My alarm didn’t have to go off, I’m awake before it goes off at 1AM sharp. I slept like garbage last night at altitude and now I’m ready to go for the biggest climb of the trip. I pack up all my stuff and get my morning breakfast down, two Thomas’ muffin tops, one blueberry and one chocolate chip, a half liter of water.
I wait for Seven Wolf and Pinecone to pack up their stuff. Today’s a team sport, or at minimum we will travel in pairs most of the time.
We head up the trail in total darkness, we haven’t done this since San Jacinto. (Besides for night hiking) it’s 5ish miles to the base of Forrester Pass and Seven is in lead. I keep giving him left or rights to let him know we’re on or off trail. We get closer to the Forrester approach and I swap my shorts to pants, man it got much colder as I climbed that 1,000 feet. This is the first time in 30 days I’ve hiked in pants. And the only time I have ever hiked in my puffy and mid layer.
I toss on my microspikes and debate using my ice axe for the first bit. I skip it and go with just my trekking poles. As I start to climb I immediately regret my decision of not carrying my axe for this bit. I decide to make a side detour to the skree field and then grab it. Taking your backpack off on a slope like this is always a gamble DO NOT LET GO. The snow is honestly ideal right now, I’m glad we left at this time. I look back at Pinecone and take his picture. “What’s the sketchiest thing you’ve done this week?” I ask him as I stand there on a 50 degree slope cellphone in hand.
We continue to push up the high pass and struggle to breathe at the high altitude of 13,000’, we then make it to the switch backs. Finally a little bit of dirt trail, we can take a breather for a second on firm ground. That feeling doesn’t last long and we climb out of that switch back and finish it off with a nice snowy traverse and a rock scramble or ice climb to the top. Pick your own adventure.
I start off with the ice climb, I dig in my cramp ons and move up, I get 5 steps up and say nah, it’s hard but not hard enough ice. I worry about the entire surface coming loose. I head back down and reevaluate. Seven takes the rock scramble line ahead of me and I see that’s a better decision.
When we get to the top we all take a minute to enjoy the sunrise. Fuck yeah. We take some photos and then remember we still need to get moving again to beat the slushy downhill as the sun rises.
We hang a left out of Forrester pass and it’s downhill for 5-6 miles through the snowy valley with amazing views all around. It starts with about 3/4 of a mile over a nice ridge line.
We see hikers in the distance, they actually passed us going up like champions. Their comment as they passed was we are mountaineers we know what we’re doing. It surely looked like it, especially at 13k I was sucking wind trying to breathe. I was genuinely impressed by how fast they did it, we did it pretty quick but they absolutely crushed it. We start to head down the ridge line.
When we get to the top of the ridge line we talk about the question of the morning. Do we glissade or nah? I say nah, too early in the AM and the snows too solid. We take a vote, 2 yes’ 1 no and an eeeh. Roger let’s glissade is the answer. We glissade down the back side and get a move on. My ass takes a beating on the downhill, I still stand by it was too hard of snow!
We get down in altitude from the granite cliff faces and back into the forests. There’s rushing streams and waterfalls everywhere, it’s amazing to listen to. As we cross snow bridges I wait for one to collapse but luckily they all hold firm.
We get to a trail junction and read a sign about bears and the JMT. Seven and I are checked out and we make a wrong turn. Hike a mile down the wrong way and then have to double back to fix our mistake. At least it was a beautiful trail.
We forgot we are currently hiking the JMT NOBO which happens to be the same as the PCT for this section. The trails over lap. I debate coming back in September and doing to entire JMT by my self. But anyways Seven and I, we are dumb for that mistake! We were probably just happy to be back on dirt.
When we get back to the junction we meet back up with Wolf and Pinecone who were a little slower than us on the way down and they say “wtf are you guys doing??” We tell them our blunders and to NOT go that way. I then say goodbye to the three of them, they are camping here. I am splitting off to hike out to Bishop for Mule weekend which means I have to keep hiking today. At least another 10 miles solo, it’s noonish let’s get it.
The map says I have to get up and over Kearsage pass, a lovely slog in the snow which included chest deep post holing. At one point I needed to take off my backpack to get my self out. Honestly, my mom would be upset I was alone in this particular area if she knew. After that I finally come into more switch backs, 10-12 of them which was actually a nice relief from the snow.
