After a small trip north to let the snowy sierras melt more we decided it was time and flipped back to the Sierras. NorCal was a bitch anyways. Not my fave. Mosquitos, gross.
Seven and I wake up at five and our ride (Ann) from Bishop to Onion Valley Campground will be here at six sharp. It’s an hour and 10 minute drive followed by a 7 1/2 mile hike uphill over Kearsarge pass to where we drop down into the valley to connect back to the PCT. Then our plan is to summit Glen Pass as well. All said and done 20 miles, we’re hoping Glenn pass is still firm when we get there and not a slushy mess. If it’s firm it’s light work for our legs. Odds are it’s slushy.
Seven doesn’t have an ice axe anymore, we both shipped them home when we went to NorCal. We thought we wouldn’t be back in the Sierras till July. I actually went to Mammoth Mountain exchange and bought a used one last minute because I said I’d rather have it and carry it and not need it then need it and not have it. 1 lbs to be safe and it digs holes much better than the aluminum trowels.
Ann picks us up right on time, she texts me “I’m outside in a red Ford Focus.” Ann’s a lovely lady who’s retired and offers hikers rides. I toss her some cash for her time and we jump out at the trail head. Honestly I think shuttling hikers for 3 months of the bubble in Bishop and you could make some good money. It’s over an hour one way, what would you pay someone for that? If you check Uber which doesn’t exist here, it would be 86$.
We start off uphill after a couple Red bulls. High altitude? Why not induce the heart attack now. If I’m going to die let it be here. I started feeling like shit yesterday, I blame the woman coughing in Vons. As we hike up we start counting how many weekend hikers we are passing on the way up. They all camped at the campground last night, that’s honestly a good idea for a weekend trip.
I tell Seven I’m feeling the altitude. Last time in the Sierras we hiked from 6,000’ to 13,000’ over four days leaving Kennedy Meadows South. It was gradual, today we went from 3,000 to 10,000 by car. Then hiked even higher, I’m coughing, feel nauseous and just have the classic altitude sickness symptoms on top of I think day 1 sickness in general. Power through bud, nothing else you can do it’s not serious and you’ll be fine. Worst case, Tylenol and an early bed time.
We get up the switch backs and realized that the trail is completely different than when we were here last. Last time I was here I actually couldn’t even see the trail. It was completely covered with snow so as I hike up it now following a nice dirt path, it’s cruising. Seven looks at me and laughs he says “dude we will be up in no time over under another 2 hours?” I say under. Another 5 miles and we’re at the top of the pass, we see some thru hikers coming the opposite way, we chit chat about what conditions at Forrester were like. We were there 3.5 weeks ago, totally different than today. We take some photos, say good bye to them and and head on.
As we come down into the valley, it’s a fast downhill through some switchbacks that again I didn’t recognize because last time I was here they were under snow. I probably cut them in the snow and climbed across them. I take the path of least resistance in the snow. The trail here is absolutely beautiful and as I keep walking we point out all the beautiful campsites and say to ourselves, we would love to come back here and spend a week just camping not thru hiking.
We start the climb up to the base of Glenn pass, we can’t see any trail and there’s boot prints everywhere. It looks to be a pick your own adventure game. Alright then Seven loves this game. Point and shoot, he starts off and I’m on his six, I walk close to him to match his pace and stride. I step into his boot holes to avoid any unnecessary post holing. As we get to the actual base of the pass we’re both like where are we going? We see a woman hiker Snow Globe from the check Republic and we tell her to get in our conga line. Let’s problem solve.
The three of us climb to the top of Glenn Pass, rock scramble, follow by a snow traverse. We then took some photos and started the sketchy slushy descent down the opposite side. I was tail end Charlie this time. Ice axe in my upper hand and microspikes on I sloshed the whole way down the traverse till we finally hit some rocks. Once we hit the rocks we started to scramble down them to where it finally flattened out.
Once it flattened out we walked through the 60 lakes area, and I’ll confirm there are a ton of lakes around here. At least a couple dozen, we continue on through four or five stream crossings and finally hit the 800 mile mark. We snap some photos and get moving. 800 baby, let’s go.
One last water crossing and we arrive at camp. We see a hand full of other hikers and we pitch our tents, I explore the area and notice a swing bridge right there. Nice, we will be crossing that at 5 sharp tomorrow.
Seven and I eat dinner, hang out for a few then jump into our tents. The mosquitos are starting up and they love me.
The Pacific Crest Trail 