Day 16 - A Country For Old Men

Sunday, Aug 1, 2010
Stats for the day: started at Izaak Walton Lake (10,300') at 7:15 - ended at Reds Meadow (7,700') at 7:10 Total ascent 3702'. Total Descent 6,262'. Total Distance 22.0 miles. 8 hrs 11 mins walking.

Totals to date: 16 days, 139 miles, 42,574 feet of ascent, 39,959 feet of descent.

I don't consider myself old, neither physically or mentally, but I do know mother nature is creeping up on me. It is this ticking time bomb of the biological clock that prompted me to do the SHR this year rather than in a year or two, because you never know what will happen, be it disease, infirmity or ??

I have strong memories of my days as a hiking and climbing guide when I was 15-23, and those memories are the bench marks by which I measure my current abilities. I don't expect to be able to duplicate what I did back then, but I do strive to achieve a measure of that level of activity.

To play it safe, I formed the milages per day when planning the SHR around modest numbers, 8-10 miles per day if on trail and 5-8 if cross-country. These low numbers were also influenced by not knowing who would join in on the trip and my desire to make the trip accessible to any that might consider participating.

So far the plan has worked well, although those days when we traveled cross-country my predicted milages are about 30% less than the actual due to route finding and zig zagging to avoid obstacles. But today we threw out my plan in lust for cherry turnovers.

It was supposed to be a mostly trail day, two miles of cross country to get us from Izaak Walton Lake (10,300) to the JMT in Tully Hole, then 6 miles of the JMT to the Duck Lake trail junction. We have met many, many people when on the JMT, so we made wagers on how many people we would see during our six miles. The winner would get a cherry turnover purchased by the two losers. Andy guessed 50 people, I low balled at 38 and Gary took the middle ground at 45. We hit the JMT at about 8:30 and were to the Duck Lake intersection at 12:15. In those 3 hours and 45 minutes we passed 58 people, earning Andy the win.

We stopped at Duck Lake, our scheduled camp spot, for lunch and as we ate began to discuss the wonders of a full free day in Mammoth Lakes to wash clothes at the laundromat, eat a chopped salad at the Base Camp Cafe, eat a Subway sandwich, have a smoothie or a milk shake and most importantly, savor a couple of the world's best cherry turnovers at Schat's Bakery. To create this free day in Mammoth we would have to hike Monday's distance after we finished our lunch. By one o'clock our minds were so bent on cherry turnovers that a 22 mile day didn't seem that bad, after all we had hiked those distances back in our youthful days. So, with visions of unlimited food and a day off we set out about 1:00pm to cover the final 11 miles, 2 of which were cross country. The route had 1000' of vertical gain and 3500' feet of descent. Powered by Cliff Bars, Power Bars and gorp we crested Mammoth ridge then began the long descent to Red's Meadow, our campsite for the night, and the end of the bus run that would take us to Mammoth.

By 5:14 we were still 5.5 miles out when we got cell service, a key component to our plan, because Schat's does not bake cherry turnovers unless by special order, so we stopped to phone in our order for 7 cherry turnovers. Calls to wives also occupied a few minutes, then on the route again. With a few navigational difficulties along the way, we arrived at Red' Meadow at 7:10, just missing the store's closing at 7:00. 22 miles, 3700' up, 6,900 down. Just like old times. We aren't as old as our years might suggest. 56 is the new 23.

Wearily, with a glowing feeling of accomplishment, we followed the trail from the store to the hot springs fed shower house and after a brief wait in line for an empty compartment took a very long, scalding hot shower, the first in 10 days. Then, with dusk turning to darkness, off to the back packers campsite only to find it full. Three nice women offered to share their site with us, which we gladly accepted. An engaging conversation and a quickly cooked dinner followed. We bid our benefactors a good night and thanks and retired to our tent.

Although the muscles in legs and backs were sore and tired, it was a great day. We still have it.

