Elevation: 12,200 feet
Today's Miles: 12
Trip Miles: 74
If there are even a few more places like this on Earth, then we have been spoiled. Since walking up to Bighorn Plateau, with that single tiny topaz lake, surrounded by sharply-cragged mountains, the views have only gotten more unbelievable. Taking pictures seems futile, since they never come close to the real thing, and when I write about it I always seem to run out of adjectives. So I guess everyone will just have to come see the Sierras for themselves.
I added a few critters to my witness-to-wildlife list today. A funny little bird, beautiful little grey-blue thing, would streak alonf the creek a few inches above the water, stop on a rock to hop up and down a few times, then do it all again, peeping a high-pitched tune the whole time. I'm sure he was catching bugsm but he had a very entertaining way of doing it. We also saw several marmots, which look like woodchucks trying to be wolverines, all chubby and waddling in their beautiful brown-gold fur. They're not very afraid of humans, unless you make the high-pitched squeak of a pika, which sends them scurrying into their marmot holes. The pika is a chipmunk-sized critter that will loudly declare its ownership of whatever rocky terrain you happen to be walking through. It also has razor-sharp teeth capable of shearing through a food sack quicker than you can say bear canister. The marmots are wise to fear the pika.
We'll make it to Bullfrog Lakes tomorrow without a problem, and if my feet are still talking to me we'll start down Kearsarge Pass.
Shaggy says:
We decided last night that we would take an easy day, not going up Whitney meant we had time to do whatever. So this morning we slept in. Then Lauren went walking down the creek, while I walked up creek for awhile. I was trying to catch some trout with barehands, but no luck. Then I started to look at maps and got anxious. We are doing great, 12-18 miles a day, but its still hard for me to stay still. It will likely be this way for awhile too, waiting for Lauren's flat feet to get stronger. I dont know why I get anxious. It may have to do with all of the other hikers constantly passing us. Not to sound like a jerk, but normally not many hikers pass me.
We did good though today, 13 miles after noon. We are camped about a mile or so from the top of Forrester Pass, the highest point on the PCT. Views are incredible. Its going to be a cold night though, up here at 12500 feet.
We only have 20 miles to Onion Valley, where a hitch will take us to Bishop. But we may do it in 2 days, depending on how the feet hold up. Time for rest.
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| Climbing up, up, up and into the meat of the High Sierras! |
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| Pretty neat, if you like trees, rocks and dirt... |
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| Every now and then I'd turn around to see Shaggy snapping a picture of me. There are MOUNTAINS to capture, man! |
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| Near our campsite before Forrester Pass. See that crack between two ridges, just right of center? That's Forrester. |
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| Eggshell that wanted to be photographed. |
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| Our campsite was relentlessly scenic, but we try not camp on these fragile tree-less areas. |
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| I love this picture. It's like our bear canisters are enjoying a quiet moment together while the sun sets. |
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| The very first patch of (nearby) snow we saw on our trip. It measured roughly 5 ft x 10 ft. |
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