Here’s week 4 of my top-secret weekly trail diary!
I’ve been posting my journal daily, cell service-permitting, On Instagram @alandanielchapman
Please forgive any misspellings, etc. I’m using voice to text and fat thumbs to write this on my phone, while also trying not to posthole.
Day 22 // Miles today: 27.1, Total: 600.0
Super comfy night sleep. Woke up at 5:15 AM and still moving slow from the push across the Mojave. Didn’t get started until a little after 6. Can tell it’s going to be a hot one as I was sweating before 7 AM.
Rolled into the long awaited water source (near Cache Peak) late morning. Cameled up and gathered an additional 4 L for the next carry. Some nice tadpoles and tapeworm looking things in the water – yummy! Seeing as though this was the only water for a while, several hikers ended up bunching up here. A couple pleasant international folks and a couple obnoxious folks. Didn’t stay as long as I had originally planned as I couldn’t be around some of their energy. Instead, did a shoes off cold soaked Ramen lunch a couple miles down the trail, which was glorious.
Spent most of the day traversing volcanic rocks from a big center of volcanic activity that existed 20 million years ago. By late afternoon when I started seeing lots of igneous and metamorphic rocks it felt a lot more like I was entering the true Sierra.
Topped up on water around 4:30 PM, which required heading about a mile off trail and dropping 600 feet on a dirt road. Left my pack at the road junction and ran down, which felt so good. The walk back up with 4 L of water was OK too. Supposedly you don’t have to filter the water so I’m gonna try it and see if I get shootie bootie.
Was aiming to camp at the next spring, but came up about 3 miles short – really feeling the fatigue from the aqueduct crossing compounded by the heat (got up to 92F today -hot enough to weld my gummy bears into a wad). Plus my friend fwoop I’d met at the previous water source was there already. Going to bed early with the hope that I feel more recovered in the morning.
Day 23 // Miles today: 32.0, Total: 632.0
Happy June 1st! Woke up at the same time as yesterday, but I’m moving a lot quicker. I’m also feeling pretty great, despite having two bad cathole sessions before 7:30. No matter what people say, I’m treating my water from here on out.
A.m. hours were great – trail was very gentle, temperatures are cooler, and lots of shade provided by assorted pine trees. The analogy of false spring, I.e. when things get nice for a couple days in March before plunging back into winter, comes to mine while hiking just north of mile 600. It’s a false Sierra of sorts, as I will soon encounter a 35 mile dry stretch prior to Kennedy Meadows south – where folks generally agree the “true Sierra” begins.
Filled up with water before the dry stretch where there was trail magic! Got a Coke and some Doritos and chatted with Jessica who has a horror film out that takes place on the AT @mile666film. Thanks Jessica and can’t wait to watch!
Dropped 1000+ feet and re-entered the desert before encountering another round of trail magic at Kelso Road. Mike was providing hot dogs and soda which were amazing. Loaded up on 5 L of water from his water cache for the upcoming 15 mile carry. (Apparently he also oversees the cache at bird spring pass, where I camped.)
Traversed East to the edge of the Sierra where ranges to the east (Argus, El Paso, Rand) become visible. Plopped down at a picnic table and ate most of my salami log while chatting with “cold snacks” from Montana and “superMax” from the Netherlands. They seemed pretty worked.
The last few miles of the day were quite fun. I was on an east facing slope as the sun set, enjoying the masterpiece of colors evolving on the granite landscape with bird song all around me. I am becoming more in tune with celestial happenings – noticing things like the sun setting a couple minutes later each day and the moon growing a little bit bigger each day. My beard and head hair (at least what’s left of my head hair) are now long enough for the wind to catch them – a great feeling.
Settled into a nook between some bushes and some Joshua trees, which provided a good wind break. A guy king devilfish then came by with more water for the cache and we (fellow hikers Eva and Leven) helped unload. Promptly returned to my bed and booted myself down.
Day 24 // Miles today: 34.3, Total: 666.3
Woke up around 5:15 AM, did all my business, filled up to 3 1/2 L from the water cache and started the day with a big climb. Leven was on the same schedule this morning so we started the day together. Perfect temperatures, beautiful scenery, and good chatting with a fun person.
Hiked mostly together, making a stop at the McIver spring and continued on to a lovely granodiorite exposure with a dike in it for ramen lunch. From there, it was a 1800 foot drop into Walker pass where we found trail magic! Numerous hikers and friendly trail angels. Wolfed down a couple hotdogs, a soda, and handful of jellybeans before continuing on my way.
