High Sierra's - Part IV

We make the decision to exit the Sierra's and not take a chance that Marv's knee will completely go out, necessitating a rescue.  There is an unmaintained trail exiting the PCT/JMT just before Pinchot Pass.  According to my app and a paper map we find stuck in the rocks of the fire ring at our camp, the trail is about 12.6 miles.  It goes over another pass, Sawmill Pass.  It looks like a fairly gnarly hike, so will likely take us a couple of days.  We send a GPS message to Lisa and Connie, alerting them that we will be heading out and will likely arrive at the trail head sometime the next day.
We only go a few feet and immediately lose the trail.  If this is an indication of how the entire trail will be, it will take us even longer if we will constantly have to be checking our GPS and relocating the trail.  We cross a couple of creeks and then the trail is very clear.  As it turns out, there were only about a dozen times that we had to check our bearings during the entire hike.  In most places the trail was fairly clear.  Also, someone had built rock cairns in several places where the trail was unclear to indicate where to go.  The first half of the day ends up being one of our favorite days in the Sierra's.  We don't meet a single other hiker until about 4 in the afternoon.  We felt like we were blazing our own way on a little used trail.  There were beautiful lakes, meadows and mountains.  The hiking wasn't too difficult.  The climbs were not too steep and the meadows were mostly flat.  Even Marv's knee is tolerating the hike and he was enjoying the day.  I teased that he only felt euphoric due to the opioid he'd taken that morning to get through the day, rather than from the fine scenery.

Another hiker still snoozing as we pass and cross a creek.

Here is where we exit the PCT.

I stop to admire a beautiful snag along side the trail.

Gorgeous day, but where is the trail?

Pretty little lake. 

A couple of does give us the stare as we hike by.

Lunch break in the shade - solar panels in the sun.

Lovely meadow with a small stream babbling by.

Another pretty lake that I don't know the name of.

Wood Lake

Marv loses the trail as he crosses the meadow.

The boys club - there were 3 bucks here.

Panorama as we near the top of Sawmill Pass.

Love the color of these rocks along the trail.

Coming up over the pass.

Crossing the top of the pass.

Made it to the top!

The gimp made it too!

We smile because we don't yet know what awaits us on the downside.

As we head down the front of the pass.

I see Sawmill Lake.

Beautiful Sawmill Lake

Oh no, not more rocks!

This is a crazy steep, rocky trail.

Now that's a big tree!

The afternoon clouds roll in and we are glad we are no longer on the top of the pass.  It sprinkles a little rain, but it seems the main part of the storm is behind us.  Just as the valley floor seems to be close, the trail turns and goes straight back up.  As we climb and climb, I wonder aloud if we've missed the correct trail.  Marv assures me we are still on the trail.  Once we get high enough, we finally have cell service, so Marv calls Connie and Lisa to tell them we should be ready to be picked up within the hour.

Do I have to hike all the way to the valley floor?!

Getting closer to the valley, but now we start hiking up again!

 According to the mileage sign where the Sawmill Trail exited the PCT, we should have less than a half mile to hike.  However, we are still very high, nowhere near the valley floor.  I think the trail head must be fairly high up as well.  I'm getting nervous as we see lightening and pouring rain in the valley, and we are now very exposed on a high ridge.  We hike as quickly as we can.  It is now getting very hot as well.  We hike mile after mile of switchbacks in very sandy soil that makes the going pretty tough.  Marv is in a lot of pain and there does not seem to be an end in sight.

Marv is communicating with Connie and Lisa who have found the trail head, but we seem to be far from the road we see below.  Darkness falls and we are still hiking.  I put on my headlamp and we trudge on, hoping Marv's knee will hold out until we can reach our ride.  Finally, as we come around a corner and crest a small knoll, we hear whistling.  We look to our left and see the truck lights of our rescue.  They are still a bit away, but at least we know we are in the right place.  I bob my head up and down with my light to let the girls know we hear their whistle.  When we finally exit the trail, they welcome us with cold water, which tastes wonderful.  Marv is nauseous and very near heat exhaustion and in a great deal of pain, but we've made it.  We had not stopped for dinner, so we are both hungry.  The last couple of hours, I've been telling Marv that I want a huge bowl of buttered popcorn and a rusty nail (scotch and Drambuie) on ice.  Marv elects to stop at McDonald's as we go through town for a burger, fries and a coke.  The coke settles his stomach and he feels much better after some food and a shower.  I thoroughly enjoy my popcorn and drink with my feet up in my recliner. This will end my California adventure, which is about 68% of the entire PCT trail.

Hiking in the dark, Happy to see the lights of Connie and Lisa's truck!

 

Good-bye Sierra's, good-bye California!  Good-night for us!  Thank God for special friends willing to come rescue us late at night! 

Epilogue:  The next day, I look up the Sawmill Pass Trail.  It is recommended only for very experienced adventurers because it is extremely steep and strenuous with an elevation gain (or loss in our case) of over 8000 feet.  Glad I didn't read that ahead of time.  I descended this pass with an extra heavy pack of over 40 pounds.  I'm feeling I can do anything after that adventure!