Backpacking

Le Conte Ranger Station – Lower Palisade Lake

8,720 – 10,615 (+ 1,895) – 10.3 miles

Free Maps Online – Day 18 – Map 7 and 6

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

We had a nice breakfast with Norma, Marty, and Dewey. As we cleaned up the kitchen and started to break camp, the boys were getting ready to start work on the cabin for the day. Joe used to both build and sell log cabins and was familiar with the process. I love all forms of construction and was interested to see how the thing was made.

Marty explained some of the process to us. This was the second of three planned new Ranger Stations he would build. They learned quite a bit on the first one and the second was going together quickly. We helped move a log, set it in place, and hammer it home. Norma was a camera wizard and took many pictures with three different cameras! Joe received an old hard hat as a memento. Jake found more horseshoes and left Le Conte carrying three. (That guy carries a ton of stuff!)

Then Norma called us over to the kitchen and filled our food sacks! We all got some extra dinners and tons of snack foods. I got a fresh supply of duct tape to keep my feet blister free and Norma gave me some moleskin! Norma topped off our powdered gatorade supply and added some other flavored juice drinks as well. I had very little to share, but I did leave Norma one of my favorite naturally non-caffeinated teas.

It is difficult to recreate how much we shared in that short time and how close we all became. I got to spend a few hours talking with Norma and we bonded over many things. Getting to hear part of her life story was interesting and inspiring. I have been in touch with Norma and Marty and imagine that we will keep in touch – now friends for life. I also bonded with Dewey and hope to reunite with him one day. He spends most every winter in South America and is looking to buy property in Ecuador. I hope to do a South America trip one day and would love to get to see Dewey in Ecuador!

Eventually, the time came and we had to move along. We were sad to leave, but happy to be back on the trail. The rest of the descent was enjoyable, and eventually we started to climb again on our way to The Golden Staircase! This was the last section of the John Muir Trail to be constructed and it is an admirable feat of engineering. But it is also a long climb. I stayed out front and reached the summit first and then started hunting for a campsite near the lower Palisade lake. This was the first time we were going to camp near many folks, and was actually the most crowded area for us on the whole trip. The pickings were slim, but I found an area that would work – though it was far from ideal. When Pappa Joe and Jake joined me, of course we found folks that Joe knew well and set-up near them. Sanjay and Busted Magic.

It got cold quickly and we ate dinner fast and settled into our tents. This was one of the few times that Joe set up his tarp tent instead of cowboy camping. You needed something to help trap your body heat and block the wind!

Up Next: Morning brings a Surprise Guest! We reach a new sort of terrain and different vista than we have seen thus far…

Halfway between Muir Pass and Le Conte Ranger Station – Le Conte Ranger Station

10,200 – 8,720 (- 1,480) – 4 miles

Free Maps Online – Day 17 – Map 7

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

We continued down the mountain and made it into Le Conte Ranger Station – and YES there was trail magic. Marty and Norma were the two past PCT hikers that Joe knew who were also running this Ranger Station Construction Project.

They had quite a large crew for the previous week as supplies and cabin pieces were helicoptered in to the work site. There was a new food shipment set to arrive Tuesday and they had loads of food left over. Knowing what distance hiking is like, they opened their camp to the hikers for the weekend. Quesadillas, salads, Gatorade, and good companionship.

We liked Norma and Marty right off, and we also met one of the other construction crew workers, Dewey. Those three folks were very welcoming, interested in hearing about this year’s hiker experience, and sharing information about the area, the construction project, and much more.

Norma had a hand washing station set-up with A NAIL BRUSH!! My hands were never as clean as the time we spent at Le Conte. I jumped behind the counter with Norma and helped make salads and chop things for quesadillas. Many groups of hikers came through during the day and we spent time with them and helped feed them all. Norma and Marty invited the three of us to stay the night, have dinner, a nice breakfast and move on the next day.

Marty knew quite a bit about the local history and shared stories of planes found in nearby glaciers and disappearing rangers. We ate and talked around the fire for a few hours and everyone retired for a very peaceful sleep.