As I finally reach the summit I see and read the Kearsage Pass sign and eye ball the other side aka the descent. And wow it’s sketchy looking in the slush. I see a guy climbing up who says “wow that was slick man!” In my head I was thinking what are you doing coming up at 3PM? But he was probably thinking the same about me. He asks if I want him to wait for me to cross in case I slip. I laugh and tell him my mother would appreciate that and I take off in the same path he came up from. Microspikes and ice axe on and in my hand. I cross and yell back thank you, he waves and that’s the last I see of him.
This section wouldn’t have been sketchy earlier in the day with firm footing but at this hour it’s slushy as hell and spikes just don’t do anything. If the snow decides to slide you’re sliding with it. There’s rocks 900 feet below and then a lake under that.
I get through this part just fine and see three hikers way beneath me, I turn the jets on hoping to catch up and follow them down. It’s easier and safer to travel in teams and my phones almost dead. As I catch up I meet hikers I’ve run into in the past. We saw these guys on San Jacinto over a month ago, they were in their tent in the middle of the trail and we literally exchanged heated works at 3AM. We never “met” each other then, but what a small world to see them again. They’re actually nice people.
We continue on hiking and then they pull off to camp for the night. See ya further down trail guys. I drop down into Onion Valley, I hear I can hitch hike to the town of Independence from here then take a bus on the 395 highway to Bishop.
I start sourcing day hikers and campers for rides and get shut down, I offer one guy cash up front and he says no sorry. I get frustrated and say 10 more minutes and I’m walking. Fuck it. Just did 22 miles on trail what’s another 30 to town? Sarcasm.
No luck, I start the road walk and finally get some cell service after a week, 188 emails, 97 texts and 12 voicemails. No one calls me when I have service tho? The road walks brutal, there’s zero cars, zero hope and zero drive to keep going. It’s windy switch backs for miles, would be a beautiful drive. On the way down I only see 2 cars, neither picks me up. The wind picks up and it’s getting cold.
As I’m mentally prepared to house the whole walk, mile 9 appears and someone finally arrives and gives pity to me, they drop me off at the post office in Independence and I slip them a $20 for the help. This gentleman makes pizzas out of a mobile pizza trailer. Him and my buddy Marc would be boys, slinging dough.
I make it to the town and get dropped off at the post office. I was actually here last week by car to grab a package from Z Packs. In case y’all read this, no my backpack is still broken. I sit down on the bus stop and take off my shoes and socks, 30+ miles today in wet shoes and socks. I think 4 or 5 water crossings. All day snow. My feet are screaming.
I cross the street to the bus stop and the schedule says it’s not running today, ugh, here’s to another hitch hike attempt. I try for an hour out on the road with no luck, the only one who even waved was the sheriff. My cell phone is now at 10% battery and I am thirsty. I walk to the Valero gas station to grab a Gatorade and chips. I ask the cashier at the counter if there’s any taxis in town since Uber doesn’t exist here. The guy gives me someone’s number. 45$ he’ll take me to Bishop it’s 55 miles up highway 395. Let’s go bud I’ve walked enough and want to sleep inside tonight. A half hour goes by and he never shows up. I call one more person and they say it’s really far but they’ll do it as they’re just home reading.
Dave picks me up and we drive up 395N, we have a nice chat in the car and I tell him my story. I arrive in Bishop after the drive and check into the Hostel California. My sister booked me a room earlier this week knowing it was mule week/ Memorial Day and that all the hotels would be sold out. HUGE thank you to her and for thinking ahead. The timeline knowing I had a spot was a motivator too.
The hostel is outrageous, an old 1800s house with a ton of rooms. I’m welcomed by the host with a bong rip in the shed followed by a tour of the property. There is probably 15-20 other hikers here and a bunch of random nomads. Everyone’s playing piano, cooking, playing guitar, hanging out, drinking, playing games and sharing stories of their travels.
I chat with a couple guys from Germany and discuss future Sierra plans, we laugh, talk bullshit and swap contact info. Some other guys bicker back and forth about some nonsense and I sit there laughing at it. I’m old AF at this point in my life the late night bullshit peacocking doesn’t interest me. Best of luck to them haha.
After a while of stories at midnight I head inside to the 8 bed dorm style room to where I got the top bunk tonight. Haven’t slept like this since college, brings back good memories. I hiked from 1AM to 6PM today and with my legs feeling absolutely destroyed it’s going to be tough getting in and out of bed from the top bunk.
Tomorrow I’m going to zero in Bishop and enjoy the Mule Week festivities. The weather is absolutely perfect here, the people are friendly and it just feels right. I’ve really enjoyed all the small towns we’ve stopped at in California so far and I plan to stop in many more along the way.
The Pacific Crest Trail 