Dare I say this was my favorite section of the entire trail? This section was the heart of the Sierra’s. From thunderstorms to sunsets, each moment was beyond spectacular. This is a high I have never encountered before.
Day 53 – Kearsarge and Glen Pass
I woke up incredibly early because my friend Spring (aka Hannah), was driving me, Rainbow Carrot, Pablo and Flo back to the trailhead before her workday. At 5am, we all piled into her car, went to the Starbucks drive-thru and continued our way back to Kearsarge Pass. Before I knew it, we were at the trailhead saying our goodbyes.
back to trail via spring!
The four of us hung out for a bit, getting lost in a conversation about medicine and munching on breakfast bars. Finally, we began to hike but not for too long. Rainbow Carrot and I decided that we should use the strong LTE service above the parking lot to publish and finish our blogs before continuing our hike. We only had 12 miles to Rae Lakes and it felt important to post my blog before entering no-service land for the next 8 days. We did not start hiking up the pass until 11ish.
All the way to Kearsarge, we talked and talked. Merit, another thru-hiker, caught up to us and we decided that we were all going to tackle Glen Pass together. Apparently there were some dicy snowfields which we will be going over late in the day. It could very easily be technical and hard. However, going up Kearsarge Pass was surprisingly easy even with eight days of food weighing on my back, which made Glen more appealing. Switchbacks really do make climbs easier.
Knife’s Edge on Glen Pass
As we hiked, we chatted up until the scary Glen Pass. Going up the pass was surprisingly easy and it had no snow covering the trail, so I had full access to the switchbacks. However, at one point, I got confused by the trail and went up a steep and sketchy section (loose rocks) and quickly realized that I was not following the right path. I was happy to find the trail again.
Getting to the top, there was another group on the knife’s edge and there were definitely snow fields ahead of us. We debated if we needed our microspikes or not. The other group went before us and demonstrated the traverse with ease. They were carrying no traction so that made us feel more confident. We kept expecting a sketchy part to come. A place where we could not pass the snow without feeling a bit in danger. A place that would force us to go slow and methodical to pass with safety. However, that part just never came. I guess the beta we received was old because we were able to navigate the backside of Glen Pass with no issues. The snow melts quickly here.
Rae Lakes from Glen Pass
We finally got to Rae Lakes, a place deemed as one of the prettiest places on the PCT. I can understand why; many little tarns covered the valley of the mountain. Once we got down to the campsite, we saw so many other thru-hikers like Pablo, Flo, Collie, Jonaton, Free Lunch, and Lucas. Most of these guys actually passed us when we were writing our blogs on the side of the trail so we knew we were going to see them again. We all had dinner together and it was very quite enjoyable.
snowfields!!
Day 54 – Towards Pinchot Pass
I got out of my tent around 6am and immediately made my way to the water. I hopped on some rocks to a boulder sitting a few feet from shore and spent my first half of the morning alone. Allowing only the slapping of the water to fill my ears. I witnessed the towering mountains around me, and the little fish that flopped out of the lake. A bird or two would chirp and fly by me. My feet relaxed in the iciness beneath me and I allow the peaceful world to wash over me.
my view from the rock
I eventually went back to my camp to start packing up. Everyone was having a slow morning; this place was too beautiful to rush out. I even had my first cup of coffee on trail, provided by Merit. However, I accidentally dumped too much protein powder in my cup. So, instead of having a protein mocha, I actually ended up eating chunks of curled up protein with a taste of coffee. It made the experience less enjoyable.
