Day 73
Start: Return Creek
Finish: Piute Creek
Daily Mileage: 16.8
PCT Mile: 974
The second, Return Creek, is supposed to be the most challenging crossing in Yosemite. Since we had waited for morning, the water level was lower and it only came up to mid thigh for me. Still, the water was running fast so there was a good pull from it, but nothing I couldn’t handle.
The trail then had a nice steep descent, but it was mostly snow covered, obscuring the switchbacks. The snow was soft, and though it was pretty steep, it was easy to descend just cruising down on my heels. That can actually be easier than walking down, but just for the snow slopes. It’s still more work to navigate and get through the weaker snow between nice sloped sections.
The trail kicked out at Matterhorn Creek with another knee deep crossing and meadow walking, but it was hard to see much above the trees in the meadows. The whole area was flooded with snowmelt including the trail which is pretty typical. I have been jokingly calling it the Pacific Crest River. Well, today I actually saw a good sized fish swimming straight down the Pacific Crest River.
However, easy trail must come to an end, and we had a climb up to Benson Pass. It started easy enough on nice dry trail despite some more creek crossings, but soon the snow came. The really soft stuff. It wasn’t too bad walking up the creek we were following, but once the trail turned to head up to the pass proper, it was snow almost the whole way. And the snow was very soft. Most of the time a step would only sink in a few inches, but I postholed to my knees entirely too many times which made the climb a very slow slog. It was also suncupped to add to the joy. I had to take rests every few steps just from the energy used to move upwards. It was quite miserable and reminded me of Donohoe Pass a couple days ago. At least it wasn’t nearly as long though.
But obviously, the dry trail only lasted so long and then it was back to exceptionally soft snow to slog through. Even going downhill and flat to the next lake it took considerable effort and after only another 2 miles I needed another break. However, the partially melted lake was as good of a spot as any.
Cookie Monster caught up and we stayed in the vicinity for the rest of the day. Descending from the lake, the trail made a big weird U turn, going way out of its way across a north facing snowy slope for no apparent reason. It circled back in a mile and a half just below where we were. Below us, it looked like it was just easy slab that we could walk down, so we opted to skip the likely snow traverse and navigate our way down the slabs.
The slabs were good and we could walk straight down them for the most part, while also using many ramps as switchbacks. Just the type of route-finding that I love.
Towards the bottom of the descent, snow picked up, and in the final stretches there was a small cliff. I could see two ways down, either a wet ledge drop, or cutting over a steeply cascading river back to the trail. The ledge drop didn’t look too inviting, and Cookie Monster found a snowbridge over the stream. It was far from the best snowbridge I have been on, and the creek dropped steeply beneath it, so not one you wanted to go through. It seemed solid enough though, so I poked and inched my way onto it and made it across just fine, and back to the trail.
I really enjoyed the brief scramble. I don’t know if it was easier or harder or safer or riskier than the trail, but it was just fun for me. Going down the trail I was smiling from enjoying the experience. I absolutely love route-finding, and it makes me feel more a part of the environment I’m in.
We cruised down the trail, becoming increasingly snow free as we got below even 8,000 feet. It has been quite a while since that has happened on the trail. The mountains opened up before us to magnificent views, and it was an enjoyable hike down.
At the bottom, we reached Piute Creek which is one of the other big Yosemite creek crossings. It was late in the day, but what we could see looked doable, so we started picking away at it. We crossed one branch that was mid thigh. Then another that got deeper to our waists. I thought that was it, but the creek kept going with another couple branches that I found logs across. Then I was through…until I came across a fifth branch to ford. And then another branch had just taken over the trail completely and the Pacific Crest River was a knee deep wade. Then it was finally over.
We planned to camp on the other side, and there was a dark and dreary and mosquito filled campsite. There was a ridge next to it, and I suspected there was something better nearby, so I took off uphill for some scouting and found an old campsite with a breeze to keep the mosquitoes down, and stunning 360 degree mountain views. A perfect spot! We definitely camped here instead and enjoyed our surrounds.
As we were finishing dinner, a massive brown bear strolled past out camp, about 50 yards away. It didn’t seem to see us. I don’t think there are grizzlys in California, and I know there are brown colored black bears, so that must be what it was. Oh well, no big deal, and nothing I’ll lose sleep over.
I was not having the best day with all of the snow slogging, the scramble really picked me up, then the great mountains we were delivered into. Despite the challenges, it turned into a pretty good day.