Day 14 - Milestone day

Friday, July 30, 2010
Stats for the day: started at Brown Bear Lake (11,020') at 7:15 - ended at Mono Creek (8,940') at 3:30 Total ascent 1794'. Total Descent 3600'. Total Distance 10.5 miles. 5 hrs 30 mins walking.

Today marks a milestone for Andy, Gary and I. The longest we have ever been in the mountains is 14 days, meaning we leave for civilization on day 14. Today is day 14, but we are still here and will be another 16 days.

Today we altered my time table conceived in February. We were supposed to camp at Lower Mills Creek Lake tonight, but we were there at 1:30 and decided to go on, possibly getting far enough ahead in the schedule to eek out an extra day at Red's Meadow and Mammoth Lakes. So we soldiered on, turning our planned for 6.8 miles of cross-country into 8.5 plus 2 more on trail for a total of 10.5 for the day. We covered half of what was planned for tomorrow. If we do that again tomorrow, which is what we are planning to do, we will pull into Red's Meadow on Monday instead of Tuesday, giving us time to visit Mammoth Lakes for bakery goods (can you say cherry turnover?) and some extra calories at the Base Camp Cafe.

We left Brown Bear lake this morning at 7:15 in a stiff, cold breeze. Our route had us round the end of a ridge and climb up the Italy Lake drainage to the lake, a distance of only half a mile and a 200' elevation gain. From here we walked along the northern shore of this two mile long lake to it's end, then began climbing the 1200' to Gabbot Pass. Gabbot Pass would move us from the Bear Lake drainage into the Mills Creek drainage which flows into Mono Creek 3300' and five miles below.

We were at Gabbot Pass by 10:30, stopped for a snack and pictures and then began the descent to Mills Creek Lakes. The route took us through boulder fields and snow. We stopped at the upper lake (11,100') for lunch and enjoyed laying in the grass while eating. We dropped the next 400' to the lower lake, our planned campsite, but it was only 1:00, so we opted to continue on, and drop the next 2000' to the junction if this drainage and Mono Creek.

We had been following foot prints all day, trying to guess who was in front of us and where they were headed. We caught up with them about a mile from Mono creek. It was Marty and his friend. We first met Marty last Thursday at Cirque Pass. He is also doing the entire SHR, but we had not seen him since last Friday. In talking to him, he passed us yesterday while we were taking a rest day, yet did not recognize our tent or gear as he passed. He is going out for a

food resupply tonight at Vermillon Ranch, about a 12 mile round trip side trip.

When we came to Mono Creek (river really) we had to find a blown down tree that spanned from bank to bank to cross.

To give us an even bigger jump on tomorrow we moved half a mile up to the Laurel Lake trailhead and camped near it.

Tired again, but very satisfied. This trip is becoming a reality.

Day 13 - Zero Day

Thursday, July 29, 2010 -Day 13
Stats for the day: Stayed Put at Brown Bear Lake (11,010'). Total ascent 0'. Total Descent 0'. Total Distance 0.0 miles. 0 hrs 0 mins walking. Hours spent fishing: 1 hr. # of fish caught: 5 (3 for dinner with mashed potatoes)

Total laziness. I stayed in bed until 9, the sun mercifully hiding behind the clouds and a strong cool breeze adding to my comfort. We are way above tree line, so the shade we enjoy comes only from the Fair Weather Cumulus clouds drifting northward overhead. I stared at the clouds while I was lying in my sleeping bag, seeing elephants, witches. whales and steaming teapots floating past. It has been a long, long time since I took such liberties. This is our rest day, the first in 8 days, and it felt great to lay in my bag going in and out of consciousness. I could feel the fatigue each time I considered getting up. To date we have done 99 miles, 47 of it cross-country, and have ascended 33,625 feet crossing over 16 passes. I trained for this trip and it really has made a difference, but when you know you have a zero day your body just says, "It's okay to let down today, so you bet I'm going to!"

