Start: 0715 - near Woods Creek
End:  2030 - PCT mile 819
Miles (today): 18
Miles (cumulative): 874.5 (735 PCT, 89.5 alternate, 50 off)

It was another big day.  The miles don't show it, but we went over two passes and crossed so many streams that I lost count.

The first pass, Pinchot, wasn't bad at all - going up was difficult but doable and going down was pretty easy since the trail was mostly free from snow.

The stream crossings weren't too bad, either, although they are getting more intense - a few times I was up to my knees in ice cold water.  Surprisingly, it felt good - we did the crossings in the late morning/afternoon when the weather was hot, so the cold water actually felt refreshing.  During one crossing I slipped and almost fell entirely into the water, which would have been bad as I surely would have been swept downstream. Thankfully, I was able to regain my balance (somehow) and I only banged up my ankle a little (it could have been so much worse!)

Mather Pass, however, was tough.  Going up wasn't too bad, although there were some sketchy parts of the trail that were narrow, steep, and covered in snow (not a good combination).  Making it to the top felt great - from there, it was only 3 miles to our planned campsite.  We figured we'd be there by 1930.

We figured wrong.

The other side of Mather Pass was a disaster! Most of the trail going down was covered in snow.  At first I didn't think it was a big deal - I put on my microspikes and started walking in the tracks left by others.  But then I realized that the tracks weren't following the trail.  I tried to find the trail, I really did - but I ended up just scrambling down the rocks and making my own trail, hoping the entire time I would stumble upon the actual trail.  It would have been a lot of fun if not for the heavy pack on my back and the poles in my hands.  In fact, it reminded me of the hikes my friend Candee and I used to take at Matthiessen State Park - we tended to go off-trail a lot back in the day.  

I never did stumble upon the trail; however, Nick had somehow found the trail so he kindly waited so I could have something to scramble to (after I yelled down to him, "Where the hell is the trail?!!") :)

Even when I finally got back on the trail the decent was still rough - lots of mushy, slippery snow, lots of water, it was cold.. 

Towards the end Nick asked if he could give me some advice.  I said no as politely as I could - I was not in the mood for 'advice', or, as I saw it, him telling me what I did wrong.  Maybe I'll ask him later when I'm in a better place.  :)

Along the trail: