Donner Pass and No Lives Were Lost

Mile 1157.0 - still hiking south.  Elevation 7201

As the pack saga continues, you must know that the pack I had before was no longer being made.  The new version did not have the handy hip-belt pockets I loved, so Marv looked on Amazon and they had a few of the older version that I previously had and in the smaller size.  After receiving it and marching up and down the hills around our campground, I felt like Goldilocks...the first pack was too large, the second pack was too ouchy (and red), but the third pack was JUST RIGHT!  Hallelujah, we have a winner!   Back to the trail!  I will begin this next segment where the trail crosses I-80 ) still in California.

Beautiful little pond.

This part of the trail started out smooth and soft on the forest floor, but quickly turns rocky.  I see Donner's Lake and go over Donner's Pass (7080 ft), in and out of forest, climbing onto exposed ridges for most of the day.  The ridges are so windy that I must use my poles to stay upright, fearing I'll be blown off the mountain.

Have to tie my hat tight keep from blowing away.

 From this vantage point, I can see that I'll be hiking a ridge-line for miles and miles over the next couple of days as I cross Mount Judah, Roller Pass, Mount Lincoln and Anderson Peak.  I pass through grassy hillsides and sloping meadows of wildflowers as I ascend Tinker's Knob.  I also hike through my first (very small) snow field.  Tinker's Knob is about a 1000 ft climb to a treeless hunk of rock, probably 100 feet high.

This pic does not show the brilliant colors of the hillside of wildflowers.

From the trees, you can tell the wind is relentless.

I see that the camp area I was hoping to reach after Tinker's Knob will be on an exposed ridge and I've learned my lesson about trying to get any sleep on a windy ridge.  I elect to stop a bit early, get water in a nice babbling brook and camp just above the stream.  As I'm setting up, another hiker named Coyote asks if he can camp nearby.  I welcome having another person in the area.  Since the bear scare, I've been more comfortable at night knowing another person is around.  Before that, I had actually enjoyed camping by myself.  The night was very quiet and I slept like a log from about 8:30 pm until I awoke at 5:00 am.  I retrieve my bear vault, eat a protein bar while I pack up, bid Coyote farewell as he too packed up, and hit the trail.

Go right.

Snow shed over train tracks on opposite mountain.

Donner Lake

Sign as I cross Hwy 40 at Donner Summit

Rocky trail over the summit

I see quite a lot of snow fields, although they are melting quickly.

I come to my first snow field crossing.

Elevation nearing 9000 feet

Tinker's Knob in the distance

A sign laying on the ground from the ski area.  Not to worry, I never go very fast!