So I got up about 9, gathered my smelly clothes, socks, shirt, pants and underwear and carried them to a small tarn, first stripped nude and washed my body, then washed my clothes. I had to sew the seam in the butt of my pants. Two weeks of sitting on abrasive granite wore the stitching thru and the seam separated. The closest color thread to the grey pants was lime green. Won't win any fashion shows, but functional.

The weather was puffy cumulus clouds blocking the sun about half the time during the day. I wore my big brimmed hat and did not want to put sun block on my clean body; consequently I sun burned my nose.

I fished off and on during the day, caught and released two, then later in the day caught three for dinner.

Much of the day I laid on my thermarest pad with my bear can and sleeping bag as a pillow and finished reading "Battlefield Earth" on my iPhone. I monitored my solar collector and managed to charge my phone above 90% for the first time in a week.

Andy and I played a game of Scrabble after dinner. He kicked my butt, 339 to 209.

We had visitors today. A group of three, two men about our age and one's son are camped about 50 yards down the lake shore. They are out for 7 days. A group of 4 day hikers from a nearby lake came to fish Teddy Bear Lake, right next to Brown Bear Lake where we are.

I am back in bed; it is 7:50. The sun is lighting the tips of the mountains across the lake. I'm outside the tent, enjoying the view, the air movement, and in an hour the constellations and planets. Andy and Gary are inside to avoid the very few bugs (I have yet to experience one tonight-too cold).

Tomorrow we are at it again, To Italy Lake, then up over Gabbot Pass (12,400') and down into the "Second Recess", a glacial valley that empties into Mono Creek. We hope to stay at a lake in the recess.

Hard to believe the adventure is nearly half over already. Tomorrow is day 14. The trip is exceeding all expectations, which is saying a lot because I had really, really high expectations. Good company, fantastic route, great weather (including the lightning storm at Muir Pass!), excellent fishing, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, good food, great exercise. Looking forward to the next 16 days!

Day 12 - Crampons finally

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - Day 12
Stats for the day: started at Merriam Lake (10,920') at 7:40 - ended at Brown Bear Lake (11,100') at 3:00. Total ascent 2317'. Total descent 2272'. Total Distance 6.34 miles. 3 hrs 50 mins walking.

Feather Pass, 12,400' high. Sure, we could have worked around the snow fields and scrambled up the rock slabs, but we brought crampons and we intend to use them!

We left Merriam Lake and it's abundant mosquitoes about 7:30 this morning after a blustery night. I had put a garbage bag over my pack in case it rained but did not secure it well. The whipping wind removed it during the night and I could not find it this morning. That means it is littering the area somewhere and someone will find it some day. Stupid on my part.

We climbed from the lake next to it's waterfall inlet, gaining 200' to the next meadow and lakelet. Another 200' climb and 3/4 mile and we were at La Salle Lake looking up 800' feet to Feather Pass. We were traversing on a north slope toward the pass, it was still early morning and the snow was continuous for some distance ahead. We could have climbed down to the lakeshore and traversed to the beginning of the climb to the pass, but we were already 100' above the lake. We had been carrying our crampons for 12 days without using them, so we decided to stay on the snow and ascend a snow chute that topped out on a ridge that led up to the pass. It was great fun to be in moderately steep, hard snow climbing a chute. Gary and I topped out, but Andy had chose not to carry an ice ax and his crampons were not staying on his feet well so he chose to climb the rock slabs instead.

Once together again we continued on, making Feather Pass around 10:00am. We looked off the other side of the pass into the Bear Lakes region, an incredible collection of lakes, snow, ridges and streams. Glorious.

We also noticed a party of four approaching the headwall below.

Each of these passes has been formed by glaciers cutting away at the mountain from both sides of the ridge separating them. The very head of the valley is called the headwall, and for good reason. Most times they are nearly vertical and a free hundred feet tall.