I eventually left at 9am, and I felt speedy. I was definitely going three miles an hour as the trail hugged the side of the multiple lakes in the area. I met a guy who was fishing, who was releasing his latest catch. I said I would stay for 3 casts to see if he would catch one while I was there. I ended up staying for more like 10 casts and it was very difficult to leave because he came so close every time. But I did not see him catch a fish again.
guy who was fishing
I got to the Wood Creek Suspension Bridge at 12pm, ready to climb up Pinchot Pass. The suspension bridge was quite fun in my opinion. As I began to climb, the clouds surrounding the sky became puffy and dark – threatening a thunderstorm! Yikes! I stopped and ate some lunch, thinking about if I was going to make it over this pass today. It also wasn’t helping that I was having a headache. I continued onwards and got to Pablo and Flo’s lunch spot! I stopped for a bit and hung out with them. I was nervous about the clouds and my fatigue was overtaking me. Also Pinchot Pass felt like a neverending uphill. It was steep and long but it was decent in views. Like yes, it was pretty. Everything was pretty. But it didn’t feel as pretty compared to the other passes.
suspension bridge
Eventually, Rainbow Carrot and Bloodhound also caught up to us and announced that they were only doing 1.5 miles more to the next campsite. The threat of the storm and Bloodhound was also having a hard time was their reasoning. Since I was also not feeling great and I was scared of what’s to come – I joined them on their decision. Pablo and Flo was determined to go up and over.
storm clouds approaching!
Once we got to the campsite, the storm was in full force just over the ridgeline. The sky was filled with booms and claps. Streaks of lightning filled the air as the clouds moved closer to us. Pablo and Flo finally decided to camp with us, knowing it would have been unwise to continue upward in this climate. So, at 3pm we set up camp. Super early. We had dinner and I tried to get a good night’s sleep as my head was pounding and I wasn’t feeling well.
sunset that evening
Day 55 – 2 passes 1 day
I woke up and my headache was still with me. I knew the other guys were trying to do two passes today – Pinchot and Mather. I decided I could not commit to that since I was feeling pretty bad. So I packed up camp and slugged up the rest of the way. I practically crawled up Pinchot. I got to a water source and stayed there for over an hour, just trying to feel better. I took some medicine and drank a liter and half of water before continuing on. I think elevation affects me.
a view!
Getting over Pinchot pass felt more like an eyeroll than an accomplishment. It was so long that I could not even care that it was pretty. Sorry Pinchot but you were my least favorite. The downhill was a breeze and I ended up meeting a thru-hiker named Flora. She was super cool and was a flower pressing her way through the trail. We had long chats all the way to an unnamed creek which required shoes off to pass. I was feeling much better at this point.
random river crossing
I stayed at the creek for a while and then met another thru-hiker named Tunes. She was super cool and I stayed and chatted with her. All the way until Speedgoat and Grandma caught up! It was awesome seeing them again. And yet again, I stayed. I got people vortexed at this creek crossing, and I was fine with it. I also realized that I was charging my phone for quite a long time and totally forgot about it. Once I finally unplugged it from my charger, I realized I only had one charge left on my portable for the rest of this 8 day stretch! Oops! For the next five days, I used my phone very sparingly, only to take the occasional photo and check for the next water source. If I wasn’t hiking with other people, which was the majority of the time, I spent my hike with only my mind and the birds.
Finally, I hiked again – going towards Mather Pass. I mostly hiked with Speedgoat and Grandma for the rest of the way, and we were debating whether we should do Mather Pass tonight or tomorrow. As we got closer, we ran into two men who were southbounders on the JMT who gave us some details of the conditions on Mather. Like Glen, the comments for Mather warned us about the sketchiness of the pass and the importance of doing it in the morning. But taking what we learned on Glen, we know those comments are outdated and Southbounders who did the pass an hour prior will have information that will allow us to choose the safest option. The only thing the men warned us about was the fact that we were probably incapable of getting up and over before darkness arrived. With this information, we decided to continue on. (spoiler alert; we got to our campsite with over an hour of daylight to spare).
going down Mather
If Mather Pass had a personality, it would be a grunge teenager in my opinion. It was dark and direct. However, like Glen, it was snow free going up the pass, and easy to navigate the snowfields that existed on the northside. We got to camp near a roaring creek and I was so excited to go to bed. I didn’t get the best night sleep the day prior despite being in my tent the earliest I ever was.