Stay Tuned: these three slow moving hikers receive many boons from Norma!

the end of Evolution Valley – Halfway between Muir Pass and Le Conte Ranger Station

10,200 – 10,200 (+ 1,780/ – 1,780) – 11.5 miles  * Muir Pass

Free Maps Online – Day 16 – Map 8 and 7

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

Today we finished at camp quickly and headed up the final set of switchbacks into Evolution Basin and some astounding views.

It was so lovely up there, we stopped next to one lake for more than an hour, soaking up the sun, enjoying the vistas, and relaxing on the grass.

The climb up to Muir Pass felt very long, and we could not figure out where the pass and the hut were located. As our spirits were taking a very small downward turn, we met another awesome trail worker named Diego who stopped to chat with us for ten minutes or so. First, he pointed out where Muir Pass was located and we could see the top of the roof! It was much closer than we imagined. Next we talked about baseball and LA a bit and shared some snacks. We got the impression that Diego was not necessarily supposed to share snacks with us, but we were very grateful that he did – dried sliced Mangos, a few pieces of fresh fruit, pop-tarts, and some trail mix. Yum! Diego also confirmed a rumor we had been hearing all day – Trail Magic at the Le Conte Ranger Station. Diego was coming from there and verified that two former PCT hikers that Joe knew were running a construction project there and were feeding hikers this weekend (it was Saturday, with Father’s Day coming in the morning). We parted company with Diego in much better spirits.

But we still had some descending to do before we could make camp. Descending from Muir was challenging. Like most of the passes, I am sure it was worse in bigger snow years, but for our descent, we were facing challenges brought on by melted snow. As water tends to do, the snow melt formed into small creeks and rivers seeking the path of least resistance downhill, which happened to be the trail we were trying to walk. We spent a few hours carefully negotiating a way around the water and down the mountain near to the path. We made it about 4 miles from the pass before finding a decent spot to camp for the night. Dinner was a short affair and everyone sacked out as quickly as possible. We did not talk about it much, but I believe that we were all thinking and dreaming of what we might find at the Le Conte Ranger Station in the morning!

Stay Tuned: Will there be trail magic?

just pass the Piute Creek junction – the end of Evolution Valley, adjacent to The Hermit

8,050 – 10,200 (+ 2,150) – about 10 miles

Free Maps Online – Day 15 – Map 9 and 8

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

I love sleeping next to running water, and last night was another water-side camp and a refreshing slumber.

Early in the day’s hike, we ran into a few hikers near the junction with Goddard Canyon. While we were stopped and chatting, more and more groups of PCT hikers came by and stopped to talk. At the height, I believe there were 13 of us sitting and talking.

— I have been debating how much and what exactly to tell you all about Joe. I had hoped to stick just to our experiences together, but I think that depriving you of any background would gloss over some of the experiences we had. Pappa Joe and his wife, Terry, are Pacific Crest Trail Angels. They live near where the PCT crosses the Mojave Desert, and maintain a water cache in the middle of nowhere to aid thirsty hikers. They also open their home to thru-hikers during hiking season. This year, Joe decided that he wanted to hike and he wanted to get to meet some of his PCT hiker pals out on the trail. The PCT hikers generally walk north from Mexico to Canada which is why he was walking Southbound (like me and Jake). So, almost every PCT hiker we met after we started walking with Joe had been to the water cache (called “the Oasis”) and many had stayed at “Casa de Luna.” This is why we ended up with many hikers in a circle excited to see Joe and hear about his hike.