The party of four worked their way up the headwall, found a route up it's slabs and ramps and were surprised to see us sitting in the pass. Conversation ensued and the most unlikely facts were brought to light.Two of them were from Morton in Lewis County!! The other two were from Selah on the east side of White Pass. That was really weird. Here we are in the middle of the Sierra, miles from the nearest trail and 1000 miles from home and we run into fellow Lewis County residents. Strange.

Anyway, we descended into Bear Lakes Basin down that same headwall and glacial valley. Wow, it deserves it's reputation as a tremendous alpine area! Lakes, separated by as little as 20 feet, yet 20 feet lower flow one to the next surrounded by incredible meadows with ragged peaks towering all around. Beautiful. We rested and had lunch between two of the lakes, enjoying the views and scenery. Then we shouldered our packs and climbed 200' and 3/4 of a mile to Black Bear Lake, then up another 200' to White Bear Lake and finally descend 900' down an incredibly steep and rocky headwall to Brown Bear Lake where we will camp for two nights, giving us all day Thursday to sleep, rest up, wash clothes and wash bodies. There are a very few mosquitoes and no one else around. Nearest road? 15 miles? Magnificent isolation.

Day 11 - A Long Time Out-A Long Time To Go

Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Stats for the day: started at Wahoo Lake (11,320') at 8:00 - ended at Merriam Lake (10,930') at 4:00. Total ascent 2568'. Total Descent 2984'. Total Distance 10.3 miles. 5 hrs 6 mins walking.

Today is day 11. How fast the time flies! Everyday has brought new adventures, challenges and delights. It seemed like we had just started walking today at 8:00 when suddenly it was noon and time for lunch. When I checked the GPS, sure enough, we had gone 5 miles of cross country travel already.

When I think of how big a deal it is to be out for 30 days straight it seems overwhelming in terms of the distance we must go, but when I look at it one day at a time it seems trivial. It is just each of those trivial days add up to a pretty long time out. Nothing compared to doing the entire Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Mexico to Canada for 6 months, but a significant time span for me. I am thankful to have this opportunity to make this trip.

So far all body parts are working just fine, with the exception of the right knee that gets ever so slightly tender by the day's end. Ibuprofen has handled it so far along with an occasional icing. I feared it would be big trouble, but not so far.

When I take the time to compare my schedule here to home's it is laughable. Most nights I am in my sleeping bag by 7:00PM, where home bed is usually 12:00AM. I walk all day here, from 7:30 to 5:00. I eat all the things I know at home make me fat, yet I still am way low on caloric intake. I have been keeping a record of what I eat and the calorie content and how many minutes we hike or climb and the calorie output. I usually end up 2000-3000 calories short of what I need to eat to maintain weight. For example today I ate 2516 calories but thru hiking and base body maintenance I burned 3821 calories. I am about 1300 calories short for the day. I cannot carry enough food to meet my caloric need each day, so the pounds of fat I stored up this winter are making up the difference. We will see when I step on the scales at the end of the trip.

Today was fairly uneventful compared to thunderstorms, vertical chutes and massive elevation gains or loses. We worked our way through the boulder fields comprising the shores and outlet of Wahoo Lakes, then descended into the broad plain of Humphrey's Basin. It's lack of land marks and dynamic terrain make navigation more a matter of map and compass rather than following contours or seeing the next destination. We climbed up the fairly gentle south slopes to Puppet Pass. The north side was not so forgiving. We had to negotiate our way down a very steep boulder field for 300-400 vertical feet. The bigger the boulders, the harder it is to scramble over them because their down slope sides are mini cliffs. This slope had boulders ranging in size from houses to Volkswagens. Gary slipped on one and bloodied a thumb, but otherwise we came through amazed and unscathed.

At the bottom is a broad cirque containing 3 or 4 lakes, including Puppet, Paris and Alsace. There are no trails to these lakes and no sign of man's passage exists. It is refreshing to go days without seeing anyone or any sign of anyone in such beautiful and dynamic country.