Day 56 – Towards Muir Pass
I didn’t wake up until 8am and got a total of 11 hours of sleep. I think my body was desperate for the rest. I packed up camp and didn’t leave until 9am. Within the first few miles of my hike, I was greeted with the most textbook view of a U-shape valley I have ever seen. If a valley looks like a U-shape, it is an indication that glaciers once existed in the area. And as we know, the Sierras was covered in glaciers during the last ice age.
U-shaped Valley
The trail meandered its way to the bottom of the valley that was filled with large trees and water that gushed through the forest. It genuinely felt like I was walking through a fairytale.
the forest on the floor
I somehow caught up to Speedgoat and Grandma – I found them talking to a Ranger who was collecting data. It turns out, she also keeps track of how many PCT hikers she sees throughout the day. She said last week, she saw on average 40 PCT hikers and now she is only seeing 15 per day. Definitely confirms that we are towards the back of the bubble. I was also surprised to have already caught up to the two girls since I left camp way later than them. But they had an epic swim moment which took the majority of their morning. We decided to have lunch together at Grouse Meadows. We found a beautiful overhanging rock to sprawl out under and enjoy a meal in heaven. Grouse Meadows was lush and tranquil.
Lunch Spot near Grouse Meadow
We continued onward, going towards Muir Pass – which was notorious for its beauty. As I walked, I followed in the footsteps of Grandma, keeping her pace. We met another JMT southbounder who talked our ears off. However, he did say he hiked the entire trail in 1990s and there were virtually no women. And he just passed four thru-hikers, all women, and he was so happy to see more variety than just white men on trail! Also, all the women hikers he passed all started the trail solo. It is pretty powerful to be hiking around such badass human beings! After the conversation, we continued onwards and upwards.
I camped about two miles south of the pass with Grandma.
view from the campsite
Day 57 – over Muir Pass
I woke up eager to get up and over the upcoming pass. I passed by Helen Lake, a lake named after John Muir’s daughter, and into the snowfields. I put my microspikes on for the first snowfield – it might have been overkill but I was carrying the damn things and wanted to get some use out of them. I walked with Speedgoat and Grandma all the way. Going towards the top, different shaded rocks filled the ground while snowy patches created a contrast in the landscape. I felt engulfed by the mountain, reminding me that we are so small.
Going up Muir Pass
Helen Lake
We got to the top of the pass where the John Muir Shelter existed. It even had a fireplace that was no longer used. There was a confession book on top of the shelter. We took a long break, reading the most unhinged confessions. Mostly about people’s pooping situations with sprinkles of the most bizarre tales that I simply cannot repeat. (you must use your imagination).
Muir Shelter
The rest of the day was very chill despite it being our biggest days in the Sierra’s. We completed about 21 miles to Piute Creek Bridge. The campsite was a party. About a mile ahead was the John Muir Ranch, where you can send a package via mule. Many JMT hikers use this option for resupplying.
Going down!
Day 58 – over Seldon Pass
I decided to bypass John Muir Ranch despite the fact it could have been a place to charge my dying phone. My morning started with a gentle climb over Seldon Pass. Surprisingly, Seldon Pass became my favorite pass of all. I believed Seldon carried feminine energy.
Heart Lake
Leading up to the pass, I passed heart lake where I decided to take a dip. With no one around me, I stripped down and plunged into the glacial water, dunking my entire body. I felt wild and free. When I got out of the water, I put my clothes back on and dried off while eating lunch. I continued the climb towards Seldon Pass. The trail leads you past a shallow river where you can see the fish trying to swim upstream. It felt like they were on a treadmill. Then the landscape became almost like a bowl shape with the mountain edges sloping down into the valley. A small waterfall carried a tune throughout the air as the switchbacks gently brought you up the pass. When reaching the top, you were rewarded with a view from both sides.
