September 8, 2016

Bushcamp (mile 1018.2) to Wolf Creek (mile 1039.2)

Miles: 21

Our total miles: 2397.9

We enjoyed a leisurely morning. We didn’t set an alarm and let our bodies wake up naturally. It was a surprisingly warm night and all 4 of us were cozy, if not hot at times. 

After enjoying hot chocolate and tea, we packed up and hit the trail. 

Joanna and Daniel hiked about 2 miles with us to a high point. It was a beautiful, cloudless morning. The brown rocks contrasted with the yellow dying plants and few remaining wildflowers. 

The trail did what it does best – wind around. This winding offered beautiful sweeping views of the valley to the west of Sonora Pass.

Daniel was curious about our packs and took a turn carrying each of them for at least 15 minutes. We noted how we felt significantly lighter but naked without our packs, they have become part of us. 

Around 10 am we parted ways. We really enjoyed our 24 hours together and it felt extra special to spend a night on the trail together. 

We traversed and then dropped down in a valley. A granite mountain stood tall on our right. The rest of the day the trail felt like a roller coaster. We climbed steeply and then descended, only to do it again. And it was hot and dusty too. 

It was pretty but neither of us felt particularly excited. We slogged on, hoping to make it to Wolf Creek by nightfall.

We passed some beautiful creeks with clear cool water, stopping to splash water on our faces at each of them. But soon after, another layer of dust and sweat covered our skin.

We turned a corner after passing a small creek, ascended a near vertical 30 foot wall and literally almost walked into So Far and So Good. 

They are a couple from Oakland whom we first met walking southbound near Chester. They had flipped up north and were walking south to Truckee. 

From there they hiked north and we crossed paths at least 4 more times. We hugged, exchanged info and recommendations of what was to come and made plans to reconnect once settled back in the Bay Area.

We continued to hike some short but steep up and downs. It was hot and dry and we did not feel very motivated. But, we kept walking.
The mountains glowed as the sun began to sink toward the horizon. The hills around us were golden brown, exaggerated by the setting sun.

Around 7:00 we got to Wolf Creek. We hadn’t decided on where to camp but decided that this was far enough. We were tired.

We set up our tent and went to clean off our filthy feet and legs in the puddles of water that comprised the creek. All the while listening to the clang of cow bells nearby. Surprisingly we didn’t see a cow all day.

Laurie was convinced the creek smelled like cow poop but water was water. We were happy we had collected cooking water at an earlier stream. Plus, in the desert we would have been thrilled to have come across even this little water. It’s all relative.

We ate dinner while scheming how far we would need to hike to arrive at Highway 50 two days later.

With a loose plan and a long day ahead we fell asleep to the jingle of bells.

Tonight we are grateful for lazy mornings on the trail and seeing old mountains with new eyes.

September 7, 2016

Bushcamp (mile 1006.9) to bushcamp (mile 1018.2)

Miles: 11.3

Our total mile: 2376.9

We both slept well and were walking by 7 am. The brown hills surrounding us were golden. We walked past a family of deer as we made our way up to the ridge above. 

We could see the trail zig zagging up the mountainside. There was an option to veer off of the old jeep road and walk more directly but steeply up to the ridge, but we chose the longer but more mellow route. 

On the last switchback we ventured off the road and joined the hiker trail. The rocks were loose and the sand deep. It was much harder walking and we were glad we had chosen the route we had.

Once on the ridge we wound our way up and down more ridges, all providing incredible panoramic views of the beautiful landscape surrounding us. 

We kept expecting to turn the corner and see Highway 108 but that was not the case. We climbed up to the top of a ridge and dropped into a bowl and then climbed up again.

The terrain was arid. We walked amongst dark brown rocks below towering dark brown mountains. There were a few bushes and flowers but all in all the hills felt desolate.

Finally we turned a corner and saw Highway 108 below. Here again we circled our way down. It felt like we were circling a drain – traversing across the hillside each time before dropping down 30 feet in elevation. No option to glissade this time of year.

We got to Sonora Pass just before noon, crossed the highway and walked 0.1 mile to the trailhead parking area looking for Joanna (Laurie’s godmother) and Daniel (Laurie’s cousin).

