Day 69 – 30 May 19. Dirt Trail (for a little while), Seldon Pass and Super Soft Snow

Today 26.9 km (16.7 mi), Total Distance 1400.1 km (870 mi). 10 hours 15 minutes (0720-1735)

I slept better and knowing there was no rush to get the hard snow I enjoyed a bit of a lay in. I had a hot breakfast and then packed up enjoying keeping the feeling in my hands. It was around 5 degrees C, almost balmy.

I started the day by crossing the bridge I got to yesterday and then walking between the river and a steep rocky mountain. The trail was rough and rocky but largely clear of snow so I was loving it. I was moving at a good speed making the most of having an actual trail.

The river below was roaring and there were some neat waterfalls and at one stage a gorge.

My right knee started to twinge again and for about 5 minutes was hurting continuously. I was very concerned and careful to reduce the actions causing the sharp pain which was stepping up and stepping down. Thankfully it eased off and only gave the occasional sharp stab.

The trail cleared the rocky area and entered some lovely trees. Often the trail was a stream or pond but I didn’t care and just splashed through.

There was a bridge over the Piute Bridge which was the boundary between the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

From there the trail stayed relatively flat gradually leaving the river below. There were heaps of birds about including a new type which was eating a pine cone. The bushes had small pink flowers and there were butterflies about, mainly the Painted Lady. It was really pretty and I was enjoying seeing some colour and things that were alive.

Just after the first junction for Muir Trail Ranch, a normal resupply location when not closed due to snow, the trail started climbing. There were a few switchbacks and then I was at the second junction to Muir Trail Ranch.

Now the big climb started. It was 600 vertical meters to get to the lakes. The junction was at 2,550 meters and was clear of snow until 2,850 meters and then mixed dirt and snow and then from 2,900 meters it was back to solid snow. I was surprised that I was handling the hill so well. I think it is probably because it was zig zags keeping the gradient reasonable, until the solid snow.

I was happy to see that there were clear footprints. It looked like two people had gone through yesterday afternoon leaving lovely tracks to follow. The snow was soft and if I tried to walk on the fresh snow I was sinking deeply so I stuck to the footprints which were nice and compacted. Unusually the tracks were slightly too close for my comfort but I just adjusted to a short stride as it was quicker than trying to walk on my own.

I continued climbing until I reached an open area just south of Sallie Keyes Lake. The footprints crossed it and I thought they were crossing the lake until I checked my GPS and realised it was solid ground underneath.

Unfortunately the tracks veered off a little before correcting and walking up beside the lake. Just before this the footprints changed to snow shoe tracks and now they were not holding my weight an I was on my own plugging through the deep snow. It was slow going and tiring.

At the top of the lake was an awkward crossing of a stream and then up a steeper hill. The snow shoe tracks veered off once up the first bit, dropping down off the side. I decided to keep going as I expected the stream at the end of this hill to be covered and bridged across with snow. It was. I ended up following some animal tracks which showed me the way up the steep hill.

For the climb the soft snow was actually an advantage as each step was so deep it was stable and I did not slip once, despite still just being in my trail running shoes. I did have to stop a few times to catch my breath but my legs were feeling good.

At the top of the steep bit I crossed a small valley and between two hills where the snow shoe tracks reappeared. Now in front of me was Heart Lake and I needed to go around to the right of the lake and then climb up the side of the hill to the pass which was out of sight around the corner. The animal tracks I had followed up the hill cut straight across the lake.

Thankfully the snow firmed up a bit and if I kept to the snow shoe tracks I was not sinking in much. Once around the lake it was steady climbing up and along the side of some steep hills.

At one stage the slope was too much for the snow shoes to walk normally and they started angling in to the hill and side stepping, which made for some nice platforms for me to use.

The trail wound under some cliffs and then a final steep climb and I was at the pass. It was not a dramatic pass like most of the others, instead being like the top of a big hill. I was happy to make it, knowing there was now only one more pass left until my next Zero.

The tracks headed down the hill, keeping on the side of the hill. Unfortunately on this side of the pass the snow was really soft and deep and I was dropping into it every step. Despite being downhill I was having to stop and rest often as it was such hard work. It continued like this for around 2 miles and then the steeper descent started and some normal footprints appeared.

I think they had melted away higher up but the snow was slightly different lower down and on a different angle slope and they were visible.

Unfortunately they were too far apart and no matter how much I tried I could not keep in them so I settled for a mix of sinking into the snow and stepping into a footprint. A bit more lower and the snow was much more manageable and I was making better progress, though still slower than you would expect for going downhill.

Every now and again I would hear this really weird noise. I was struggling to make out what it could be. My last guess is that it is snow sliding off the cliffs and river.

There was a flattish section where I saw a strange structure. It looked like someone was meant to climb up it but now sure why. I joked with myself that it is where you go when a bear is chasing you.

After some steep descending I arrived at Bear River. This is the second notorious river of the PCT, after Evolution Creek which I crossed yesterday. This river is often fast and high but today it was only knee deep, though it was running a little faster than Evolution Creek was. The crossing was no problem and I now continued on the other side.

Just after 1700 hours I filled up with water and started looking for a campsite. I was hoping for a patch of dirt and in the sun. At 1745 I found a lovely spot and set up camp. I noticed some small tears on the back awning of my tent so did some repairs. I had my shoes, socks and gaiters laid out in the sun to try and dry them a little.

I then spent the next hour eating constantly. I had missed lunch and still had no appetite so was trying to force food into myself. I was liking the flavours of what I was having but was only eating because I knew I should, not because I was hungry. All the previous hikers talked about huge appetites when going though the Sierras but I still did not get it.

It was a lovely night and I had my tent doors open as it was still 10 degrees C at 2000 hours. I could get used to this temperature.

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