Day 71
Start: Two Teats
Finish: Tuolumne River
Daily Mileage: 16.4
PCT Mile: 934.6
This was the first time that we weren’t set up to hit our daily pass first thing in the morning. We were 7 miles from the first pass, and 12 from the second. However, it was in the 40s last night, and it is not supposed to go below freezing in the extended forecast, even on the highest pass left, so the melt is on, and it may not harden up overnight anymore. So we are just stuck with the soft snow until it is gone.
We still got an earlier start at 5:30 to allow for more time for the passes, and on the off chance the snow would be a little bit firmer.
The trail followed along the same ridgeline we had started yesterday, and there were great mountains on the opposite side of the valley. The most jagged ones were ahead and gradually came into sharper view.
The trail slowly climbed, and soon was into snow. The snow was not the worst in the world, but not rock hard like in days past. At first it was spotty, but soon it became the norm. The trail got a bit twisty following terrain features, but it was completely buried and the footprints were fewer than before as well due to melting, so I had to spend a lot more time figuring out where the trail was. This would be a pattern throughout the rest of the day.
I was sinking into the snow more than usual even early on, and I went through two snowbridges and put a foot into a creek early on. At least it was the same foot and they didn’t seek to equalize. Some of the smaller snowbridges I’m not as careful of since the consequence is small. However, the snowbridges where I could go in or be swept downstream I am much more careful with.
The trail got to Thousand Island Lake with its myriad of islands and jagged peaks above it. Quite a great place, but still frozen. I thought that I would have a view of it for a while climbing up to Island Pass, but the pass was fairly flat and the lake quickly disappeared behind me.
Going up to Island Pass, the suncups and soft snow started making themselves known, and I was already starting to get worn down, with only a fraction of the day done. The pass itself was very easy and you almost wouldn’t know you were going over a divide, but the snow was the issue and made for slow going and lots of extra energy.
I made it to the pass and took a break, but there was still a lot more snow to go. Heading down from the pass, the trail did not at all follow the lay of the land, was still completely snow, and there were few footprints. I had to have my phone out frequently to keep on track. Normally I can go longer stretches without looking at GPS since I can usually tell where the trail would naturally go since I’ve been on so many trails, but I just couldn’t read it in here. It also got very twisty and crossed and went along several streams and around rock outcrops to add to the confusion. Very slow going between the snow and navigation.
I reached the bottom and immediately started the climb to Donohue Pass. The entire way was snow covered, and the suncups and soft snow came with a vengeance, trying to keep me from progressing. My upward progress was very slow, and I had to stop frequently to take short breathers. It was just so much work. In addition, with the suncups, I could only stare at my feet and not look up and around me at the fantastic mountains so I wouldn’t posthole or eat it.
I got slower and slower as I climbed to the pass. I did start following a set of footprints which helped, but as I was approaching the pass, it was all I could do to take about 20 steps and stop for some breaths. Very slow and for a while the pass didn’t seem to be getting any closer.
I just picked away at it for what seemed like hours, and at last I was on the final approach. There were some rock outcrops I decided to go up rather than the bootpath which seemed unnecessarily long and steep, and I found the trail and worked my way up the pass much more quickly. At last I rounded the top and took a much needed break and late lunch on rocks at the summit. I was spent.
I sat for an hour, with curious marmot scampering all around me. There were a ton of them clambering over all of the open rock outcrops and chirping to each other. I still had to finish up my day, so I eventually roused myself before the snow got any worse and headed down the pass.
Going down no not too steep terrain is usually pretty easy in snow, but this snow had to take one last shot at me. There were occasional rock outcrops, and rocks just below the surface. With the snow softening, I kept postholing. Since I was postholing, I didn’t want to go fast and break a leg, so I had to slowly pick my way down. One time I even went in to my waist, and it took about a minute to wiggle out. Only slightly better than climbing to the pass.
The bootpath picked up trail and I worked my way down while constantly postholing. It was pretty miserable. It carried on like that for a few miles with many stream crossings mixed in. I managed to not ford any of the streams, but my feet were probably just as wet from all the slushy snow. They were even getting a bit cold.
Down, down, down and eventually the snow began to let up. The valley I was descending into did have a big meadow and cascades going into it that were scenic at least, but I was most interested in the fact that the floor of the valley was snow free.
I finished with the snow finally on the last descent, and decided to camp next to the meadow I saw from above. It is a popular camping area, but since the road near here is still closed due to snow, there was only one other PCT hiker at the site. I set up my tent near the meadow with the Tuolumne River meandering through it, and with an enormous cascade thundering down into the valley on the opposite side. An amazingly scenic spot, and it helped pick me up from the toil of the day, though it also had the first real mosquitoes of the trip.
I’m pretty spent, but that should be the last big snow for a little bit. With the big melt ongoing, hopefully there is not that much more trail like there was today. It was exhausting and miserable.
1 comment
Beautiful!! Breathtaking!! Been so busy, had to catch up on your progress!! Missed seeing you in Puget in June!!