Seldon Pass
Going down the northside, the view of Marie Lake from a bird’s eye tempted me to swim again. I felt happy with my Heart Lake experience and decided I didn’t want to get wet again. I cruised down the mountainside and eventually got to the base of my last climb for the day. I took a small break before going up the mountain. The climb transported me back to the Appalachian trail. It was very green, in the woods, with bugs everywhere. On my way, I passed Jonaton and Sandra who I haven’t seen in a while. I lost them when I stopped before Pinchot Pass and they were able to do the climb before the weather. I stopped and chatted with them for way too long and ended up getting to my campsite way later than I expected but it did not matter. I enjoy their company.
Marie Lake
I eventually got to my site with Speedgoat miraculously having service and she got to speak to her friends and family for the first time in six days. I checked my phone and it was in SOS mode. Probably for the best. I still had about two days to get into Mammoth and no charges left. However, I was able to use it’s last charge and got my phone back to around 70% so I think I will be okay. Being forced to hike without any distractions has been interesting. I learned that I tend to think about the same song lyric over and over again to the point of possibly insanity. I also created loads of fake arguments in my head and I often won with very sassy responses. I was half expecting to have more profound thoughts but my mind mostly wandered to the mundane like when will I eat next or how many miles will I do tomorrow. Or I would just completely zone out, listen to the sounds that nature provided and immerse myself with every step. Those were my favorite miles.
Anyways, Grandma also eventually joined us and all three congregated for dinner, enjoying one another’s company.
Day 59 – Over Silver Pass
I decided that I was not going to VVR as I had enough food and charge. And the Tramilia garmin messaged me that they were going to go to VVR and wait for me. I thought that was very kind and I was excited to see them again.
So I got up on the later side with no rush. I made my way towards the VVR. For those who do not know, VVR is the Vermillion Valley Resort – a popular spot for PCT and JMT hikers. For $20 (one way), you can board a ferry to transport you to the resort which offers camping, burgers, and more. It is quite remote and pricey due to its location. It seemed like a cool experience but I was happy to save the money.
I got to the intersection of the trail that leads you to the ferry and waited. I ate my breakfast, I used the bathroom, and just chilled out. While waiting, I got a message from my AT friends who decided to come visit me again when I get to Mammoth! How exciting! Eventually, hikers began to pour out of the trailhead indicating that the ferry arrived a bit ago. It was a reunion! It was fun to see Pablo, Flo, Bloodhound and Rainbow Carrot again.
Going up the next pass was a bit boring honestly – Silver Pass. Silver Pass was okay but nothing to write home about. Maybe I was getting tired but it was just another climb. The craziest thing about this climb was someone recognized me. As I was going up, a guy stopped me and asked if I did the AT in 2021 – very specific and correct. When I replied yes and with my name, he went “holy sh*t, we camped for like 4 nights together in Massachusetts.” Lol – His name is sauce and I have no memory of him at all but he definitely remembered me and those who I was hiking around. He said he recognized me from my eyes – which made me laugh because I lost my sunglasses a few days ago. Thank god I lost my sunnies so Sauce from the AT could recognize me!! It was cool though – I was wondering if I was going to randomly see someone who I met on the AT and I did.
me and sauce
It was the downhill that was quite cool. We eventually passed Virginia lake which was absolutely gorgeous. We did a small shoes-off river crossing and I had to pee quite badly. So I skipped over a bend in the trail and did my thing. I like to believe that I have never been caught in the act of using the bathroom despite not usually going super far to do my business. But this was about to change because I began to pull up my pants, I looked directly ahead of me to see multiple tents set up, with men standing around, with a perfect view of my pee spot. I was mortified!!!! I quickly began to speed up and get out of there. Sorry lads!!
view for the day
After that disastrous situation – I got to Purple Heart Lake tentsite and went to bed.