A few miles after the PCT gathering, we came across a vision made flesh – the apotheosis of Female Power Trail Goddesses. We were going up a gentle grade that she was descending. Looking up, we saw her standing above us, raven hair blowing gently in a light breeze, sunlight streaming around her. Both her arms were raised, hands resting easy on the ends of two long, thick, metal bars – held across her shoulders and crossed in back. On her back was a small backpack with a hefty shovel strapped on its length. I think it is fair to say that we were all awestruck. None of us could muster the forethought to reach for a camera, and had the thought occurred to us, we might have been too stunned to attempt to ask for a photo. We did manage some small conversation and learned some about this trail crew’s mission and campsite. That meeting was all too brief, and it was not long after she went on her way that we began to realize with horror that we did not manage a picture. I wish I could draw and I may have to start learning just to be able to re-create the image that lives in my head. (Though hopefully I have not done too poorly with words…).

This was a long day of gentle climbing. We crossed the dreaded Evolution Creek! Joe found a nice place to cross just 10 feet upstream from the main trail while Jake was changing footwear. I used one of two tricks that I picked up from SilkE and got barefoot. Had the stream been deep or the current strong, I would have kept my shoes on, but fording gentle streams barefoot was actually safe and refreshing!

The mosquitoes were thick and intense around the creek. I guess they knew we were at their mercy until we reached the far side. I was so ready to get free of them that I did not bother with going upstream to the fording point Joe found and just plunged through at the trail crossing. It was deep enough to wet the bottom of my shorts in the middle, but that was the worst of it.

The rest of the day we walked through Evolution Valley. This was not my favorite valley/meadow, but there were a few nice views, and we saw several deer lounging on a small island in the middle of the creek. We stopped next to a lovely mountain, The Hermit, at the base of the last series of switchbacks that would lead us into Evolution Basin and some of the more infamous sites on the JMT.

Tomorrow: New Faces, good karma, and the place where creek/waterfall and trail become one…

just past the Rose Lakes junction – just pass the Piute Creek junction

10,035 – 8,050 (+ 855/ – 2,840) – 11.7 miles  *Selden Pass

Free Maps Online – Day 14 – Map 10 and 9

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

SilkE left out first in the AM and we followed after a while. The rest of the climb really began to cement the bond between us three boys. SilkE may in fact be a slow climber, but nobody can take a break or fifty like Jake and Joe and Nick! She beat us to the top of Selden and waited for about an hour! Part of our delay was the scenery! The whole trail is amazing, but hitting Marie Lake and the other lakes and tarns on the way up to the pass was breathtaking. It is hard to assign value judgements to the views, but I liked the scenery from VVR to Mt Whitney even more than from Yosemite Valley to VVR, and this was a small dose of what was in store for the rest of the trip.

SilkE left us at the top of Selden. She had a short timetable and decided to try for Mt Whitney instead of lollygagging with us and just going out Kearsarge. By this time though, Joe was with us and we were with Joe. We lost SilkE, but we were still Fox Force Five! Fox, because we had a foxy chick. Force, because we are a force to be reckoned with. And Five because there are one, two, three of us!

From Selden Pass, we could see down into the next valley and a little bit of the next ascent. The climb down was OK, but it felt rather l o n g. What we did not know was that the next climb would take us TWO DAYS. I stayed ahead of the guys most of the day and we kept tabs on one another with our now world famous “Whoop”s. I may have to find a way to get you some access to audio samples of whooping…

Near the end of my day’s tank of gas, not surprisingly – right about 6:00 PM, I waited for the guys at a bridge and the border with the John Muir Wilderness and King’s Canyon National Park. Before we left the bridge we met a hiker and discovered he was not walking the PCT or the JMT, he was walking home. He lives a few miles up the canyon from that bridge! Cool and a little random…

More mosquitoes at camp tonight, but we had a nice meal and hit the hay.

Stay Tuned: Tomorrow we meet our first large group of PCT hikers and the greatest Trail Crew Lady of All Time!