Over the next 10 miles or so things started to feel very Sierran. Nice exposures of intrusive igneous rock, sharp topography next to the eastern escarpment of the Sierra, and cooler conditions. It was rad.
Hiked into the golden hour to the target camp spot at mile 666. I had a sense that I might arrive at the site of the beast at my usual quitting time and I was delighted it worked out. I’ll be camping among the Joshua trees again tonight-the last ones I’ll see the whole trip as they extend only 1 mile north of here.
Ate cold soaked couscous with a tuna packet and as I was finishing, I thought, “well if this doesn’t attract a bear tonight, I don’t know what will.” I think I’ll stop eating dinner where I camp after tonight. Soon I’ll have my bear canister. Fingers crossed until then.
Day 25 // Miles today: 34.6, Total: 700.9
Opened my eyes at 4:50 AM to see that puffy, non-threatening clouds had rolled in overnight. Lay there comfy for about 10 minutes before getting my morning routine underway. This involved an inventory of calories remaining prior to arriving at Kennedy Meadows South, which I plan to do early tomorrow morning in time for breakfast at the café. I think I’ve nailed it or I might have a little too few calories.
Very peaceful first few miles out of camp as the southern Sierra woke up. On flat sections, I enjoyed some instant Starbucks dark roast – with subtle notes of couscous and tuna – that I’d yanked from my hotel in Tehachapi. Leapfrogged with a couple people on the first of two 2000+ foot climbs, of the day- a Welshman named big cheese and a couple girls from Michigan and Germany.
Late morning some darkish clouds rolled in, providing some amazing shade and a nice free cool shower that cleansed all of my nature-facing gear and lasted some 30 minutes.
Early afternoon involved the second, more significant climb. As I started ascending, some darker clouds rolled in. The clouds sounded like they had an upset tummy, rumbling with occasional thunder. Seeing as though the climb contours alongside a mountain, never getting to any sort of a peak, and given the infrequency of thunder, I deemed it safe to continue. (Excellent metamorphic rocks on the far side of this traverse – see the daily rock in the photos).
Upon safely being pooped out into Kennedy Meadows, walking was easy (though my feet were shattered, as they always are at the end of the day) and gorgeous. I have arrived in the Sierra. The rain earlier today (which was obviously more significant here than what I experienced – everything is washed out) has the place smelling like a beautiful mixture of herbal desert and conifers. The next few weeks are gonna be fun. Got myself set up at camp and set up the tarp, not wanting to wake up getting rained on.
Day 26 // Miles today: 28.2, Total: 729.1
First time waking up cold in a couple weeks. considering I slept at an elevation of 6000 feet and soon I’ll be regularly above 10,000 with snow all around me, this will probably become the norm for the next few weeks. If I had a superpower, it would be to swap my sleeping base layer with my daytime base layer without having to take all my clothes off.
Arrived at the Kennedy Meadows General store shortly before 7 AM. Chatted with some fun folks when I arrived, and as I was eating the cafe’s famous pancake breakfast. The guy who brings out your pancakes misheard my trail name as cockpusher, so he yelled that out when breakfast was ready and I gladly accepted. He said being able to yell that made his day.
A few folks in particular were really fun chatting with- trash panda, side pipe, and biped. The latter two were particularly jazzed to talk about rocks (biped is a Berkeley grad in geology). I’m finding, more so than in off trail life, an interest in chatting with folks about their interesting and diverse life experiences surrounding and involving the trail. On the other hand with some people conversations begin with: what’s your base weight, when was your start date, unsolicited advice/mansplaining, are you terrified of the snow/heat/bears/whatever hazard? I’m finding I’m not at all interested in being around this insecurity. I’m here to cleanse myself of one of the most toxic and infectious things that humans spread: anxiety. I will forever be a planner, being informed about the bridges I will need to cross, but not worrying about them until I need to cross them. On the flipside I’m having a blast with fellow spirits out here who are interested in having fun and shedding insecurity.
Did some blister care, got enough food to get me a lone pine (I was down to my last handful of gummy bears, and a couple scoops of instant coffee), charged my electronics, booked lodging in lone Pine, and was back on trail by 10 AM. Successful escape from the vortex! Here I come Sierras!
The trail slowly but surely climbs out of Kennedy Meadows. Had a few fun chats with folks on the way up, including old spice – we talked about our plans for heading up Whitney in a couple days – and fern – a botanist who told me about Jeffrey Pines and big Juniper trees as we passed through a forest of them. First glimpses of snow in the high country to the north from Beck’s Meadow.