Day 60 – to Mammoth, CA
Town day town day!! 13 miles to get to Mammoth via Mammoth Pass! I scurried out of camp at 6:40am, probably the earliest I have left camp since entering the Sierra’s. I was basically running to get there! I was so excited for real food and a shower! An 8 day stretch does something to you – the desire for comfort exemplifies.
Practically skipping down the soft forested trail, I got to the trail junction to Mammoth Pass around 12pm – where Rainbow Carrot was hanging out! Bloodhound wasn’t too far behind and we began the pass together. Mammoth Pass was not like the others; it was easy and barely uphill! Perfect terrain for trying to book it to town. Conversation flowed as they always do and I decided I wanted to zero in Mammoth while the Tramilia was leaning towards hiking out the following day. It was a bittersweet decision because I loved being around the crew but I ultimately didn’t want to do the same miles as them, and they understood. Tramilies and social dynamics sometimes can be hard on the trail. You meet super cool people but sometimes you want to do different things. And we all came out here with a common goal; to hike our own hike. So with groups, there are ebbs and flows. I am very grateful for every single person I have met out here because I have met some of the coolest humans and created genuine friendships. And whether I was hiking with the tramilia, the wrightwood crew, the girl gang, other hikers, or alone – I am having the time of my life.
Around 1pm, we got to the parking lot with Pablo and Flo right around the corner. We waited for our free trolley and made our way to Mammoth, CA. As the trolley meanders through the pine woods passing large lakes and beautiful vistas, I really felt like I was in California. It was a movie (for sure). Once we got to town, we did not have access to any hotel or airbnb so I bounced around the area smelling awful. My backpack had a massive hole in its outer pocket and I was nervous that my Nutella Jar would fall out of it. So I made my way to the local library which had a “Maker Space,” and had an entire section to gear repair for PCT hikers!! It was so nice and the person who ran the space was incredibly kind. I spent most of the afternoon watching netflix and patching my bag in the library, until I got a message from MorningDove and Landfill – my friends from the AT who visited me in Wrightwood – saying they were outside of the library.
me, smelly, in the library
Their first words when they saw me was “wow you look way worse than Wrightwood.” Thanks guys! In their defense, I was a bit of a mess coming out of the library, there were holes in my sun hoodie, I have yet to shower (they saw me post shower in Wrightwood). I hopped in their car and we made our way to the Brewery where we were meeting Spring (my other AT friend who met me in Bishop). It was an AT reunion!! It was so nice catching up with them since we all hiked around each other for the majority of that trail. My heart felt so full!!
AT friends! Guess who is the thru-hiker
After dinner, we went back to the Airbnb to join the Tramilia. MorningDove and Landfill stayed at the Airbnb with us. It was so much fun and we fell asleep watching Wall-E.
Day 61 – Zero <3
Classic zero. Happy to be here. I woke up in our Airbnb to find the the whole crew awake and ready to groove. Pablo’s foot was hurting so Flo and Pablo decided to take a YARTS bus and spend a few days in Yosemite Valley while Brooke and Dennis was planning on a meeting a random guy from the geocaching app for breakfast.
Me, Coo, and Chris (my AT friends real names) got ready to go to Spring’s work for breakfast. It was about a 30 minute drive to the resort she worked at and it was delicious! Amazing breakfast sandwich and french toast. Afterwards, I said my goodbye one last time and the couple drove me back to Mammoth. Gave big hugs and thank you to Coo and Chris before they began their 5 hour drive home.
I spent the rest of the day in my favorite place; the library. I also did my classic town chores like resupply and laundry. Finally, I learned Free Lunch and Lucas were coming to town and decided to get a room with them in a hotel.
Lucky for me, neither of the boys knew where the AC control was in the room so I got full control; highest fan of the coldest setting. We went out to dinner and saw some other thru-hikers at the Brewery. We were about 1.5 miles from our hotel and when we wrapped up dinner, it was around 10:30. The beautiful thing about Mammoth, CA, is there is a free trolley system that you can get around the town easily. We waited for about 15 minutes until we figured that there is no bus coming for us. We tried to order an uber and that was equally unsuccessful. Out of options, we began our walk back.
