Time to get back on the trail and the next section of my journey. In order to do so, I have to go back up over Kearsarge Pass to get back to the PCT. Not really looking forward to that as I have to go from 9200 feet at Onion Valley over the pass as 11370 feet and then work my way back to the PCT. A 7 mile trek. Some pictures I took along the way up to Kearsarge Pass. Perhaps some better views of some of the pictures I took on the way down.
Finally make it to the top of Kearsarge Pass and now I get to go down about 1000 feet so that I can rejoin the PCT trail only to go back up to go over Glenn Pass. The clouds are moving in and it is going to rain. When I reach the PCT, I stop for a rest and rearrange my pack so that rain things are easy to get to. While I am doing that, it does start to rain. So I get dressed up in my finest rain gear and head for Glenn Pass. On the opposite side is Rae Lakes that I have heard a lot about. How beautiful they are. Glenn Pass is relatively close but I thought it was a very hard ascend. It is raining and there is thunder and I’m wondering if going to the top is wise.
By the time I reach Glenn Pass the weather is a bit better. No thunder and no lighting so I take some time to take a few pictures of the lakes.
The Rae Lakes drain into each other and I came down on the West side of upper Rae Lake and take a land mass right along the lake and cross to the east side. In the middle of the land mass is an outlet where upper drains into the middle. It was a fantastic walk. I camped at Middle Rae Lake for the night. I felt pretty good about the day. It rained a little but not much.
Lenora’s Note:
We set out early for the drop off so I could get an early start on the long drive back to Escondido. This section of the hike with a goal of Mammoth Mountain is going to be the longest without a break for Don and I will be at home dealing with accumulated mail, pool demolition and preparations for the closets and office installation that happens later this month. We both have a lot on our minds but I remember his travel blessings and head for home. The journey was easy and so I had time to regret not staying behind later so we could ferry “The Crew” back up to the trail. Focused on my own concerns I just wanted to be home to tackle the upcoming week. After the elevation sickness incident the cats now seem to throw up on every car ride and I arrive home with a car sadly in need of a good hosing out. I unpack quickly and fill the downstairs with bundles of bags and boxes that will need to be reassembled before I head out again on Tuesday.
I have become so accustomed to the routine that I check Don’s progress 5 or 6 times a day rather than that many times an hour. Forward progress = good hiking and I no longer panic that he is injured if he stops to rest for an hour or two in the heat of the day. Life off the trail is developing its own rhythm. I am reminded frequently of Don’s habit of praying as he walks and I try to guess what his current prayer is so I can join mine to his as we both go about the routine of our day.