Lone Pine to Vermilion Valley Resort
DAY 59 | June 29
To Trail Pass (Mile 745)
3 miles
Slept very well in motel room and felt quite fresh in the morning. My fotos and videos were all uploaded over night, so plenty of space for new pictures for nature's beauty within the upcoming stretch.
After a yummy bagel with Nutella I headed to the outfitter to leave my “old” boots in the hiker box and continued to the supermarket to top up my food with peanut butter and more tortillas which I could hardly squeeze into my bear can. Cosmetics and beverage powders such a coffee and lemonade had to stay outside. I tried to put everything inside pack but in the end had difficulties to close it. Never had it been so full! Did not really understand because everything fit when I had hiked in.
Mario proposed to do a shakedown so we went to Mc Donalds’ where there was WiFi, food, air-conditioning and space. In the end I shipped the following items ahead to Mammoth:
3 pairs of short infinite socks not compatible with my new boots
Pack rain cover
Opinel knife (replaced by a very small Swiss knife I had found)
Knee compression sleeves used after my injury
Pinzette
Detergent for clothes
Small towel
Was not so easy to get a hitch back up to Horseshoe Meadows but made it. Jake and Caveman camped by the meadows while Mario and I walked up the 1.8 miles to the good old trail and after a short walk we set up our tents at Trail Pass.
DAY 60 | June 30: Sierra! Finally!
To campsite at Junction PCT/Mt Whitney
21 miles
First stop at Chicken Spring Lake after a 5-mile walk. What a peaceful scenery! We had a second breakfast there and enjoyed once again that we had finally arrived in the Sierra.
There are now more hikers on the trail with the John Muir trail coming up and I had a chat with 81-year-old hiker who still seemed very fit for his age just coming back from a four-day hike with some interesting stories to tell about his past hikes.
Around lunch time met a German JMT hiker who I talked to and walked with for quite a while.
Arrived at camp at Junction PCT/Whitney at 9 pm with Grizzly, couldn't find others in the dark, and set up my tent somewhere I found a flat spot.
DAY 61 (July 1) | Stairway to Heaven
Day hike to the top of Mt Whitney
16 miles
Found Jenn, Mario and Andrew on the other side of the river. With a small backpack carrying only water, lunch and my jacket, we walked up the Whitney Spirit Trail passing by beautiful Lake Timberlake and Guitar Lake.
It was an easy walk until the point where the steep switchbacks started. Jennifer had recommended not to take trekking poles and I was happy to have followed her advice; they would not have been very useful with the stoney ground. After the switchbacks, the “trail” was less step but required some climbing with bigger rocks being in the way.
Along the way, I was wondering if it was worth all this physical pain but once reached the top was happy to have made it. The views walking up were rewarding already and once at the top could also look down to Lone Pine on the other side.
We had lunch and enjoyed the sun. I had to sneeze all the time though, it seemed I had somehow caught a cold. We left after some 1.5 hours.
The way down was quite easy and quick up to Guitar Lake where there were lots of tents from JMT hikers. I saw again Florian who was just preparing his dinner and had a quick break with 2Pack and Undercut whom I had not seen since Hiker Heaven.
Back at the campsite I prepared a quick dinner with Sunny D who had put up his tent close to mine before finally crawling dead tired into my sleeping bag.
DAY 62 | July 2: Lovely Day
Tyndall Creek Tentsite (Mile 774)
8 miles
I had decided already last night to take it easy this morning and just walk the 10 miles to the base of Forester Pass today instead of crossing it like the others had planned.
I slept longer than usual and only managed to crawl out of my tent at 9 a.m. I had along breakfast and watched a marmot and chipmunk circling around me most probably in the hope of finding some good leftovers. Very funny! Fully enjoyed these moments.
I finally left camp at around 11 a.m. My pack felt a bit heavy in the beginning (maybe because of the slack packing the day before?) but after a while got used to it again and had a good walk including various river crossings.
I had to stop several times to marvel at the breathtaking scenery and was very happy to walk alone that day at my own pace instead of rushing by.
Once I reached Bighorn Plateau I had to sit down and watch; the lake, the mountains, the sun, the clouds, marmots scurrying through the meadow, and no other human around. I would say one of the most beautiful and rewarding moments of the entire trail so far!
DAY 63 | June 3: Forrester Pass 13,152ft/4.008m
To Bullfrog Lake Junction (Mile 788)
13.8 miles
Did I say yesterday was the best day of the trail so far? Hmm, maybe it was today?
I had a really good sleep last night so I did not even hear when the alarm went off at 5.30. The sun had not reached the valley yet and it was still quite chilly outside so I decided to have breakfast in bed.
My cold was still bothering me so I took partly some medicine to prevent it from running all day.
After packing my stuff, I had a quick chat with Caveman and then headed out towards Forester Pass. It was a step climb up the switchbacks partly covered with snow so that it was hard to see where the trail was at some point. I felt it was an easier walk though than up Whitney the other day.
Up there the views are breathtaking towards the mountains and crystal clear lakes. Further down I meet Marie and when walked by a beautiful Lake I suggested to stop and dip our feet into the water. There were dozens of frogs around the lake all jumping when we pass by. Marie even took a quick swim. Although I was tempted too, I preferred to just dip my feet in, worried that my cold would even get worse. At some point, a deer shows up at the other side of the lake to drink and graze. The whole scene feels so unreal, just like we were inside a film or painting.
After that refreshing break, my feet still felt good and I continued walking until 7.30 pm to Bullfrog Lake resisting an invitation of the guys I had met the day before to hang out by the campfire they were about to set up. There was a steep ascent before the lake and I was extremely satisfied (and hungry!) when I finally arrived at the Tentsite.