VVR – just past the Rose Lakes junction

7900 – 10,035 (+ 2135) – 9.4 miles

Free Maps Online – Day 13 – Map 10

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

We had a great final breakfast. Truth be told, it was Kevin’s day off and big Roy was manning the helm. These were not as good as Kevin’s. They were good, but nothing to write home about. Every one of Kevin’s meals was write-home-worthy. Jake and I each packed out a #6 for dinner. I could hear Roy asking Olive something about peppers and said, “Yep. Everything just wrapped up in a burrito!” What we did not discover until dinner that night, Big Roy threw the side of potatoes into the wrap with the eggs too! These were at least 1 pound burritos. Jake packed out a whole peach-berry pie – probably three pounds. Olive wrapped it in two layers of foil, and Jake wrapped that up in his tent and carried it at the top of his pack.

We all finished our packing and reconvened for the ferry – Jake, Joe, Elena, G-Man and I and a few nice folks I just did not get the chance to talk with much.

There was a passel of folks waiting to catch the ferry back into VVR when we got off. As they departed, Joe gave them a Casa De Luna Salute!

Elena told me previously that she was fast downhill, but SUPER slow uphill. She took off right after a picture to start getting up the hill and assured us we would catch her.

G-man, Pop Joe, Jake and I messed about taking pictures and getting our heads right to resume the walking. On the 1.4 mile trail back to the JMT/PCT, G-man, Floyd, and Pop Joe came up with a trail name for Elena and she loved it – SilkE. I don’t remember if it had happened back at VVR or not, but certainly by the time we finished that 1.4, we were Fox Force Five! We said a happy/sad goodbye to G-man and resumed the JMT.

I spent some time hiking with SilkE and found out that she is an actress and teaches acting as well. That is part of the reason she was in long sleeve pants and shirts – to protect herself from the sun to maintain her youthful glow. We all agreed and told her she looked early 20s. She did the Dance of Joy and said she was 34.

Getting on towards 6 PM, SilkE and I were in the vanguard and I called a halt at a place with decent camping options so that we could all re-unite and make our first real decision as a group. To camp now or later? I knew I did not have too long left in me, but thought I could go a while longer. But I wanted to touch base with everyone else and see how they were doing. In addition to my “normal” re-supply stuff for 10 days, I had that 1 pound Burrito. Jake was in the same boat plus the three-pound pie. SilkE was ready for more. Jake said he could go on, and Joe wanted to get some more in as well.

We went on. A short while later we stopped for a moment, and when we started hiking uphill again, Joe was cruising! (I was to learn over time that Joe does not maintain that breakneck pace, but different things kick in his turbos for a bit.) I not only could not catch Joe, every time I got close, he pulled more speed out of somewhere and went faster up that mountain. I called out and announced that I was done. They could go on and I would catch them in the AM, but I was ready to stop. This was sort of a pivotal moment. Jake was going to stay with me despite his desire to keep hiking with these fun folks. SilkE and Joe both wanted to go on a bit, but after his first 5-7 days alone, Joe decided to camp with us. SilkE agreed as well, but it did take a minute. We found a great camp near some fresh water. The mosquitoes were out in force and we ate in our head-nets with rain gear on to keep the biting to a minimum. After dinner, Joe and SilkE had some pie. I think Floyd did also. I abstained as I am not a big fan of the sweets, and Kevin told us that the crust was made with lard – which was not to attractive to me.

We hit the hay ready for sleep after a decent climb.

Tomorrow: Will SilkE and Joe stay with these two crazy dudes?

Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR) – Two Full Zero Days!

VVR on Facebook

7900 (+/- 0) – 0.0 miles

Free Maps Online – Day 11 and 12 – Map 10

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

I am sure I will end up leaving some folks out, but these are the hikers I remember most:

Sye & Alex, Southern & Rubs, Spencer, Bukket, Pappa Joe, Grey Wolf, G-Man, Tank, Hisu, Cheese, William S., and Elena (soon to get a new name).

Jake and I found cribbage and backgammon in the games cabinet and threw some dice and played some crib. Sye taught us how to play Euchre just before he left. Hisu knew how to play also, so Hisu and Jake teamed up and Sye and I teamed up. Sye had to leave mid game, but Bukket was interested and he took Sye’s place. Fun game and some good times.

