Day 67: Mile 820.1 – 836.0

I slept all throughout the night, the cold temperatures dipping down to exactly what my sleeping bag was rated for. I was the perfect temperature all night. After the long day yesterday, I felt tired and sore, and was not in the mood for hiking today. I had a slow morning, since it was seriously chilly, and left camp at around 8am.

The morning was good, a gorgeous hike down and around Palisade Lake. There were lovely wildflowers sprouting from the rocks. Despite the beautiful surroundings, I was feeling pretty homesick. I just felt like going home, and being with Isabel again. Even though I was feeling this way, I thought about how the homesickness and lack of motivation were just feelings, and that I could experience this without acting on the way that I felt. I knew that going home wouldn’t solve anything, and that I would be sad to miss out on this experience that I had worked so hard for. It was okay to just live with the feelings of sadness.

Rory and I hiked most of the morning together. We stopped to watch Shark Shorts fly fish in Palisade Lake, and to say hi to Lydia, who was going southbound now too. We continued down the trail, which traveled a rocky descent into the valley. It was super green, with a bouquet of wildflowers, ferns, and sagebrush. There was an overwhelming aroma of fresh herbs in the air. Meanwhile, the snow-capped granite mountains towered above, and Palisade Creek rushed by.

After the long and rocky descent, we came to a forest, which reminded me of hiking at home in Oregon. I thought of all of the training hikes I completed at Mt. Pisgah and The McDonald Research Forest, which helped me remember how much I really wanted to be here.

Clare, Rory, and I took a long lunch under the trees, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. The rest of the day would be a gradual incline, and then a very short but steep ascent to get us close to Muir Pass. Hiking through the forest, I met up with Nachi, a JMT hiker we had been leapfrogging with the past few days. We hiked together for a while, chatting and taking in the views of the sheer rock faces across the trail, reminiscent of Yosemite. Waterfalls streamed down them, providing ample opportunities for photos and awe. There were lovely meadows too, and beautiful campsites, especially at Little Pete Meadow, where we took a break with Rory and Clare. It’s so nice to hike with others and appreciate the views together.

There was a big incline at the end of the day, following the source of the Middle Fork King’s River. It was a very steep grade, and I was happy to see Sticky approaching, so that way we could hike it together. One of the best things on the PCT is finding someone to hike into camp with, to distract yourself from the last remaining miles and how sore you feel. We talked about love and relationships as we switchbacked up a cascading waterfall. It was amazing views, and the mile going straight up went by in a flash.

I arrived to camp alongside Rory and Clare at a gorgeous spot next to a creek, way high up at 10,000 feet. As I put away my bear can that night, a watched a doe and buck eat meadow grass in the waning light of sunset.

Today was a gorgeous and fairly easy day, elevation-wise. Even though my spirits felt low at times, being around friends, hiking together, and sharing meals helped tremendously to get me through the day. I still felt homesick and missed Isabel, and felt anxious about the weather, since a storm would potentially be moving in soon. Still, despite the hardship, the sunset was beautiful, and wispy clouds grazed the ridges of the mountains around us, and I knew I’d remember this spot for a long time to come.

Day 68: Mile 836.0 – 851.4

There was frost all over the outside of my tent when I awoke in the morning, and my sleeping bag was drenched from condensation. Despite this, I actually still had a good sleep. Getting out of camp in the Sierras has been slow-going because of the cold, but it’s been nice spending time having a real breakfast and drinking coffee. Rory, Clare, and I laughed because Clare had put her bear can near the creek, and the frost and condensation had completely frozen her bear can shut.

Clare and I finally left camp together, climbing towards Muir Pass, crossing streams and bemoaning having to change in and out of warm layers.

Muir Pass was the first thing on the agenda. The terrain was rocky, with vast alpine lakes and streams running across trail. The wind was piercing. The pass promised to be less steep, but longer, and covered with lots of snow.

The climb wasn’t technical, just strenuous. I was struggling mentally, though, still just feeling homesick. There was tons of snow on trail, and walking through slippery sun cups was tough. I navigated rocks, and often had to climb straight up trail to avoid snow. I was just over it.

After climbing straight up a snowfield that I thought would never end, I could finally see the Muir Hut, and felt so relieved. The wind, which was loud and abrasive outside, fell away inside the hut, and I eagerly ate snacks to refuel after the tough ascent. I felt slightly better after eating and resting with everyone in such a cool place.

The descent down Muir Pass was gradual and also snow-covered, and great big clouds started rolling over the area quickly. I was full of anxiety about the weather, worried about potential noontime storms forming over a place so exposed.

I descended as much as I could, and then met with Clare, Rory, and Pax to eat lunch, just barely below tree-line. After lunch, we met up with Nachi again, who hiked with us as we continued into Evolution Valley. It was really great to hike with him, and awesome to be making new friends with someone on the JMT.

Descending into the forest of Evolution Valley was extremely comforting, like a weight had been lifted off of me. It felt like home in Oregon, safe from the weather. I love rugged alpine environments, but they definitely feel inhospitable after a time, and definitely scary when there is potential weather danger looming.

Once we were down in the valley, the hiking was shockingly easy, almost completely flat through the forest alongside Evolution Creek. I was so tired, likely from anxiety. I felt like I could barely keep my eyes open. I arrived to camp, which was in a grove of trees adjacent to Evolution Meadow. Even Rory said that he hadn’t seen me looking this tired before.