After lunch at Puppet Lake's outlet we dropped 400' down to Alba lake, then dropped again down to French Creek. We put on our Crocs and waded the stream in the valley bottom , then followed the trail down valley for 0.9 miles to where the trail junction to Merriam Lake should have been, but was not. We used the GPS to follow the route of where it should be and within a few minutes we found it's faint trace. We followed it straight up the hillside, it was ridiculously steep, to the meadow below the lake, then worked our way up through the hills until we reached the lake. We had been enjoying the past three days of mosquito free living. That came to an abrupt end at Merriam Lake. The Deet held them off while we washed some clothes, cooked and ate, but we pitched the tent after dinner and took refuge behind it's excellent mosquito netting.

We are all looking forward to a zero day on Thursday at Bear Lake. We are tired at the end of each day. We move like Zombies as we go about our camp chores and are all too happy to climb into bed early in hopes of regaining strength for the next day's adventures. It has been 5 days in a row of 10+mile days over multiple pass and route finding. A day to recoup, wash clothes and bodies and just relax is a welcome idea.

Day 10 - Storm, Snow Tongue Pass

Monday, July 26, 2010

Stats for the day: started at Muir Pass (11,960') at 7:30 - ended at Wahoo Lake (11,320') at 5:30. Total ascent 2832'. Total Descent 3404'. Total Distance 12.4 miles. 6 hrs 8 mins walking.

3 hours of good sleep, 9-midnight. The flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder wakes us. It is a ways off, but approaching fast. Ahead of the storm comes the wind, whipping our light weight Tarp Tent wildly. The full moon illuminates the inside of the tent dimly, but plenty for us to see the fabric flailing in the turbulent wind. The drenching rains add a new dimension just as the storm passes directly overhead, with lighting and thunder nearly simultaneous. We grab the tent fabric and steady it as gusts of 50 mph buffet the tent. 30 minutes pass in this situation before the storm moves on. Gary gets up in the lull and tightens the guy cords and straightens the tent. 45 minutes later another one passes overhead, a repeat performance of the first.

Of course, this is what we came for! Scary? Absolutely! We camped at Muir Pass with the hope the stormy weather was done for the day, so we expected to get a good night's sleep. But the unexpected turbulence of three thunderstorms passing directly overhead interrupted our slumber and created an adventure we will always remember.

With little sleep we embarked on today's journey. We are still trying to make up a day. We were supposed to be at Evolution Lake instead of Muir Pass, 5 miles ahead. But, the trip to South Lake and Bishop two days earlier to pick up food and new shoes for Gary had set us back a day, one we have been trying to make up.

We packed up our damp or wet gear and headed down from Muir Pass. The weather is broken clouds with the threat of more thunderstorms. We start passing all the people that dared not cross Muir Pass yesterday due to the lightning. Before we leave the trail at about 11am we will have passed 40 JMT hikers.

6 miles after leaving the pass, and traveling through beautiful Evolution Basin we leave the trail at the first switchback and head cross country, traversing between 10,700 and 11,000 feet for about 2 and a half miles before turning north towards Snow Tongue Pass. About 2PM we reach a lake that is about 1.5 miles and 1000' below the pass. Tired from hiking and lack of sleep we sit down in the heather with out backs to a sun warmed granite wall and within 5 minutes we are all asleep.

We had been debating whether to scale the pass this afternoon or wait until tomorrow morning. We had already done 10 miles and were pretty tired, but the nap revived us and we decided to push on to the pass. If we made it, we would be back on schedule. We were to camp at Wahoo Lakes on the other side of the pass according to the itinerary.

With our new found energy we scaled the pass in about an hour and fifteen minutes. The other side of the pass was supposed to be a bit dicey, and it did not disappoint. A 300' nearly vertical drop down a gully with loose rock, dirt and blocks of granite. Gary started down, I followed with Andy behind. Being as careful as possible not to knock loose any rocks, keep our balance and manage the weight of our packs we slowly descended the face, finally touching the snow extending up into the gully and plunge stepping the final elevation.

