Had a great extended weekend with Lenora in Lone Pine and now back on the trail for 4 or 5 days. I have Foresters Pass, the highest point on the PCT looming ahead of me and really not at all sure what it is going to take to get up and over the pass. Lenora took me back to Horseshoe Meadows which is at 10000 feet and I start the 3.5 mile trail back up to the PCT and Cottonwood Pass at around 11320 feet. I am not taking the same trail back up that I took down from the PCT and the result is that I actually miss 4 miles of the actual PCT trail. It is a really nice 3.5 mile hike back up to the PCT through trees and green areas. Here are some pictures of the way…
After getting back to Cottonwood Pass and the PCT there is a lake about 1 mile further down the trail. This is the first lake along the way and many at this point finally feel as if they have entered the High Sierra’s. There were a number of people camping at the lake (Chicken Spring Lake) but it is far enough way I can’t tell who is there and since I don’t need water I don’t actually go to the Lake. Turns out some of the people are the “Crew” (Just Keep Walking, Night Walker, SingleMalt, and Stubbs). They will catch me later on in the day. I also meet to other hikers just going to the lake for breakfast and they are “Doc” and “The Dude”. Older guys, not as old as me, but older that most of the PCT hikers.
Continuing on down from Cottonwood Pass there are some great views of meadows below. At 11000 feet we are right at the tree line and sometimes venture above the tree line.
After about 4 miles, I enter into the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. It is going to get every more breathtakingly beautiful.
In the early afternoon, I run into SingleMalt and a little later here comes “Just Keep Walking”, “Night Walker”, and Stubby and we all more less walk together to Rock Creek where we camp for the night. Little later Doc and “The Dude” join us. The stream (which I can’t believe I did not take a picture of) is big enough to have trout and “Just Keep Walking” and SingleMalt fish for awhile and get one trout for the effort. By that time, I am in my tent and starting to sleep but the rest shared in the catch. In later days they would be more successful and would be eating trout on most evenings.
Lenora’s Note:
Weekends are about getting clean, doing laundry, restocking, talking, sharing, catching up, going to mass and resting. This weekend had a lot of golf and a fair amount of wine. But, on Monday the Adventure resumes and so I find myself dropping Don at the trail and watching him move away. I head out of the parking lot and spy a young hiker, full pack looking hopefully at me as I slow. Are you going to Lone Pine ‘Karma Forward’ asks and I welcome him aboard. If I concentrate and the strip of road ahead instead of the wide expanse of sky around me with no visible ground I drive with more comfort. I’m getting the hang of this mountain thing.
Today we move from Lone Pine to Bishop and I have 50 miles to go and 3 hours before I can get my room in Bishop so I follow the lure of an intriguing sign that promises an “Ancient Bristlecone Forest” about 24 miles from Hwy. 395. Off we go, the cats and I, to see the ancient trees.
By the time we reach 9,000 feet the first cat is throwing up but the scenery is unbelievable so I keep driving. Did his breakfast not agree with him I wonder.
By 10,000 feet we seem to be at the plateau but now the other cat is throwing up and I begin to think it might not all be food related as I recall my experience of the first drive up to Horseshoe Meadows and the effect of elevation on me. The symptoms seem familiar.
Down the mountain we find our room is ready and we move into our home away from home in Bishop. I check and find Don has survived Forrester’s and is still moving so I can relax and unpack and arrange things. Happy face.