A Man in My Tent!

The High Sierra's - no longer intimidating - just breath-taking!
Re-Flip back south to hike north through the highest part of the Sierra's.

Lisa, Marv, me, Connie - Our personal Trail Angels! 

  

Now that the snow has melted and the raging rivers have lowered, I flip back south to travel through the part of the Sierra's that I skipped earlier.  I have so many pictures of the High Sierra's, that I will split this post into 4 sections, so that I can share the highlights. The pics look small on the blog, but if you click on each one to make it larger, you'll get a better sense of what we were seeing.  Click it again and it will get even bigger.  This is the part of the trail I've been the most excited about and the most nervous about.  I'm not a great climber, and there is one pass after another involving very steep climbs.  Additionally, these are at very high elevation and deep into bear country.  I am required to carry a bear vault which weights 2 lbs. 9 oz, filled with approximately 15-18 pounds of food, so that I don't have to take two or three trips off-trail to supply.  Getting more supplies is at least a day long process of hiking out of the Sierra's, getting food and hiking back in.  I can't afford the extra time, so for a few days, I'll slug along with extra weight.

As Marv has been following blogs of hikers ahead of me, he has gotten the bug to see the High Sierra's for himself.  Therefore, he joins me for this part of the trail, the man in my tent. We have some RV friends (Connie and Lisa) who generously agree to drive us to the trail and pick us up.  They are parked next to our RV at the Bishop CA Fairgrounds and will keep an eye on it while we are gone.  They are Trail Angels Extraordinaire!   First, they arise way before their usual getting-up time to drive us 90 minutes to the trailhead.  A stop at McDonald's for coffee and breakfast sandwiches help us all to wake up. Once at the trailhead, they also agree to take other thru hikers back into town for their resupply.

Entering John Muir Wilderness, looking up at the crags.

Another look down the trail.

Looking back down the trail to where we started this climb!

Creek roaring below the tall crags.

Rocky trail!  Boulders and more boulders!

One of many lakes we will see nestled in the Sierra's.

Up the trail.

 The trailhead begins at 9200 ft elevation and climbs over 2000 ft over Kearsarge Pass at 11,400.  There are lots of day-hikers or people hiking into Charlotte Lake or Rae Lakes for a few days of swimming and fishing. The trail passes through pine forests and by a series of small lakes  (Gilbert Lake, Flower Lake, Murdock Lake and a few unnamed ponds).

Beautiful striped deadwood!

Jaw-dropping beauty as I look over the backside of Kearsarge!

Beyond the pass, the trail enters Kings Canyon National Park, where the PCT joins the John Muir Trail in the John Muir Wilderness.  Even with my weeks of hiking, Marv can still climb a hill faster than I can.  I tell him that I'll meet him at the top.  I know I can kick his butt on the descent, which is his nemesis!  At the top we visit with other hikers, as well as a lady on a horse, leading a resupply mule.  She is delivering supplies to thru-hikers like us.  The fee starts around $500, which after climbing this pass with 20 extra pounds, sounds like a better deal than it would have earlier this morning.

 

      Horse and mule coming up backside of the pass. 

    We say good-bye as the pack team leave us on top.

Even though my ascent is slower than I'd like, I enjoy the gorgeous views and feel comfortable as we hike down the other side, even with the extra weight.  I no longer have to put tape anywhere on my feet because they have calloused into hooves.  We find a lovely place to camp among the rocks at an elevation of 11,011 ft.  Marv chats with another thru hiker camped nearby while I finish setting up camp and write in my journal.  It is a challenge to find a place for our bear vaults that is far enough away from our camp and where they won't roll miles down the mountain if a bear does decide to play with them.  We find a spot among some boulders.  Now it is Marv who misses his bed and has a tough time getting comfortable.  Part II of the Sierra's will post tomorrow.

Top of Kearsarge Pass

Looking over the backside of Kearsarge.

Marv taking in the view!  WOW!

Amazing Peaks!

Marv on a respite of flatter trail.

Another view of the backside.

Marv filters water while I make dinner.

Home, Sweet Home - at least for tonight!  Careful not to roll out of bed.  It is straight down the mountain where the trees are on the right.