We were still recovering from yesterday’s hike, so we let ourselves sleep in late. We decided we’d wait until the sun came up over the ridge to rouse ourselves. This made for a very pleasant morning. We could dry our bags from last night’s frost, sit on our mattresses and have breakfast while getting warmed by the sun. In general, and even last night, it was warmer than we expected it to be at 11,000 feet. This was the first day in a long time where I didn’t need to start hiking with my jacket and warm hat on.
We started off by descending the rest of the way down Mather towards the lakes and pines below. Along the way we met a hiker named Dance Party, who was thrilled to find out who we were. In case it hasn’t been obvious, PCT hikers all get nicknames. Mine is Sweet Tooth – partially because of my baking skills but mostly because I eat more candy than any three small children combined. Keith’s is Pants-Off Dance-Off, because the pair of pants he started the hike with were way too big in the waist. He doesn’t wear a belt under the hip belt of his backpack so they would fall down at inopportune times. The reason our names are relevant now is because Dance Party had been hiking with another Sweet Tooth – a guy we’ve been hearing about since Wrightwood who’s described as a “GQ mountain man.” How anyone can stay GQ during a 6 month hike I’m not sure since we all get so filthy and bedraggled. Anyhow, they kept seeing our names in the registers just a day or so ahead of them and they wanted to meet us since our teams sounded so similar. We felt like celebrities when she realized who we were. We have a reputation without even knowing it!
After chatting up Dance Party for a while we continued down to Palisade Lakes through a stunningly scenic canyon. There were little alpine flowers of all different colors everywhere, growing along the trail and out of crevices in the rocks. We rounded the lakes and started dropping down a gorge alongside Palisade Creek. The trail was steep and rocky at times, skirting little switchbacks here and there, and we were both very glad to be going down it instead of climbing up it. This went on for a while and we lost around 1500 feet in elevation. We were never very far from the roaring of the creek and occasionally we were treated to a beautiful waterfall.
Once the terrain flattened out a bit we stopped for a quick lunch on the edge of a pine forest. After this we headed off again for a relatively easy afternoon filled with tons of deer sightings. Some of them were terribly spooked by us passing by and some hardly cared at all. The trail was nearly level and led us over nice pine duff so we could watch the scenery around us instead of rocks under our feet. Soon we came to the middle fork of the Kings River. It was tempting to take a swim because the sun was so hot and we were walking through an exposed burned area, but we had miles to make and it was getting late.
Eventually we started on a very gradual uphill, with the river always nearby and occasionally passing through lush green meadows. The tough decision of the day came right at the end when we had to figure out whether we were going to camp at a certain site or push on another mile – and 1000 feet up. We were pretty tired but decided to go on, reasoning that the miles would be easier tonight than they would be tomorrow morning. This would also take a big chunk out of the remaining climb to Muir Pass. In the end we gritted our teeth and did it and it turned out not to be so bad. There were very few of what I call “man-steps” – rock steps higher than my knees that were obviously put there by someone 6 feet tall. Those are tough for someone short like me. We took the trail slow and steady and before long we were at the top, glad to not have to face it tomorrow. We ought to catch the sun earlier up here than we would have further down the valley, too.
As it is we’re nearly 4 miles from the pass and expecting more snow than we’ve seen so far. We’re in a very good position to go up and over before it all softens up tomorrow. It was a good day – not as strenuous as some of them have been, especially yesterday. It’s a nice change to end the day without being completely wiped out.
– Posted from the PCT
Location:Pct mile 835