They arrived 15 minutes later.

We sat in the shade on a picnic table and enjoyed a delicious lunch that Joanna had prepared – chicken apple sausage, nectarines, bok choy, roasted potatoes and sandwiches. It felt like heaven, sitting in the shade surrounded by food and family.

We talked, sorted through our resupply boxes and drove partway down Highway 108 to charge our phones and get service so Daniel could send off a work email.

Around 4 pm we all put on our packs and walked 1.1 miles up the trail to a tentsite. Daniel and Andy led the way with Joanna and Laurie bringing up the rear. Lacey, Joanna’s dog, ran back and forth between us, trying to keep track of everyone.

We set up our tent and the 2 person tent that Joanna, Daniel and Lacey were going to share. Lacey is a 10 year old border collie who has never been backpacking. It was very cute watching her sniff everything and just sit and stare at the trees for long periods of time.

The 4 of us ate a Thai dinner sitting in the 2 person tent. It was cozy but doable – 4 adults and 1 dog in the REI Quarter Dome 2 person tent. Go REI for making awesome tents! And thank you Joanna for bringing us Thai food yet again!

We watched as the sun set and the sky darkened. Eventually it was dark enough to see the Milky Way, Saturn, Mars and many many stars. We all took turns on Daniel’s stargazing app to correctly identify constellations.

It felt very special to share this moment together. Living in a city it is rare to see this many stars. They were truly remarkable.

Around 8:45 we all started yawning and went to our respective tents. We had put on the flies anticipating a cold night but it never seemed to drop below 40 degrees.

Tonight we are grateful for clear night skies and family backpacking excursions.

September 6, 2016

Bushcamp (mile 982.1) to bushcamp (mile 1006.9)

Miles: 24.8

Out total miles: 2365.6

We slept surprisingly warm through the night, which made it much easier to get up and start moving. At 6:00 when we opened the fly it was still dark out. 

We were walking by 6:30. We dropped down about 300 feet into Stubblefield Canyon. It was light enough to see without headlights but only the tips of the mountains around the canyon received the warmth of the sunlight.

We got water and continued on. For most of the morning the trail was flat. We cruised along, enjoying soft dirt and easy walking.

We walked through more beautiful meadows, past small creeks with cascading waterfalls ending in pools of clear cool water.

All morning we walked through valleys surrounded by granite domes. 

Laurie woke up with pain in her SI joint. As she walked it got more aggravated. We stopped on a rock and she tried stretching to alleviate some of the tightness. 

She leaned on her trekking pole, trying to use it for a trigger point release. All of this helped a little but the discomfort remained.

She hiked through the discomfort, distracting herself with podcasts. This issue has happened before and usually self corrects. We both hope her body fixes itself again this time. 

We got to Dorothy Lake around 1:30. It is a large beautiful lake with granite mountains on one side. We found a sandy beach and took a long relaxing break. 

We both rinsed off in the lake, Laurie washed her socks (wash is a generous word- she rubbed them together in the water to get rid of some of the dirt), we ate lunch and Laurie took a nap. Leaning against our backpacks, letting the sun warm our bodies felt glorious. 

This is the best part of backpacking – hiking many hours to get to unfamiliar, beautiful places and having the time to sit and soak up the beauty.

Finally around 3:00 we gathered our belongings and continued to hike along the northern aspect of Dorothy Lake toward Dorothy Lake Pass. 

At the top of the short climb we walked out of Yosemite National Park and into the Hoover Wilderness.

Immediately we felt a difference. The trail was more gentle and less rocky.

We saw less than 10 people today! Just like in major cities, if you travel far enough the crowds eventually thin out.

Laurie listened to podcasts to tune out the pain in her hip. She’s a trooper!

We’ve noticed that if we continue to push large mile days eventually our bodies start to protest. But, if we have experienced the pain before and know that it will go away, we tend to disregard it and just keep walking.

We descended past many small lakes, then gently climbed a few more miles to camp.

Once again we were treated to a glorious sunset. Orange and pink sky dominated the cloudless horizon. 

We never tire of beautiful sunsets. They are nectar for our souls.

Tonight we’re grateful for our body’s healing capabilities and glorious sunsets.