Sitting around camp with the whole group, we shared laughs as we ate. It’s really a good time to camp in a big group. All of a sudden, we heard the distant sound of thunder. One of my big fears coming onto trail were thunderstorms— I just don’t like being exposed, and really just hate being outside during them. Everyone started dispersing to get to their tents, and I started to feel the symptoms of an anxiety attack. I talked to Rory and Clare, who helped me calm down. Chris, who was from North Dakota, showed me how the storm was moving and reassured me.

Hail was raining down, and the thunderstorm was coming pretty close overhead. I felt anxious getting ready for bed, but also resigned to the fact that there was nothing to do about it except try to sleep.

Day 69: Mile 851.6- 870.4

I woke up feeling proud that I had faced my fear on the PCT!! The storm wasn’t that bad either.

It was a pretty morning, tendrils of mist hanging on the meadow. Our bear cans had frosted shut, so Chris built a fire to help defrost them. I hung out probably longer than usual enjoying the warmth.

It was a short hike to Evolution Creek, an infamous river crossing. It was wide, and in most years, raging, but luckily the water seemed low since we were hitting it in the morning. I crossed in my sandals, and about halfway through stepping on rocks and feeling the current, my feet started burning with how cold it was. I was so relieved to put my shoes and socks on after.

Hike along Evolution Creek was stunning, just powerful water bursting over rocks, surrounded by tall trees. I hiked alone, and without music at first, just dwelling on my thoughts. I thought about how today was already going much better than yesterday, and how quickly things can change on trail. I thought about how hiking this trail, and staying on it, was giving me one of the biggest opportunities in my life to exercise self-love and compassion. I wanted to hold myself to my commitments, to finishing this trail, and push through the moments where I was feeling down on myself. I wanted to keep these ideas, commitment and compassion, top of my mind as I continue on trail.

The trail took me alongside Goddard Canyon, next to the raging South Fork San Joaquin River. Sagebrush poked out the rocks, the plant always reminding me of the time I spent in the desert.

Hiking away from the river and into the forest, the trail started to climb sharply up a manzanita covered mountainside. It was tough and hot, and before lunch, which made it more difficult. At last, though, I arrived at Senger Creek, the lunch spot for the day. We spent a long time there, hanging out and drying our gear from the storm.

We soon began the climb to Selden Pass, which was gradual through the forests and past a large lake. The light was gentle through big fluffy clouds. As we climbed higher and higher, there were so many wildflowers dotting the trail, that it looked like they had been intentionally planted, like a garden. There were creeks running across trail, and meadows all around. It was easily the most beautiful pass, in my opinion, just a gentle beauty. The fact that there was a heart shaped lake, aptly named Heart Lake, made the landscape seem right out of a Valentine’s Day card.

More beautiful lakes awaited us on the other side, and Rory jumped in, shivering upon leaving. Clare and I hiked together on our way to camp, chatting together like we always do, which makes the time fly by.

The three of us crossed Bear Creek, a wide and sometimes treacherous crossing, and set up camp under trees in a meadow. The mosquitos were swarming, but we ate dinner together, and were proud to have done 19 miles today.

If today was part of a standalone backpacking trip, it would be the perfect day. The fatigue from the prior weeks and the hunger definitely adds another dimension of difficulty to being a thru-hiker, but overall, it was truly a good day. After a string of tough ones, I went to bed grateful for that.

Day 70: Mile 870.4-879.9

I woke up in middle of the night having slept so deeply that I was disoriented and had no idea where I was. Despite the confusion, it was a good rest, and I woke up early and had a nice breakfast with Rory and Clare. I started hiking at 7am, following Bear Creek into a lush forest. Muddy rivulets of water flowed through the trail that I had to cautiously steps around. I listened to Adrienne Lenker’s album, “songs,” one of my favorites, perfect for early morning walking alongside the water.

I started climbing up switchbacks, and the sun came out, so it started getting hot. I got service at the top of the hill and called my mom, who I hadn’t spoken to in what felt like forever.

I finally made it to the junction to get to VVR. As I descended about 2,000 feet through a forest on a steep mountainside, I listened to John Prine’s, “In Spite of Ourselves,” album, since the song is one of my all time favorites. It was lighthearted and fun country music.

On the way down, we ran into JMT hikers who told us that lunch at VVR ended at 2pm. Immediately, we started booking it down trail. We probably had time to spare, but we were so hungry that we didn’t want to risk it. Sticky and Angie joined us on the way down, also rushing for food. We made it to the trailhead, but then still had to do a miserable road walk in the sun to get to the resort. When we finally made it to the resort, it was pure elation. It was a long stretch away from society, and knowing that we’d get to eat a real meal was pure bliss.

I ordered a veggie burger in the homey, rustic dining room, and ate in complete silence alongside my fellow hikers, so happy for the food. The vibes at VVR were incredibly welcoming, with young seasonal workers playing music and laughing together. There were showers, laundry, and WiFi, all expensive, but we were also still quite far from real civilization, so it made sense and I wasn’t unhappy to pay. I completed all my town chores and hung out, relaxing and catching up my writing.

I called Isabel, who I missed desperately this week. It was a really hard week for me, and incredibly difficult to keep motivated on trail. Even though she missed me too, she gave me so much encouragement to keep going. It made me feel so much better.

I went to bed early to write, but wasn’t able to actually post things since the generator switched off at 9pm, taking the WiFi with it. It was quiet in the campground. Tomorrow, the push to Mammoth Lakes for Fourth of July begins! My visit to VVR was highly restorative, with good food and the chance to talk to people that I loved back home. I felt much better, and ready to tackle the next section.