The climbing was interrupted by a descent into the south Fork Kern river basin. At the top, it rained lightly, but the rain drops themselves were fat and juicy; heard a couple big claps of thunder as I began dropping elevation.
The climbing continued with the environment becoming more and more radical with every vertical foot gained especially above 8500 feet. Giant trees, excellent rocks, easy trail, cool breeze and limitless water. Saw my first marmot of the trip. I think it liked my shirt. Topped out around 10,600 feet with fantastic views of Olancha peak. I was very pleased at how minimally the elevation affected me (just a moderate case of HAIF – high altitude induced flatulence).
Hauled to an established camp down at about 9,000 feet, guided by the waxing gibbous moon. Set cowboy camp up in about 10 minutes and got horizontal.
Day 27 // Miles today: 17.4, Total: 746.5
Didn’t sleep great last night. I kept thinking I was hearing footsteps through the gravel my head was resting against, imagining it was a bear coming for my food and me. It was also cold, bottoming out in the mid 30s (saw some frost in a meadow, a mile down the trail) and I ended up wearing all my clothes. Didn’t wake up until 530 and a group of maybe six people were out of camp before me.
Hiking was beautiful today with snow capped peaks in the distance, beautiful meadows, and cool temperatures. I’m not sure I sweat today. Reached the turn off for Cottonwood Pass trailhead – which I used to access the town of Lone Pine. When I got to the trailhead light rain and thunder had begun, and two fellow hikers jersey girl and gadget were also looking for a ride. We teamed up and after about 15 minutes had a ride from a fellow hiker and professional photographer named Rick.
After dropping about 6000 feet on the road that leads to lone pine we were dropped off in the center of town. I was anxious to collect my one and only resupply box for the entire trail, so I went directly to the grocery store where I had sent it. They had no record of the resupply box arriving so a friendly employee at the grocery store walked me over to the post office where we tried to sort things out. After a panic inducing 15 minutes or so it became clear that my box was right behind the front counter at the post office. Crisis averted.
The next few hours I took care of my town chores: laundry, resupplying with food, eating dinner, cleaning my disgusting self, buying new socks, consuming eight street tacos, trying to do some work stuff, and repacking my bag. Also got a chance to chat with my dad on his 72nd birthday and check in with the family.
OK, I think I’m ready to get back on trail tomorrow! Plan is to get back to where I left off on the PCT, hike about 20 miles, set up camp, and witness sunrise from the top of the highest mountain in the contiguous US the morning after. Psyched!
Day 28 // Miles today: 21.7, Total: 768.5
After a nice sleep and a nice breakfast burrito, I got a text from Rick informing me that he’d be rolling back through town at about 8 AM and could give me a ride back to the trailhead. That greatly simplified the logistics! After riding up with Rick I hit the trail before 9 AM and rejoined the PCT shortly before 10 AM. While my pack is heavy with food and new gear (though doesn’t feel nearly as terrible as the climb out of Tehachapi with five days food and 5 L of water), I am completely stoked. 22 miles to the junction with the Mount Whitney trail- let’s go!!
Less than a mile and a half from the trail pass Junction I was walking on snow for the first time since the San Jacintos. Just keeps getting prettier as I approach Cottonwood pass. I also find myself sucking more air now that I’ve climbed up to 11,000+ feet. Whatever the short needled girthy trunked pine trees are at Cottonwood pass they are amazing.
Spent most of my day being stunned at what was around the next corner. Chicken Spring Lake, nestled in a good sized cirque, was the icing on the cake that really communicated that I’m in the High Sierra now. Expansive views, rugged mountains, marmots everywhere, gushing streams/rivers, stunning meadows. All while eating skittles and walking down trail – I am a kid in a candy store.
My bear can slipped off the top of my bag about 17 miles into the day. Good thing this happened on flat ground. I figured out a way to secure it extra firmly because how much of a bummer would it be to see that thing trundle 1000s of feet down a mountain?
Finished out the day by turning north after traversing west on Guyot flat, getting my first view of Mount Whitney as the sun was setting. Seeing the mountain bathed in alpenglow was one of the most stunningly beautiful sights I had ever seen. Climbed up to where I would make camp at the intersection of the PCT and the Mount Whitney Trail. Set my alarm for 12:30 am for 1 AM start up the mountain. The goal is to experience sunrise from the top of the contiguous US.