With every step, we hoped that a trolley would round the corner and come pick us up. We were about 10 minutes away from when the bus finally decided to come. Free Lunch and I began to sprint full speed towards the upcoming bus stop as Lucas decided he had all the time in the world. Me and the bus got to the stop at the same time and in between my breaths I tried to ask the bus driver to wait for our friend. However, the only word I was manage to get out was “My Friend” before the doors slammed behind me, leaving Lucas in the dust. I was completely out of breath, partially from running and partially from laughing, but I saw Lucas become smaller and smaller, eventually getting lost in the darkness. We weren’t even on the bus for a full minute before we pulled the “stop requested” line for our Hotel. Once we got out of the bus, Free Lunch and I walked towards to Lucas. When we finally got caught up to him, he shared that he didn’t feel the need to run but was surprised he missed the bus (lol).
Day 62 – Devil’s Postpile
Grandma and Speedgoat were also in town and I had plans to meet up with the girls to hike out together. Towards midday, I made my way towards the Trail Angel’s house they were staying at. There were a whole lot of thru-hikers in this home, including Big Girl (that’s her trail name, I swear), who was going to hike with us to Yosemite.
We navigated the bus system together to get back on trail near Devil’s Postpile. After multiple buses, and one sketchy road (unpaved, half closed, right next to a cliffside), we got to the National Monument.
Devil’s Postpile
The Devil’s Postpile are basalt rocks that have a hexagonal cracks. This geological feature was called columnar joints and it was cool to see a real life example of this phenomenon.
broken bridge!
Afterwards, we only hiked 6 miles to our intended campsite.
Day 63 – to Donohue Pass!
When I woke up, the only person who was still at camp was Speedgoat. I needed to go! While in Mammoth, I got a message from Liz. Liz’s husband’s best high school friend is buddies with my boyfriend and she reached out offering to host me and my tramily when we got to Yosemite! She worked for the park and lived right in Yosemite Valley. How crazy kind!!! So, we were on a mission to get to the Valley ASAP.
The goal was about 20ish miles and the day did not disappoint. The first “pass” of the day was Island Pass – which was an uphill that was so chill, it was barely noticeable. Then the lunch spot for the day was 1000 Island Lakes. No, no 1000 island dressing was eaten that day but a midday swim did occur.
1000 island lakes
I spent the majority of the afternoon hiking with Big Girl with discussions about religion and philosophy occupying us as we tackled Donohue Pass. The top of the pass was the boundary into Yosemite Wilderness!!! I was definitely the most excited for this part of trail. I got a Garmin Message from Grandma telling us that they are pushing to a campsite that could house all of us about 1 mile past our talked about site. Big Girl decided to stop earlier and I kept going. I finished the day in forested and mellow terrain.
Day 64 – to Tuolumne Meadows! (first half of the day)
We got up early to do 10 miles to Tuolumne Meadows. The hike was so beautiful and easy.
Towards the end of the hike, I walked with Cheech, someone who I haven’t really caught up with since Palm Springs (mile 200). And about two miles from Tuolumne, we saw Speedgoat and there was a beautiful turquoise river gushing through the trail. It took no convincing for me, Cheech, and Speedgoat to take a quick dip before anyone came by. It was the best water I was in so far.
hiking to the meadow!
When we got to the meadows, it was the first road the PCT passes in 200 miles. And it was the first time in 200 miles where we didn’t have to hike extra miles just to get to a town. Only 0.5 miles from the road, we made our way to the Post Office and Store where we saw a plentiful of hikers.
where we took a quick dip
We hung out there for a bit until we got best hitch into Yosemite Valley ever. However, this blog has been really long so you will have to wait for my next blog to hear about the rest of this day :~). Thanks for reading!