The final highlight of the day: When I had dinner a deer passed by at a very short distance. Wow!
DAY 64 (June 4): Glenn Pass 11,947ft/3.651m
To Tentsite Mile 802.7
14.2 miles.
Met Waffles from Belgium on top of Glenn Pass. We had met at some water source in the desert a couple of weeks ago.
My thighs are sore when walking down. Lunch and rest at Rae Lakes.
Easy walk downhill for several miles after the lakes but steep uphill for 2.5 miles before the tentsite.
Various river crossings. I love my Salomon boots!
Mosquitos are everywhere and so annoying that I decide to eat inside my tent.
DAY 65 (June 5): Pinchot Pass 12,106ft/3.689m
To Mile 815
12.9 miles
I wake up at 4.45. Hungry. My food is inside my bear can which is at least 100 meters away from my tent. I do some stretching exercises inside my sleeping bag (as far as possible) and then I try to sleep a bit more until daylight arrives.
Lunch with Waffles, Evan, and Amid on a giant rock down by one of the lakes. We agree to meet at the last tent site before Mather Pass to be able to walk up there the next morning. It's just 7 miles from our lunch break spot but I realize that my legs are already a bit tired. I put on some music though for the last steady but not too steep uphill and reach a good pace again.
We all arrive between 5 - 6 pm at the tent site which is one of the most beautiful ones I have been on the trail due to its surrounding scenery: a lake, snow, mountains, rocks & sun.
It was another beautiful day and I am once again very happy and thankful that I gave myself the opportunity experience all this.
DAY 66 (June 6): Mather Pass 12,093ft/3.685m
To Tentsite Mile 833 approx.
18 miles
The sun is not out yet when I wake up and I guess it's around 5 am. Looking at my phone I realize it's only 2.30 am. I feel really awake and not like sleeping anymore but it's still in the middle of the night. It is quite cold which does not really make it easier to fall asleep again. Especially my butt is cold which is most probably because I sleep at the side which makes all down at this “elevation” downwards. I decide to wrap my fleece around my hip to solve the problem and it instantly feels warmer. At one point, I eventually fall asleep again. What a joyful moment when the first ray of light hits my tent. Time for breakfast.
I get out to get my bear can and realize that the thin water streams running down to the lake are frozen. My tent also is frozen from the outside and I crawl inside my sleeping bag again to have breakfast there.
Nevertheless, a beautiful morning as we climb the 4 miles up to the pass.
Sliding down on the other side turns out to be a bad idea as the ice is still hard at this time of the morning. It's a bumpy ride during which I loose one of my water bottles and scratch my left thumb and hand so that it slightly bleeds. Well, not a really good idea but definitely an experience.
I use our lunch break in the woods on the way down the mountain to get my tent and sleeping bag out again to let them dry. While the others leave early I take a nap and start walking again at 2 pm. Still 10 miles to go to our designated camp spot.
Several river crossings during the afternoon and I am happy to have my Salomon GoreTex boots. I did not get wet feet a single time!
DAY 67 (June 7): Muir Pass 11,969ft/3.648m
To Tentsite Mile 847 by Colby Meadow
15.3 miles
Gradual but long ascent. Have to cross a lot of snowfields. The trail is hardly visible sometimes.
Views from the top are beautiful as always. Time for my favorite yogi pose!
Amid loses her phone while having lunch by a lake: it slides out of the side pocket of her backpack into a gap in that giant rock we are sitting on. We try various things to get it out but impossible.
Early afternoon I fall just before crossing a river. It happens so fast that I do not know how exactly it happened: most probably I slipped when stepping on a wet rock, then used my pole to support me but it broke and I landed with my chin on a big rock. I instantly touch my chin - I expect to feel flesh when I touch it due to an injury at the same spot when I was a kid but none of that - but apart from a few scratches and pain, nothing seems to be broken. One of my poles finally breaks completely. I walk very slowly all afternoon, feeling very tired and weak.
I get to a beautiful meadow with Waffles late afternoon where various deer are relaxing. Looks so serene and untouched that we decide to camp there and continue to Evolution Meadow in 2 miles tomorrow.
DAY 68 (June 8)
To mile 865 approx.
Beautiful scenery again with Sally Keyes and Heart Lakes just before Selden Pass. All seems so perfect that I have the feeling to walk through a postcard.
We stealth camp just before Selden Pass on one of the rare flat and non-humid spots. Despite the proximity to the water and the elevation, I sleep very well that night. Is it because I ate more that evening or that I crawled into my bag right after dinner before letting cooling out? Or something else?
DAY 69 (June 9) | Selden Pass 10,913ft/3.326m
To Vermilion Valley Resort (Mile 878.8)
It is an easy ascent to the pass which is just one mile away from where we camped but tons of mosquitos bother us on the way down.
At lunch time I have to say goodbye to Waffles as I want to reach the ferry at 4 pm to Vermilion Valley Resort while she continues to Mammoth. We exchange phone numbers and hope to meet further up on the trail.
Get to where the ferry leaves at 3.30 pm. Other hikers say that the ferry (which actually is a small boat for 6 people including the driver) might not be coming back due to heavy winds.
It turns out that it will be coming back 2 more times taking 5 people each time but then the driver announces that he could not come back a third time due to the wind being too strong and that he will be coming back first hour the next day. No option for me as I am out of food (and dreaming about a proper meal all day already) and similar for Ami. I ask if he can at least take our backpacks and he agrees, so both Ami and I start walking (running?) the 5 miles to the resort around the lake in the hope of making it on time before the restaurant closes. It takes us roughly 2 hours and we arrive on time for a steak and beer. Happy but tired I fall into my “bed” that night.
