and the q&a follows the update!
After some delicious thai food and more calories than we could’ve imagined eating before this trip, we’re back at it again. Fortunate to get a ride by a local who appreciates hikers right back to the trailhead. Leaving the wind farm, we ascend 3k back into the mountains. As this portion of trail was described in a comment on our GPS app, we hike along switchbacks that seem to be graded for children, as they are so long and flat and last forever.
But these are not your everyday mountains. We have officially reached the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and will soon reach extended altitudes above 10k. Soon, we will have extended food carries of a week and our backpacks will generally be full of more gear for the cold, as well as a required bear canister.
In preparation for this, I switched out my current lighter backpack for a heavier one that is more able to take these loads. Big fan of this backpack, called the ULA Catalyst, and it is rated to be comfortable up to 40 lbs. I have to say that it is the most comfortable backpack I have worn.
A very good day of hiking today. After finishing the second half of a 17 mile water carry, we ventured on for another 9 miles to find a sheltered campsite. I say sheltered because there are forecasted wind gusts of 55 mph tonight, and we want to be on the ground and sleeping soundly. We were camped in a similarly sheltered site last night, and I’m very grateful. Another thru hiker we see frequently said that their tent completely collapsed in the middle of the night, and they had to cowboy camp (camp without a tent) afterwards just not to be blown away by these fierce winds. I can see why they would build a wind farm here.
Going through the beginnings of the Sierra Nevadas is stunning, with green spiked peaks, canyons and valleys. We are noticing abundant wildlife here as well, and not just during the night, as was common through most of the desert. We saw a doe, countless ground squirrels, and have heard many reports on active mountain lions in the area. Hikers have even begun to report seeing bears, which I would never expect in a climate like this.
A brutal start to today’s hiking as we immediately began climbing 1,300 ft in full sun. Encountered a couple of photogenic forest creatures today(ground squirrel and spiny lizard)
The water carries in this section are intense, and we are about to have to rely on water caches in the following days. After the next water source, it is 37.5 miles before the next guaranteed refill. At altitudes frequently above 6k, with heat and frequent climbs, water is a precious commodity. Looking forward to the cleanest water one can find once in the high sierras, when we’ll be drinking snow melt directly from the source.
Enjoying the beautiful views through the mountains, valleys and canyons.
This was one odd and hot day. We left a beautiful pine forest with several flowing streams to enter a wilderness that was described as “god forsaken.” In my own words, it’s a blighted place. It must be in a rain shadow between these high mountains, as it is so dry that even the Joshua Trees are wilting away. It’s hard to imagine that in a few weeks time we will be out of the desert and into the mountains. We’re exhausted from the heat, but pushing on.
While in Mojave, our resupply box was due to arrive late, so we forwarded it to a future stop so that was not a waste. Inconvenient, but we’re lucky to be able to easily resupply here.
As we left the grocery store, we experienced some of the most intense winds of our lives, with gusts in the 70’s and sand blowing so hard it hurt as it struck our skin.
I’m glad that we were in a motel as the wind storm continued overnight!
A very good day of hiking today. Waking up early, we pushed on through the dry country we find ourselves in. Going on, the landscape becomes remarkably beautiful in its total inhospitality to life. Continuously throughout this hike I have come to the conclusion that many of the landscapes we find beautiful or awe inspiring are precisely because they are novel and are not conducive for us to live in. Be it a remote snow capped mountain, a dry desert, or an arctic tundra.
Passing through closed off canyons, we reach ridgelines opening to views stretching as far as the eye can see. Through all the difficulties, this is an incredible place to be.
We hiked down 3,000 ft today to reach the Walker Pass Campground. On our way, we passed a small stream by a cabin in the woods, and learned from fellow thru hikers there that there is a waterborne illness that has been spreading, likely from a water source a few days ago. Best guess among us is that it is norovirus, and several hikers have reportedly had to be air evacuated from the wilderness due to its severity. In these moments, I’m very glad for two things. One, that we purify our water with chlorine dioxide, which kills viruses. Hikers more commonly use a lightweight filter called a Sawyer Squeeze that captures everything except viruses, which are rare in North America. Secondly, we enjoy the wilderness for its silence, and tend to keep our distance from other hikers at campgrounds and water sources, which puts us less at risk. Tomorrow, we are heading into the town of Ridgecrest, and look forward to a night in a hotel, clean clothes and a shower!
Some of the best news happened as we were in town yesterday. We are finally vaccinated! It is a huge relief to get the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine as we will be travelling for the next 3 months.
Of course, we are both experiencing our fair share of muscle aches, and this made for excellent hiking today. On top of that, we got above 7k in altitude for the first time in weeks, and 45 mph gusts gave some effort towards blowing us off the mountain.
So, you know,
Pros and cons.
