Day 95 – 25 Jun 19. Tedious Snow Slog Until the Ridges

Today 36.5 km (22.7 mi), Total Distance 1897.9 km (1179.3 mi) 11 hours 25 minutes (0735-1900)

Once again I struggled to get myself up. It was nice laying in my tent. Despite the late start I was ready quickly and on my way.

I followed the trail and was feeling good. I passed a pretty lake and kept going on the good track. There were a few snow patches but not too bad.

After a while I thought it was strange that I had not headed towards the interstate as I thought it was only a short distance. I checked my map and realised I was on a different trail and had missed the intersection. It was only half a mile but I felt silly.

I backtracked to where the GPS said there was an intersection but there was nothing visible so I didn’t feel so bad. The junction was covered in snow.

I quickly made my way to the underpass that would avoid having to cross the I—80 a very busy interstate.

I arrived at the underpass and it was a stream. There was a good flow of water going through it and I was worried it would be too strong but it was less flow than it looked. I walked through the tunnel, across an open part which was still stream and then into the second tunnel. The water was getting deeper and I was about to roll up my shorts when it got shallower and the last few meters were on dry ground. The second tunnel had no flow.

Now I was on trail which was mixed track and snow, but mainly track. I followed this for a short distance and arrived at a junction with a small sign and a big information board about the local trails. I knew there were restrooms and vending machines and assumed this was the turnoff so I took it. It was a bit further than I was expecting but it was only 5 minutes and I arrived.

I entered the large building and saw 5 vending machines. Unfortunately 3 were empty and 2 out of service. Last night I had been reading the comments about getting ice creams, coffee and soft drinks (sodas) here but not for me. I did make the most of the toilet and rubbish bin so the trip wasn’t completely wasted.

I headed back to the trail and saw a woman taking a selfie. Her name is Rebecca. She asked how far I was going and was very surprised when I said Canada. She was even more impressed when I answered her next question about where I started and I said Mexico. She had heard of the trail and had considered it, though she wanted to do it with someone else. As our conversation was wrapping up she offered me some M&Ms which I gratefully accepted. We walked to her car and she handed over a big bag of Peanut M&Ms which were gone by lunchtime.

Now I got back on trail and back to the intersection. I checked my map and saw the trail curved around and ended up right by the restrooms which is the normal way to get to them, not the long route I took.

Back near the restrooms was a small lake which the trail followed briefly before heading away.

Now the trail changed from mainly trail to almost fully snow. There were occasional appearances of the track and another track which I followed before realising it was not the right one.

I headed across a flattish area before starting to climb up to Castle Pass. Just short of the pass I saw two day hikers in the distance heading off in a different direction.

From the pass it was along the side of the hill leading up to Castle Peak and then down to Peter Grubb Hutt. He was a member of the Sierra Club who passed away in Europe at 19 years old. The hut was stone on the bottom and wood up top. There was a door on the second level with a ladder going up to it. I climbed up and it was a near empty room, just one mattress there. There was a hatch at the far end and I climbed down the ladder to the main room. There was a door at this level, just on the opposite side from the other door. In this room was a couple of tables and benches, a kitchen with some gas stoves, a room with firewood and a guitar.

After finishing being nosy I headed off on the snow. I went across a flat bit with lots of suncups then started climbing up the hill. I was struggling with a left bias today. I would take off in the right direction but when I checked my location I found I had drifted off to the left. This happened all day long.

After a steady climb I reached a small section of dirt and after a switchback came up to two PCT hikers. They had flipped forward from Bishop after having done the first section of the Sierras to Kearsage pass. They were now heading south and would make their mind up later how far south they went or if they would flip again north.

We exchanged trail information and I must have misheard them because I thought I heard them say after this next little patch of snow it would be clear trail – and it most definitely was not.

The dirt section ended and the trail went across several large snow meadows and some sections with trees. I thought it would be good to follow the two hikers footprints but they were wearing crampons and the tracks were very hard to see.

After what seemed like a long time going along the side of the hill the trail dropped down to a stream. Once again I drifted left and had to flow along the stream for a bit to get back near the trail.

I stopped for lunch in a small rocky section and sat looking at the tall trees with their covering of lime green moss.

After lunch I was on a short section of flat and then a climb up the side of a hill. There was a clear section of dirt going up the hill, though still with snow patches. As I came around the hill the snow started again.

The trail dropped steeply down to a stream and this time I was very conscious to go right around obstacles to try and stop my left bias. I ended up only 20 meters from the track which I realised when contemplating how to cross the deep stream when I looked downstream and saw a bridge.

Now it was a big open flat section and I could actually use the hill ahead to aim for, rather than trying to keep in a straight line while weaving through identical looking trees. Across the flat section I had a steep climb and then was on dirt trail again until the track crossed over the saddle.

On the map it looked like a steep traverse around to the next ride but it was actually a very gentle slope and an easy traverse.

From the next ridge I dropped down to a saddle then turned left and followed along the top of a drop-off, up a small hill and then dropping down from the hill down to a road.

The road was snow covered but easily recognisable. Now the biggest climb of the day, nearly 1000 feet.

Once up to the ridge line I followed around just below the top of the hill onto a ridge line that was clearfof snow. I was finally on dirt trail for a decent stretch.

Then there was an area of snow, another clear stretch and as I had to traverse around to another ridge it was back to solid snow. This continued down to the saddle and part of the way up the next hill before having a nice long stretch of dirt.

My legs were feeling tired. I think it was from the ups and downs to clamber over the snow drifts. Or it could have been my legs not used to the previous two days clear trail. It is a different type of fitness walking continuously on a clear trail as opposed to walking on snow.
I was on the zig zags climbing up to the ridgeline when I saw a deer bounding down the hill just in front of me. It was really windy and I don’t think it heard me until I was quite close. This deer looked bigger than the previous ones I had seen. I think this is now number 11, the same as the number of rattlesnakes I saw. Once it got down the hill it stood there looking at me for a long time, until I started walking again when it continued own the hill.
I was happy with that encounter and was walking along a nice trail with flowers either side. My next enounter was a small lizzard which I got excited about as it was only the second lizzard I had seen since Kennedy Meadows South.

This was so much better than the slog of the morning. I did go through a few more areas of snow but it was predominantly clear trail.
I was starting to think about camping but it was too windy up on the ridge and I needed more water. There had been no water for quite a while and while I had enough for drinking I did not have enough for camp tonight. On my map I saw the next water source was 2.5 miles away so that would mean a longer day than I intended.

I continued on the ridge, slowly dropping. It was a beautiful walk and I was enjoying this part.

At the end of the ridge the trail dropped down with several zig zags and I was surprised it was still clear of snow. The trail crossed back over the spur and it was now in the sheltered side and there were a few snow patches but nothing too bad.

I arrived at the creek and filled up. There did not seem to be any flat spaces but back on the trail I looked downhill and saw several sites for my tent. I picked the flattest one and set up my tent.

I was feeling hungry so I decided to have the two person meal and suffered. It was too big and I had to have a rest way through before finishing the rest. I felt stuffed.

There was a vivid orange sky as the sun was setting and this turned too really red for a while. Once again I have the soothing sound of a stream to send me to sleep.

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