From Kennedy Meadows Nips, Wildflower, Snausage and I headed out into the High Sierra. The hiking at altitude with Bear Cans full of food made the miles go slowly. But the vast landscapes and mild temperatures made it all enjoyable. We spent a night at our first high alpine lake, Chicken Spring Lake at 11,200 feet. The following morning I pushed ahead of the group a bit, eager to get to Crabtree Meadow, my base camp for climbing Mt Whitney.
Though I’ve been up Mt. Whitney (14, 505’) twice before, I was excited for a new challenge. Just before midnight that morning seven of us: Weebee, Blackbeard, Destroyer, Pounce, Lotus, Old Spice and I set out, headlamps ablaze to make the summit by sunrise. By 5 am we were on the summit, and soon in all our clothing and our sleeping bags we watched the magnificent golden hour light and the orange disk peek out over the mountains beyond the Owens Valley. The lack of sleep was worth it. The cold was worth it. It was a spectacular sunrise. Lotus and Old Spice got engaged on the summit; congratulations to you guys!
The following day the trail, now the John Muir Trail through the High Sierra, carried us up to Forrester Pass. At 13, 180 feet it is the highest point on the PCT. The guidebook says we “now begin our net 9000’ descent to Canada.” Looking out into the High Sierra from atop these high points is incredible, especially this year, which is very very dry. Last year the thru-hikers had to travel on snow for over 400 miles. We won’t have 400 feet.
I hiked out over Kearsarge Pass to the Onion Valley campground to meet my mom and resupply. Seeing my mom as I was heading down the trail was magical. After 53 days on the PCT it is hard to keep track of time; it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been very long, but being with my mom, the constant in my life, helped me realize that I’ve grown as a person from this experience, and that I know myself a little better.
Now the team, Team Straight Edge as we are jokingly called, is split up. We all have different resupply strategies for the Sierra. But that is life on the trail. I will hike with other amazing people and on my own, just enjoying the magnificence of the mountains and the ease of the low snow year.
On a side note: I spent several months dehydrating dinners for the trail. It was tons of work but almost everything I made has been delicious and creates jealousy among other hikers eating ramen or Knorr sides; it was totally worth it!
Second side note: Thank you to everyone who makes comments on the website, or who sends me snail mail. It means a lot to hear from friends and family at home. Thanks Andrea for the awesome granola I’m eating along the way.
Mom’s report from Onion Valley:
I spent three days hiking part-way up Kearsarge Pass getting acclimated, chatting with campers, thru-hikers and trail angels (Bristle Cone and Uber Bitch, who are hosting hikers at Onion Valley for about three weeks this season). I met Histo (Karl) coming down the trail from Kearsarge Pass. What a thrill!
I got to meet Peels as she passed through on her way to town, and Snausage cooked tasty burritos from food I brought. He, Histo and I enjoyed a great dinner and evening. Snausage camped with us and headed back to the trail Monday, while Histo took a zero day while I hiked to pretty little Robinson Lake (no switch-backs, straight up 1500 feet in a mile-and-a-half, just because)!
It was great to see that Karl is healthy and happy, and has already accomplished a challenge beyond my and many others’ abilities. I got a first-hand look at many thru-hikers (including Chris from Kalamazoo, Thor, Desert Fox, Creep, Threshold, Data, Peanut, Brian from Sacramento, Mad Dog Murph, Nugio, Rapunzel, and Last on the Bus); met hikers’ friends or family who were backpacking with giant packs to take their resupplies over the pass.
Tuesday June 19 I walked with Karl a little ways up the trail and waved him on his way, while I headed to the car for a 7-hour drive home. I would have rather been hiking! We’ll hear from Histo again from Mammoth, then Tuolumne Meadows. His sister Lena and I will meet him for the 4th of July at Ebbetts Pass.
Check out TWO new albums: Kennedy Meadows, which has the pictures from the previous post (Agua Dulce to Kennedy Meadows), and the newest, Onion Valley, with photos from Kennedy Meadows onward.
Though I’ve been up Mt. Whitney (14, 505’) twice before, I was excited for a new challenge. Just before midnight that morning seven of us: Weebee, Blackbeard, Destroyer, Pounce, Lotus, Old Spice and I set out, headlamps ablaze to make the summit by sunrise. By 5 am we were on the summit, and soon in all our clothing and our sleeping bags we watched the magnificent golden hour light and the orange disk peek out over the mountains beyond the Owens Valley. The lack of sleep was worth it. The cold was worth it. It was a spectacular sunrise. Lotus and Old Spice got engaged on the summit; congratulations to you guys!
The following day the trail, now the John Muir Trail through the High Sierra, carried us up to Forrester Pass. At 13, 180 feet it is the highest point on the PCT. The guidebook says we “now begin our net 9000’ descent to Canada.” Looking out into the High Sierra from atop these high points is incredible, especially this year, which is very very dry. Last year the thru-hikers had to travel on snow for over 400 miles. We won’t have 400 feet.
I hiked out over Kearsarge Pass to the Onion Valley campground to meet my mom and resupply. Seeing my mom as I was heading down the trail was magical. After 53 days on the PCT it is hard to keep track of time; it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been very long, but being with my mom, the constant in my life, helped me realize that I’ve grown as a person from this experience, and that I know myself a little better.
Now the team, Team Straight Edge as we are jokingly called, is split up. We all have different resupply strategies for the Sierra. But that is life on the trail. I will hike with other amazing people and on my own, just enjoying the magnificence of the mountains and the ease of the low snow year.
On a side note: I spent several months dehydrating dinners for the trail. It was tons of work but almost everything I made has been delicious and creates jealousy among other hikers eating ramen or Knorr sides; it was totally worth it!
Second side note: Thank you to everyone who makes comments on the website, or who sends me snail mail. It means a lot to hear from friends and family at home. Thanks Andrea for the awesome granola I’m eating along the way.
Mom’s report from Onion Valley:
I spent three days hiking part-way up Kearsarge Pass getting acclimated, chatting with campers, thru-hikers and trail angels (Bristle Cone and Uber Bitch, who are hosting hikers at Onion Valley for about three weeks this season). I met Histo (Karl) coming down the trail from Kearsarge Pass. What a thrill!
I got to meet Peels as she passed through on her way to town, and Snausage cooked tasty burritos from food I brought. He, Histo and I enjoyed a great dinner and evening. Snausage camped with us and headed back to the trail Monday, while Histo took a zero day while I hiked to pretty little Robinson Lake (no switch-backs, straight up 1500 feet in a mile-and-a-half, just because)!
It was great to see that Karl is healthy and happy, and has already accomplished a challenge beyond my and many others’ abilities. I got a first-hand look at many thru-hikers (including Chris from Kalamazoo, Thor, Desert Fox, Creep, Threshold, Data, Peanut, Brian from Sacramento, Mad Dog Murph, Nugio, Rapunzel, and Last on the Bus); met hikers’ friends or family who were backpacking with giant packs to take their resupplies over the pass.
Tuesday June 19 I walked with Karl a little ways up the trail and waved him on his way, while I headed to the car for a 7-hour drive home. I would have rather been hiking! We’ll hear from Histo again from Mammoth, then Tuolumne Meadows. His sister Lena and I will meet him for the 4th of July at Ebbetts Pass.
Check out TWO new albums: Kennedy Meadows, which has the pictures from the previous post (Agua Dulce to Kennedy Meadows), and the newest, Onion Valley, with photos from Kennedy Meadows onward.
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