One thing I have noticed over these past two months is that we are definitely getting better at hiking with the constant conditioning we are undertaking. 2 months ago, today’s 5,000 ft of elevation climb and 18 miles would have left us too sore to hike the next day, if we could hike it at all!
The foothills of the Sierra Nevadas are getting ever higher as we begin to reach high country altitudes again. This comes with many perks: clean water and air, cooler temperatures, and beautiful views.
However, as we experienced today, it comes with its own dangers. Early afternoon, my watch gave me a lightning warning, and sure enough, a storm swept in in a half hour. A hailstorm came our way, and passed over the next hour. We stayed safe and dry in a secure place, where we set up a tent in a sheltered area.
Thankful that we had plenty of time to get off of the exposed ridgelines that we spent the majority of our hiking on today, and the welcome cold front that this storm has brought behind it. A few days ago, I never would have expected rain or using my cold weather gear, but oftentimes, every day is different from any other out here.
Made three notable landmarks today. We crossed mile 700, finished the desert section of the trail and camped just before Kennedy Meadows, the gateway to the high Sierra Nevadas and the John Muir Trail. From here, we will ascend to altitudes exceeding 10k for the next couple hundred miles, the trail gets snowy and technical, as well as spectacularly beautiful. With a quick ride into town and a resupply, we’ll receive our ice axes again and set off. The high altitudes have me a bit spooked, but I cannot wait to see what lies ahead.
Important errands to run before we head into the mountains. First, I had lost a copy of my PCT Permit, and needed to print a new one in town. Second, I had a painful issue with my braces that had to be resolved by any orthodontist I could find. Luckily, both of these could be resolved going back into the town of Ridgecrest. Luckily, as soon as we reached Kennedy Meadows in the morning, a local asked us if we needed a ride into Ridgecrest!
Very grateful for him taking us on errands, 45 minutes each way at no charge. The roads were also of interest, as the highway down 4,000 ft to Ridgecrest was carved out of the side of a mountain, and across from the LA Aqueduct. We could see the source for what makes Los Angeles capable of supporting its population. With all this completed, we are excited to go onto the John Muir Trail.
Total Miles: 702
“Hows the tent holding up?”
Fred,
700 Miles in the desert has been tough on it! The silnylon is holding up like a champ, and the only damage that has been done to the frame of my MLD Duomid is when I stepped on it wearing crampons. (We both learned of our inadequate sewing skills here. Thanks to my partner for saving me)
However, sand has gotten into the zipper several times and has begun to cause some damage. I now carry lubricant especially for this, and plan to get it repaired when we can down the trail. Otherwise, it’s doing great, and I love this tent.
On another note, keeping our eyes peeled for ufos. Not much high strangeness yet.
2. Tom Bannister asked: “Even with all of the advance meal planning, are there some things that you’re tired of, and other things you wish you had more of (besides Indian restaurants, LOL)?”
Tom,
You answered your own question with the Indian food.
Buuuut, we prepared a few snacks that we have gotten sick of, and a few of them are surprising, as we loved them before embarking on this trip. It’s unexpected that we tend to favor the prepackaged foods rather than the meals we prepared and packaged ourselves. When we lost a resupply box in Mojave, it was a nice change to suddenly have to choose all of our own food for the next 6 days, right then and there.
But we’re really glad overall that we planned so much food in advance as well- makes logistics much more simple, and keeps us to a schedule.
Not food related, but we both thought we might have more time or energy to do things along the trail, and I wish I had more time to play the guitar I brought along.
3. Christy Comer asked: “Do you know ahead of time that a trail angel has set up helpful items in certain places or are you pleasantly surprised when you come upon them?”
Christy,
Usually, no. Most times that we have received something on trail, it is spontaneous. One time, a hiker’s family was stopped with their van along a particularly dry portion of the trail, and her children gave us gatorade and fresh fruit in 90° heat.
However, we sometimes know in advance that trail magic has been happening with an app that gives us comments on various landmarks on the trail called Guthook.
Hikers comment on it, usually regarding whether a water source is dry or not. They will also comment on unmarked tentsites, and sometimes trail angels being at certain points who are willing to give rides.
4. Patty Figiel asked: “I am curious about how many other hikers you run across.”
Patty,
It really depends! If we are near a major city, landmark, or popular section along the trail, we will often see 5 to 20 other day or section hikers in any given day. When we’re in more remote areas, we will often only see 1.
However, while thru hiking, you tend to find yourselves in occasional “bubbles” of other thru hikers who are going about the same pace as you. I would not say we’re at all alone out here, but we tend to prefer staying out of groups, as a large reason we are out here is for the solitude. Also, the norovirus case above definitely kept us wary of others!
It can be irritating to be in a bubble, as there can be so many hikers that there are very few places to set up a tent to camp for the night.
If anyone has any questions at any point, please ask in the comments, and I will get to it.