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Kearsarge to Ebbetts Pass July 3, 2012
Two days ago a hiking friend named Sunday and I left the PCT briefly to climb up Levitt peak (11,500'). We were sad that the trail would soon drop below 10,000 feet for the remainder of the trail.
After climbing back to the PCT over Kearsarge Pass (11,845') I continued through the High Sierra. This section of the trail follows the John Muir Trail up to the headwaters of a major drainage and then over a pass to the headwaters of another, and down to the canyons.
As sure as the trail undulates I found my emotions did as well. Team Straight Edge was separated, and while I spent time with some other hikers and made new friends, I spent more time hiking alone in the grandness of the High Sierra than previously on the hike.
Awhile back I received advice from a friend who said that sometimes you just have to ride the emotional roller coaster. Well, maybe it's because I've been looking at the trail for 1000 miles or I've adopted a more active outlook, but I say you've got HIKE the emotion trail.
I feel more relaxed on trail. I know I will see my friends again--I caught them in Mammoth--or make new ones. It's just interesting to spend the entire morning alone, and come around a corner to find a friend hanging out snacking. I'm pretty content to hike alone and ecstatic to hike with others. But it's NO fun to battle the mosquitoes alone.
So I had a blast in Mammoth Lakes; we cruised to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, hung out for the afternoon, and I set out ahead of the gang to get to Ebbetts Pass where I would meet my mom and sister (who had dropped me at the border 1000 miles back).
After traversing an amazingly exposed section of the Pacific Crest, where Sunday and I climbed Levitt Peak, and crossing Sonora Pass, I was dazzled by fields of glorious wildflowers. The early spring makes for a spectacular color show. And cruising down the trail I see my mom and sister.
It's awesome to get to share this experience with them. I spend a day hanging out in camp with them, 2.5 miles off the PCT at Highland Lakes, about 6 miles south of Ebbetts Pass. Several hiking buddies stopped by and we celebrated the 4th with a pasta feast and a trout that Nips caught in the lake.
(Insert from Mom: Lena and I camped at gorgeous Highland Lakes for five days, meeting Histo-Karl on July 3 and hiking with him to the pass above Noble Lake on July 5--those are Highland lakes over my shoulder in the photo above. We had visitors on the 3rd (Spud, Honey Bear, Oasis, Snausage); we had more visitors on the 4th (Snausage had to stay because he's the designated chef, Sunday, Nips, Wildflower, Mayo and Pieman). Snausage made a major amount of spaghetti for our dinner on the 4th. Hiking to meet Histo on the 3rd, and hiking him north on the 5th, Lena and I met a number of other through hikers: Spork, Chimp, Shepard, Elderly Ellen, Yeah-But, Three Bears, Willin' and Duck with 2 dogs, Damsel with one dog. )
Now on to Tahoe where I get to see my dad. The adventure continues.
Check out the new album, with photos from Kearsarge Pass to Highland Lakes, through Mammoth, Tuolumne Meadows and Sonora Pass.
Two days ago a hiking friend named Sunday and I left the PCT briefly to climb up Levitt peak (11,500'). We were sad that the trail would soon drop below 10,000 feet for the remainder of the trail.
After climbing back to the PCT over Kearsarge Pass (11,845') I continued through the High Sierra. This section of the trail follows the John Muir Trail up to the headwaters of a major drainage and then over a pass to the headwaters of another, and down to the canyons.
As sure as the trail undulates I found my emotions did as well. Team Straight Edge was separated, and while I spent time with some other hikers and made new friends, I spent more time hiking alone in the grandness of the High Sierra than previously on the hike.
Awhile back I received advice from a friend who said that sometimes you just have to ride the emotional roller coaster. Well, maybe it's because I've been looking at the trail for 1000 miles or I've adopted a more active outlook, but I say you've got HIKE the emotion trail.
I feel more relaxed on trail. I know I will see my friends again--I caught them in Mammoth--or make new ones. It's just interesting to spend the entire morning alone, and come around a corner to find a friend hanging out snacking. I'm pretty content to hike alone and ecstatic to hike with others. But it's NO fun to battle the mosquitoes alone.
So I had a blast in Mammoth Lakes; we cruised to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, hung out for the afternoon, and I set out ahead of the gang to get to Ebbetts Pass where I would meet my mom and sister (who had dropped me at the border 1000 miles back).
After traversing an amazingly exposed section of the Pacific Crest, where Sunday and I climbed Levitt Peak, and crossing Sonora Pass, I was dazzled by fields of glorious wildflowers. The early spring makes for a spectacular color show. And cruising down the trail I see my mom and sister.
It's awesome to get to share this experience with them. I spend a day hanging out in camp with them, 2.5 miles off the PCT at Highland Lakes, about 6 miles south of Ebbetts Pass. Several hiking buddies stopped by and we celebrated the 4th with a pasta feast and a trout that Nips caught in the lake.
(Insert from Mom: Lena and I camped at gorgeous Highland Lakes for five days, meeting Histo-Karl on July 3 and hiking with him to the pass above Noble Lake on July 5--those are Highland lakes over my shoulder in the photo above. We had visitors on the 3rd (Spud, Honey Bear, Oasis, Snausage); we had more visitors on the 4th (Snausage had to stay because he's the designated chef, Sunday, Nips, Wildflower, Mayo and Pieman). Snausage made a major amount of spaghetti for our dinner on the 4th. Hiking to meet Histo on the 3rd, and hiking him north on the 5th, Lena and I met a number of other through hikers: Spork, Chimp, Shepard, Elderly Ellen, Yeah-But, Three Bears, Willin' and Duck with 2 dogs, Damsel with one dog. )
Now on to Tahoe where I get to see my dad. The adventure continues.
Check out the new album, with photos from Kearsarge Pass to Highland Lakes, through Mammoth, Tuolumne Meadows and Sonora Pass.
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