Start point
Donner Summit Bridge, Donner Pass. Mile 1154.5
End point
Tentsite at mile 1167
Miles hiked
12.5 + 1 mile road walk
Wilderness area
Tahoe National Forest
The day on trail
I woke up with a predictably wet tent, on the inside of the fly and the outside. It was misty and wet all night, but I was nice and warm.
The sunrise was exactly what I wanted and I’m so glad I picked the spot I picked.
There was also a twisted carcass of a car down on some rocks under a twist of the highway. I guess it put the “car” in “carcass.”
I started making my way up to Donner Pass, where I was to meet Claire. There were some really cool features, like a series of 19 concrete tunnels for trains to get through this portion of the Sierra in the winter.
I got to the hut early and Claire was running late, which gave me the perfect opportunity to lay out my rain fly on a huge rock to dry. I also tucked into a few protein bars for breakfast.
Claire got dropped off by her friend, and I was again reminded of how amazing it would’ve been to have been in the mental space where I could’ve enjoyed thru hiking in my 20s. Having an extra decade of life and ability for more trails and experiences would just be amazing.
She and I talked and got acquainted. It’s always weird meeting someone and just being like “okay nice to meet you let’s go tackle some potentially sketchy, dangerous things together.” But we got along well and it was really great to be on trail again. We both had time off trail and were anxious to get back on.
It started with a good amount of snow and we quickly settled into a good five and take with leading navigation and finding boot track for each other. She’s an excellent hiking companion and I was really lucky to have connected with her in a trail angel group on Facebook.
It took a couple hours to go a few miles and get to the Highway 80 underpass.
The route was tricky at times, and Claire was an immense help. She grew up hiking and running in this area, so she knew about where to end up for each section. Knowing the destination is really nice in the snow because then you can routefind your way around snow banks and don’t have to fully adhere to the trail, in case parts of it are too steep in the snow.
After the underpass we took a short water filter break and kept on. We soon stumbled across an entire deer skeleton. I think it might have been killed by a mountain lion, because I don’t know of anything but a cat that kills as cleanly as that. But I truly don’t know what killed this deer. It startled us, though. We were just trying to find our way around a lake and onto the path when we almost stepped on this.
After passing it is when we started to smell it — we’d been hiking upwind of it before. I’m really glad it had been stripped down so much because if it would’ve had more flesh, the smell would have been unbearable.
We continued on, as we had to do. We were trying to get to Sierra City in two days and the snow was slowing us down a lot.
On our way up a hill a guy caught up to us. It was Pat, who I met, I think, around Big Bear. He kind of started leading the way with a really assertive pace.
I had trouble keeping up with them. Claire and Pat were kind enough to pause now and again to let me catch up.
The snow remains largely expansive still. There are fewer dry patches of trail than there are patches of snow. It’s just fields of snow. There’s more then I wanted, but that’s how it goes. Signs are still buried.
Pat lead us up some routes that were really difficult for me. The snow was slushy, I didn’t have my trail legs back, and my crampons weren’t really working. I slid down hills a few times.
I really wish I’d been on my own to find a steadier way around, but I didn’t want to hike alone. At least the views were gorgeous.
We came to a cabin that was managed by the Sierra Club. It’s really cool to be reminded of how the Sierra Club got its name and what it’s original focus was about. This is a picture of a small side hut next to the main cabin.
The doors were locked, otherwise it would’ve been a great spot to have lunch or spend the night.
We crossed a little bridge over a river.
And when we hit dry trail, you could see vegetation coming out. These are mules ears, both as sprouts and as a more mature plant.
It’s so nice to be on dry trail.
We got to a little ridge that had some protection behind a rock and tree outcropping. I was completely gassed. And ready to call it. There was room for one tent. Pat and Claire wanted to keep going, but I didn’t have anything left in me, so I stayed back. I gave back the ice axe Pat lent me, and said bye to them. I’d try to catch them in the morning.
I set up my tent and that was it for the day. It’s nice to be back on trail, but holy smokes, these conditions are less than ideal.