Another half hour descending rock fields and heather and we are at 11,300' Wahoo lake, a barren rock lined body of water in the bottom of the cirque. I slip on the heather and fall, tucking my right leg under me as I go down. The right knee does not like to bend when it is tired and this sudden compression hurts tremendously. Visions of a injured knee quickly fill my head, but as I start down again I feel it is sore, but not injured. I ice it before dinner and take a couple ibuprofen and it seems okay.

We are exhausted. This is the fourth day in a row of pushing time and distance combined with significant elevation gains and losses, all with newly resupplied food for 11 days (meaning heavy packs). We stagger around the meadow finding suitable places to sleep (the weather has totally cleared and there are no mosquitoes) out, then cook our meals and are in bed by 7:00 (except for me who is lying in his sleeping bag typing out this blog). Time to sleep. Goodnight.

Day 9 - Weather.

Sunday, July 25, 2010
Stats for the day: started at Dusy Basin (11,200') at 7:30 - ended at Muir Pass (11,969') at 7:50. Total ascent 3395'. Total Descent 2791'. Total Distance 12.2 miles. 5hrs 16 mins walking. 7.5 hrs not moving.

We woke this morning to an unusual site, clouds in the sky. There are never clouds in the sky in the morning in the Sierra. The only time there are, it means rain in the day. Andy asked me what the clouds meant and I said it would be thunderstorms by 12:30 or 1:00 reasoning that the sun would have a head start at forming thunderstorms if the moisture was already in the air. Normally, the skies are cloudless until about 11, then the clouds quickly form and by 3-4 the thunder, lightening and rain begin.

We were on the trail by 7:30, descending from Dusy Basin to Le Conte guard station 2600' below us and 4.5 miles away. We spent a little under two hours reaching the bottom of the valley at 8600', checked in with the ranger, then began the long climb to Muir Pass at 12,000'.

The weather was getting uglier as we climbed the trail, but we kept moving, trying to get as far as possible before the rain hit.

We had just passed the part of the trail that had to be blasted from a cliff when it was made because there was no other way up the valley when we saw rain coming up the valley below us as it darkened in. The rain started to spit on us. We topped a rise and found a flat place 100' off the trail and quickly pitched the rain fly I had sewn up for this very purpose. The rain was thundering down by now, but other than a little wet from pitching the tarp, we were dry. I changes out of my sweaty shirt into a t-shirt, fleece and down jacket and Andy and Gary dressed similarly. We were sitting on dry heather with the tarp pitched to short alpine firs. The wind was whipping it around a bit as lightening lit the sky, thunder boomed and rain came down in torrents, but we were warm and dry.

The timing was perfect for lunch, so we broke open the bear barrels and ate. Andy fired up his stove and made us all hot Vanilla Chai Tea.

By 2:30 the rain had come and gone numerous times and the sedentary afternoon had the three is us fast asleep with an afternoon nap, lying under the tarp on the meadow. By three thirty we were wondering if the rain would stop. I said the atmosphere would lose energy as the sun began to set and by 5 the rain would be done. We decided to eat dinner now so at 5 when the rain quit we could go and not have to fuss with dinner later. The rain hammered down until 4;30, then quit. So we quickly packed, took down the tarp and started back up the hill. We made it about half an hour when it began to sprinkle. Looking down the valley it appeared another drenching rain was coming so we ducked off the trail and quickly pitched the tarp. It rained only about five minutes, so we took the tarp down again and started up the hill. We kept moving for the next two and one half hours, climbing over a lot of snow, rock hopping across rain and snow melt swollen rivers and finally crested Muir Pass about 7:45.

Part of the reason for coming up here for the night was the chance that the dissipating thunderstorms would create some tremendous sunset photos. We were not disappointed!! We pitched the tent, grabbed a snack and ooh'd and awed at he sunset while taking a ridiculous number of photos. We were in bed by 9.