We talked a lot with Sye, Alex, and Spencer and watched them pack – envious of their lightweight gear and gourmet food collection. Sye and Alex also had some rodent proof stuff sacks they made themselves out of a fabric lined or threaded with Kevlar that they bought from an outdoor fabric/supply store near Seattle. Spencer kindly said that we would meet again as he was meeting other friends and going out Kearsarge as well. It was nice, but we knew, we ain’t catching up to nobody. We couldn’t catch the cold if it walked any faster.

Southern and Rubs were only there a short time, but they were both highly entertaining and seemed like nice guys. Southern had this thing – he just seemed indomitable and like he would have to lose a leg or something to take the smile off his face. Great attitudes on these guys.

Grey Wolf seemed to be hiking alone, drifting in and out of other groups as chance would have it, but utterly content with his hike and his own company. We did not talk a lot, but we did chat about the trail and hiking and how privileged we were to be out there doing it. And we had that whole Milk bond going for us 😉

I did not get to talk too long with Tank or Cheese either, but we did share some nice time around the fire and the eatin’ hall. Tank was unflappable. Cheese was filled with fun and joy.

William S. was another cool and surprising fellow. We talked about his past experiences on the PCT, JMT, and other hikes. We chatted about hiking with dogs. After reviewing our schedules a little, he told us that we should call him once we hit Kearsarge and he might be there and would happily give a shuttle to town and back. Later he said he should still be in the area and if we did not have anything else worked out, we should call him and he would pick us up at Mt. Whitney and drive us back to our car in Yosemite!!

G-Man was another happy happy guy. We also talked about how lucky and grateful we were to be allowed the privilege of distance hiking in the Sierras. We talked about many things, and he became a part of our group the last day and evening. A few more adventures with G-Man pending…

I did not talk with Elena much at VVR. But I did lend her my charger for her phone, and we looked at maps and talked schedule a bit together. It seemed that we had a similar schedule in mind and she decided to join us for a while to see how walking together worked out.

And then there is Pappa Joe. We sort of met over the Stanley Cup finals. Joe lives near LA and was rooting for the Kings. Jake is a big fan of the Phoenix Coyotes. Every time the Kings scored (which was about 37 times that game) Joe gave out a cheers. It was fun. The next morning Floyd was talking with Joe as Joe was just easing into his first zero and it took about 3 minutes for Floyd to decide that another zero was called for. We had not planned to leave until the 4:00 pm shuttle and then only walk about 1.5 miles and camp, so it did not take too long to get me on Team Zero as well. We hung out with Joe most of that day and since there were three beds anyhow, invited Joe to tent with us that eve.

Who knew that we would only spend about 4 days apart over the next month!

Stay Tuned as Fox Force Five is Born and Elena gets a trail name…

Squaw Lake – Lake Edison Ferry and VVR!!

10,300 – 7900 (+ 450 / – 2850 ft) – 9.4 miles  *Silver Pass

Free Maps Online – Day 9 – Map 11 and 10

Photos Open to the Public on Facebook

The rest of the climb up to Silver Pass was fine and the views were nice up there. Then it was a whole lot of downhill to VVR. A few blowdowns, but nothing too bad. There were one or two areas where we had to simply cut a switchback, but we stayed on trail as much as possible.

There were three stream crossings. Nothing too terrible. I was able to rock hop the first two, but had to walk through the last one.

We made it to the ferry zone with almost two hours to spare, found some nice sand, took off the boots and laid down in the sun until 4:45 when the ferry arrived.

We rode over with Southern and Rubs – two awesome and funny PCT hikers.

We were checked-in by Sweet Marie, got ourselves a private tent-cabin, got our free beer, and began the relaxing. Knowing that we would zero the next day helped make everything feel super and lovely and easy.

Alex and Sye were there with their friend Spencer. We talked with them a bunch and met many other fine folks over the next few days.

It is going to be difficult to capture all the great experiences at VVR, and I am certain I won’t be able to get them into chronological order, but I shall share the highlights and try to give a sense of what it was like for us to be there.