Start: 0800 - Crabtree Meadow
End: 2000 - PCT mile 784
Miles (today): 18
Miles (cumulative): 825 (700.5 PCT, 89.5 alternate, 35 off)
Where to begin? So much has happened today that what happened this morning seems like days ago. At the moment I'm exhausted and exhilarated but I've definitely run the gamut as far as emotions go.
The day began slowly, which was fine with me. We took our time eating breakfast and getting packed up. I knew the day was going to be full of constant uphills and downhills (I think its the new norm) so I packed a lot of snacks in my side pocket to keep me fueled (and happy).
In the morning we had some excitement with a few stream crossings, although they weren't bad at all - we just took off our socks and shoes and went across barefoot. The water is ice cold but it actually feels good on my feet. At the second crossing, the hiker behind Nick dropped one of his hiking poles in the water and it got swept downstream- luckily, the pole got hung up on something so he was able to retrieve it.
stream crossing 1
stream crossing 2 - the hiker behind Nick is the one who dropped his pole
The trail continues to get better and better - the PCT and the John Muir Trail (JMT) are the same at this point and I don't think I can say enough how amazing it is. You'll be walking through a beautiful forest and then, suddenly, it opens up and you find yourself looking at a beautiful meadow or some mountains or a lake or sometimes all three.
this pic doesn't do it justice- the meadow, the lake, the mountains... Gorgeous. (Also, look at how dark my legs are compared to my arms!
By 1200 we had only hiked 8 miles; This is because we had a late start, because stream crossings take time (take off shoes, carefully ford the stream, dry your feet, put on shoes), and because it seemed like we were always walking uphill. We saw Dart and chatted and hiked with him for a while.
The plan today was to hike over Forester Pass, the highest point on the PCT (remember, Mt. Whitney was an off trail trip). However, we met several southbounders who advised against doing Forester so late in the day - they said the snow was slushy and the risk of postholing high. (When the trail is covered with snow you ideally walk on top of the snow and simply follow the tracks of previous hikers, but sometimes, especially when the snow is soft, you can sink through (aka posthole). Postholing isn't fun, particularly when you sink in up to your knee.)
Many hikers we saw on the trail, including Maverick, decided not to attempt Forester in the afternoon. Nick and I were still undecided. Since there was a place to camp just before doing Forester, we continued on - neither of us wanted to end the day so early.
Most of the snow covered trail we encountered on the way to the pass was fine, though. The snow was soft but we weren't having any problems getting across. Still, walking across the snow is tedious- you have to pay attention to each step and, even though you feel mostly confident about not falling through, postholing is always in the back of your mind. After a while of carefully walking across the snow I realized I was exhausted and thought that maybe we SHOULD wait and do Forrester in the morning.
Then we met a southbounder who said Forester wasn't bad at all. My heart sank - I knew Nick would want to do it and I wasn't sure I was up for it. I was so tired!
As we neared Forester I realized I had been so focused on carefully walking across the snow that I hadn't been eating my snacks or drinking water. Aha! So that's why I was so tired! I really need to pay better attention to these matters - I'm asking a lot of my body out here and the last thing Nick and I need is for her to malfunction (which she tends to do when hungry and dehydrated).
Dart
We decided to do Forester. It wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was a lot of fun! Sure, there was a scary moment when I was trying not to slip on the snow and a huge gust of wind almost made me lose my footing, but it was fine. Two hikers behind us did it without microspikes if that tells you anything (I think the microspikes helped a little but not as much as I had hoped- I still slipped and fell twice).
Walking up the south side of the pass was pretty easy - there was one spot where we had to walk across the snow but, similar to Mt. Whitney, it was tedious but not scary.
the pass is up there at the 'v' - yes, we had to walk across the snow up there (it was steep but the trail in the snow was well packed and easy to traverse)
at the top of the pass getting ready for the hard part - going down on the north (snowier) side
Walking down the south side was the exhilarating, awesome, extremely tedious part - we had to walk across the snow for several miles.
look closely at the snow on the left - those are hikers following the snow trail
another view of the trail in the snow
yet another view- it was tedious yet so stunning!
just when we thought the snow walking was over, we had to come down this! (There is a hiker at the top getting ready to come down
We made it, although I had, once again, forgotten to eat or drink anything. It's ridiculous how many times I need to learn this lesson - my body and mind just don't know how to cope when not properly fueled.
Towards the bottom Nick and I lost the trail for a bit (parts were covered in snow, it was rocky, it was wet...) and the going was slow. We were both hungry and tired so when I stopped to take off my shoes to cross a stream, Nick got mad and told me I was being silly and slow (he claims he didn't say I was slow but I maintain that he did - that's what I heard, anyway, and this blog is from my point of view). He had been able to jump across and was miffed that I didn't trust him enough to follow suit. I got really mad at him getting mad - I knew I was too exhausted to make the jump even with his help and didn't see the harm in taking a few moments to take off my shoes. I yelled at him for getting mad, he yelled at me for wasting time and not trusting him (I think he was mostly upset that I didn't trust him). After we got it all out we acknowledged we were both just hungry and tired, we hugged, we kissed, and we continued on.
The trail was all downhill from there, so Nick hiked ahead and found us a campsite while I trudged along, upset with myself for being slow, happy we decided to do the pass, exhausted from the day's events, and amazed at the scenery around me.
Along the trail:
a meadow we came upon in the morning
i love how the mountains peek through the trees
we're headed to those mountains up there
at the top of Forester looking back at the south side, from where we came
a view from the north side of the pass
watching the sunset while hiking to a campsite
a beautiful frozen lake on the north side of the pass