The High Sierras - Days 85 - 91

Day 85

Mammoth to mile 889.4 ~ 17.3 Miles

I slept in this morning! Well I slept in until 7:30, but for me on the trail that really felt like waking up late. There was no rush to get out of Mammoth this morning. Myself and the guys had some breakfast, got all our gear together and headed out about noon. There was a fire about 6 miles away from the PCT near Mammoth so the air quality was really bad. When I got back on the trailhead I could not see the mountains next to me. The first 6 miles or so were really difficult because of the smoke. I felt like something was punching me in the lungs! Luckily after the first 6 miles or so I got south enough away from the fire that the air quality drastically improved!

This is my last stretch in the Sierras. It’s also going to be the toughest. I am going from Mammoth to Kersarge Pass which has the highest passes on the PCT. This 7 day stretch I will basically be hovering between 9,000 - 13,000 feet. My legs feel strong and mentally I am ready to tackle this difficult but beautiful section!

Day 86

Mile 889.4 to mile 869.1 ~ 20.3 Miles

This morning consisted of climbing Silver Pass. This is a pass that is at about 10,800ft. The climb wasn’t too difficult and it was absolutely beautiful at the top! It was such a great way to start the morning.

After Silver Pass I had to climb up to Bear Ridge. This was a very difficult climb... it was about noon and I had a little over 3 miles of straight up hill. With how steep the 3 miles were it took about 2 hours to climb the 3 miles

Later in the afternoon I crossed one of the more dangerous river crossings in the Sierras, Bear Creek. I slowly stepped in the flowing river and with the current pressing against my body I took baby steps until I reached the other side.

Day 87

Mile 869.1 to mile 844.4 ~ 24.7 Miles

First task in the morning was to get up and over Selden Pass. I started hiking at about 6am and hit the summit around 8am. It was stunning at the top. I sat upon the top and enjoyed the view of Marie Lake below me. There isn’t many things that top the feeling of climbing to the top of a 11,000ft pass and sitting and enjoying your accomplishment.

Later in the afternoon I started the 20 mile accent to the famous John Muir Pass. I hiked about 14 miles up so I have 6 more to do in the morning. I am planning on getting up early and doing the same thing I did this morning. I am super excited to get to the top of Muir Pass. I have seen so many pictures and heard stories about Muir Hut. I can’t wait to see it all with my own eyes!

Day 88

Mile 844.4 to mile 819.4 ~ 25 Miles

Wow what a groove I was in today! I’m not sure how best to explain it but I hike best when all my thoughts are not on the hike but rather I’m in my own head. When I’m in that state it doesn’t even feel like I am hiking. For hours I was having wonderful thoughts about how blessed I am to be on the hike. Then I thought about how amazing it will be, 10-20 years down the road, to tell me kids about it. All the stories I will have and the experiences I will have gained. Ahh it’s so amazing!

In the morning I hiked up and over Muir Pass. It was spectacular! It felt like I was on a different planet. There were no trees, but rather lots of rock and granite. At the top of the pass sat Muir Hut. This is a hut built by the Sierra Club in 1930 in memory of John Muir. It was awesome to be able to go inside and take some pictures outside.

Today was a very tough and grueling 25 miles but overall it was so great!

Day 89

Mile 819.4 to mile 794.3 ~ 25.2 Miles

It’s amazing the stark difference a day can make. Yesterday I was on cloud nine and crushing the miles, today the miles just seemed to drag on. I guess doing my third 25 mile day in the High Sierra just came to a head today. I did summit 2 passes today! First thing in the morning I got up and over Mather Pass which day at just over 12,000ft then later in the day I got up and over Pinchot Pass at over 12,100ft. So I guess all things considered I just have to expect my body to feel beat up and tired.

Day 90

Mile 794.3 to 779.5 ~ 14.8 trail miles (+ 7.7 miles to exit Sierras)

I am so incredibly proud of myself! I completed all the miles and made it up Forester Pass! Forester Pass was the pass I got turned around at due to the crazy amount of snow in late May. It felt so amazing to hike up this 13,000ft pass, not only because it’s the tallest point on the PCT but because I had a vendetta to get up that pass. It was a 7.5 mile climb and was fairly steep. I absolutely crushed it! I felt invincible. My lungs are at a level they have never been before, not to mention my legs. It was so fun climbing that beast of a pass! Now that I have completed all the miles going back south it means I have completed 1500 miles of the PCT! On the way down Forester Pass I spent time reflecting on the almost 3 months that I have been out here. I thought about my very first day, I thought about times in the desert when I struggled, I thought about that snow storm I was caught in. This journey really has been something else and I’m so pumped to get back up to Northern CA and get to Canada!

Well just when I thought my night was over... moments after finishing my journal, I closed my eyes for bed and I hear a very loud crunch in the meadow next to camp. There are four of us camping here and I yelled out “did you guys hear that?”. A couple of us got out of our tents with out headlamps and sure enough.... there was a big bear walking around. We yelled at it and flashed out headlamps in its direction and it walked off. It was very big! I much preferred seeing one in the day time than in the pitch black of night. I’m going to close my eyes again and hope Mr. Bear doesn’t come back around.

Day 91

Exit Sierras ~ 10 Miles

I woke up early and made my final climb out of the Sierras. It tied a bow on an amazing section of trail that I will never forget!

I climbed out of Kersarge Pass and at the top we met a guy named Ken that offer to take myself and the guys down the hill in his car and to Bishop. We arrived in Bishop mid day and are back at the same Hostel I spent a few nights in after the snow storm. It feels weird to be back but also strangely homey. Never did I ever think a hostel would feel like home. I did laundry and finally got a shower! After 7 days in the high Sierras I smelt like a mix of wet dog and dirty feet. I spent the night relaxing and watching the new Incredibles 2 movie in theater.