Day 52 – 13 May 19. Snow Introduction

Today 30.1 km (18.7 mi), Total Distance 1190.4 km (739.7 mi). 10 hours 20 minutes (0655-1715)

I was nice and warm last night which surprised me given the altitude. I also slept well and woke up without any altitude effects.

I was on my way just before 0700 and the temperature was brisk but not cold. I was just at the fingers numb but not enough for glove stage.

The day started with a steep climb and I was puffing heavily in the altitude. As soon as I got up the first steep bit the snow started and steadily got thicker until I was walking in constant snow. It was a nice consistency and I did not need my crampons.

I still felt a little drained and the uphill was a big effort which I think it due to the altitude.

There were tracks for most of the time but sometimes they would disappear and it would just be Ginger Balls tracks and occasionally nothing, they would just disappear. I wasn’t too worried as the navigation was easy for the first few miles.

I got to the saddle and took a break, having my first snack of the day. Now the track was on the side of a steep hill and when the hill got even steeper I stopped to put on my crampons, and change my walking pole ends to snow baskets.

Now crampons needed

Even though it was steep I was finding it easy. Thankfully with the bear can my centre of gravity is not much different and I still have my good balance.

There was some more climbing up to another saddle (height of 3,210 m, 10,551 ft) and then the descent started.

The group that left the day before us had taken a couple of plastic slides and they had used them to slide down on their bums for a few sections. This was nice as it gave me a smooth compacted track to walk down.

After a bit of descent, and traversing the side of the hill the snow started easing off and dirt track appeared. The trail alternated between snow and dirt with the ratio changing the lower I got.

On a long section of dirt I stopped for another break and took off my crampons. I thought the snow was easing from here.

As I came around the first corner I realised the snow was not easing but decided to continue without my crampons and there were long dirt patches between the snow. The trail was still going along the side of a hill and at times the snow was a little slippery but I only did tiny slides no big ones.

I stopped to fill up my water bottle and the first of the group of 6 arrived. There seemed to be two fast ones, two that alternated between the faster group ands their own group and then 2 slower ones. I let the two fast ones and another past and the one just in front of me was just a fraction too slow but I didn’t mind going slower.

We continued descending and there were a few slides of the people in front and behind but not much considering the snow. The fast two stopped and I assumed the whole group would have a break together. I continued the descent.

After a bit more descent through a neat rocky area the gradient flattened out as I was now in a valley and after one pause to try and figure out where the track was, I came to a raised area across the stream. The small stream was going over the raised area so I grabbed some big sticks to give myself some stepping stones and managed to keep my feet dry.

The group caught me here and I took my pack off intending to let them get a bit ahead before I continued.

However the back two stopped to talk and I decided to continue with them. Marky Mark had introduced himself yesterday when he was stopped and offered for me to join the group which was nice. I said I would wait and see. The other was Jade, who had walked with her father to the bridge and he then walked back to the carpark while she continued. She has a brother also doing PCT but he has dropped way behind, I think she said about 5 days behind.
Marky Mark went in front and Jade went behind and we went at a good pace.

I was starting to get my energy back, probably as we had dropped a couple of hundred meters. The trail was relatively flat with the only obstacles the wet patches from the melting snow. The two miles seemed to go fast.

At a camping area the faster group had set up their tents to dry and were starting lunch. Apparently last night they were covered in frost and their tents were wet from this and condensation, with a couple of sleeping bags being wet as well. I was surprised as we only camped around 0.8 mile apart and I woke up to a dry tent.

Drying out tents at lunch

I joined them for lunch. I did not bother getting my bear can out of my pack as I could access it fine. I had a peanut butter tortilla with some nuts, beef jerky and lollies. I had my shoes and socks off as I ate. It was interesting listening in to the conversation, something different from my normal solo lunches.

They seem like a nice bunch and did include me in the conversation. They are all much younger than I am.. I would be surprised if any are older than 30. I haven’t got all the trail names but there is Marky Mark, Jade, Little Skittle, Davey Crocket, St Nickolas and All Day.

I filtered some water as the next 10 miles were dry, though I expected a few tiny streams of snow melt.

I left as they were starting to pack up. I followed an arrow made out of rocks but it lead back to the stream and I knew I was heading uphill so I went back and found the proper track.

Now it was anther big climb. I took it easy and the gradient was good and I made steady progress. It was good to not be feeling tired like this mornings climb.

There was no snow until around 2,900 meters and then the snow patches got bigger. At one point the trail was blocked by a cliff of snow well over my height.

Cliff of snow blocking the trail

The trail was a little hard to pick up at times. Sometimes I went over the snow patches, which were all mini hills, and sometimes I went around and tried to pick up the track on the other side. While I was not having a great time I was not getting annoyed and was content finding my way up the hill.

The trail crossed over a saddle to the other side of the hill and now it was solid snow. There were some tracks to follow, though they seemed to go in different directions at times before eventually meeting up again.

At the next saddle there was now a steep zig zag and it was too hard too find the trail so I headed straight up, hoping to cut across the trail at some point. I did find it only to lose it again under the snow so continued straight up until reaching the top. Three of the group were catching me going up this hill but my route was better and I didn’t see them again.

I followed some footprints that starting heading down but when I rechecked my location I saw I shouldn’t have dropped. The Footprint owners must have also realised this as they climbed back up to the top. I thought the three had passed me as there looked to be fresh footprints but I never saw fresh footprints again so I think it was just the consistency of the snow holding yesterdays prints. I assumed the three stopped to wait for the remainder of the group.

Now the trail dropped and headed around the side of a big hill. After crossing a big area of snow the first mile was relatively clear of snow but then more patches came. The hill got steeper so the snow patches became a bit more challenging.

I had been hearing fast jets overhead all day so at first I thought the sound I was hearing was them but it was actually thunder. There was a big thunder cloud passing around the hill and it stretched to the big hill I climbed this morning and it looked like it was raining there.

A little later more thunder clouds appeared over me, complete with soft rumbling.

As I came around the hill to a saddle there were a few spits of rain. I considered camping there but decided to push a little further.

I crossed a large area of snow and came out at the edge of the forest with a huge clearing covered in snow. It looked like a lake but the map showed it was just an area of flat ground.

I checked my map and realised the tracks were actually off trail, shortcutting a corner and making the most of the flat. I headed back into the trees and climbed up and down to get back on the trail. There were no fresh footprints and only one set, in some places that looked very old.

There was one nice area of rocks that had some flat bits between but it was up high, with dead trees around and I thought it would not be a good idea to stay there in a thunder storm.

I continued on half a km and found a nice patch of dirt sheltered from the wind and with live trees around.

The temperature had started dropping so I was glad to get in my tent and have a hot meal. I squeezed as much water out of my socks as possible as they, and my shoes, were wet from postholing in the soft snow.
About 30 minutes later the thunder clouds moved on and there was even a couple of minutes of sun before the clouds came back. Apart from the few drops of rain just after I got my tent up it was ok weather. The temperature was 10 degrees C but I think it will get much colder tonight.

I am at an altitude of 3,083 m or 10,121 feet.

Visits: 547