Start point
Tentsite at 1167
End point
Just past a dirt road intersection, at mile 1180.7
Miles hiked
13.7
Wilderness area
Tahoe National Forest
The day on trail
I woke up at 2 am to catch the Milky Way and it was so worth it. Then this morning was just clear and beautiful. The kind of morning I’ve been missing.
I’m hoping the snow isn’t too bad, but I’m kind of expecting it to be. Yesterday absolutely gassed me, though my legs feel super ready for today.
I got a bit of a late start just enjoying the weather this morning. I love a warm morning and I’ve missed being outdoors in the sun so dang much.
The stretch of trail leading to my tent was beautiful. I just want it all to be like this.
Almost immediately after starting, I hit snow. Blah. I’m trying to get accustomed to it, but it’s just slushy now and not freezing overnight. It’s not safe snow anymore and it’s just a pain to walk in. Starting earlier barely helps, and the extra rest of starting later is better than struggling tired.
I sincerely doubt I’ll catch Claire and Pat.
I press on, routefinding my way through trail. Connecting sections of trail, without staying on it. Finding gentler zigs that connect to zags, swapping gentler or more manageable slopes for steep traverses. It’s a puzzle of looking at my topo map, looking at the landscape, and knowing my abilities.
I soon carve out five miles over three hours, a miserably slow pace for me. I see that there’s an old section of PCT trail which bypasses a new route of the PCT. There are a number of comments on FarOut that the old trail has less elevation gain and loss, along with an overall shorter distance. I routefind my way along a ridgeline to avoid the steep snow on the mountainside.
I’m getting good at this routefinding nonsense. The ridge was a perfectly easy and quick walk to the trail, where it dried out. I start down the old PCT route and am actually enjoying the hike now.
There are flowers, dirt, and sun. I have a chance to take off my micro spikes and feel the dirt settle and creak under my feet. It’s a sensation I’ve missed. It’s such a hedonistic part of hiking for me: feeling the texture of the ground, that when I don’t have it I don’t feel too fulfilled by my hike. Give me all the textures, except slushy snow!
Of course it’s back to snow soon, and I just gotta keep going. I find my way around some hilltops or maybe they’re mini mountain peaks. Either way, it’s snow and I’m just trying to get past them.
I come to another dry patch of trail with more flowers.
I loved the starburst shape of the first plant’s leaves. And the natural bouquets of the others just delighted me and helped reinvigorate me for the day.
Soon, it was more snow. Of course.
Just walking around tree wells enjoying the views when I get them.
I was delighted to have another stretch of dry trail at the start of sunset.
And I saw this tree that looked like a goofy cartoon mammoth.
The sun continued to set and I needed both water and a good camp spot.
Luckily I was on a dry stretch, so I could make up some time and some miles before the next inevitable snow field. During that stretch I found more flowers and some sort of chunky, lichen covered igneous rock.
Then it was a descent into snow with fading light. I put on my headlamp and navigated around a thinning snowfield. It took about an hour before I was able to find a piece of dry ground between sopping wet stretches of pine duff, by an old dirt road. Not the best, but it did the trick. I was so tired I went straight to bed with only brushing my teeth and not even having dinner.
It was a good day. I hope tomorrow is better.