Start: 1637.1
Stop: 1651.3
Today’s miles: 14.2
Total PCT miles: 1503.5
Sometime before 4am, I actually got cold! I sat up and got the fluffier blanket from the foot of my bed and was out like a light. It was great! I woke up before my 7:15 alarm.. like 6:50 ish maybe, and went to the bathroom.
When I came back, I laid for a few more minutes and then decided I was awake, so I took my medicine and Margot and I went downstairs to the store. We resupplied, she mostly had all she needed from a trail angel, Outdoor Jay that shipped her a full resupply in a bear canister! She just needed a few little things to supplement. He’s pretty incredible to do that. I was also really impressed with the food he found her, too.. especially since she shared some of it with me!
Anyway, we made our purchases and then went to the restaurant for breakfast. We got pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, and biscuits and gravy.. and unlimited coffee.. and no berating. It may very well be my favorite breakfast on this whole trail so far. Everything was so flavorful and cooked perfectly, unlike the usual somewhat bland breakfasts we’ve had. We absolutely stuffed ourselves full. AND it was only $20 each for all of that! Crazy!
Afterwards, we packed our bags and sat in the lobby loving on their old pup, Gabby. She was precious, with grey around her sweet eyes. At 10am, a different driver drove 7 of us hikers up to Senora Pass and we began our climb. It was so beautiful up there today, that I’m once again at a loss for words. Steep climbs up to steep mountaintops covered in snow in places, small lakes around, just miles and miles of views in every direction.
When I had service, I FaceTimed my friend, Stacey, so I could see her pretty face and show her these outstanding views. Man I really am missing home and my people, but getting to see Stacey and talk a bit before I lost service helped give me some motivation. She also gave me a pep talk about knowing I’d be able to finish by the deadline I’ve given myself. Hearing her say that only gave me more motivation to make it happen.
We had a few snow crossings that weren’t too bad. And then we came around this corner and I could see a tiny dot going up a near vertical chunk of white snow. I wanted to panic, but Margot kept me in check. When we got close to it, she and I were the only 2 of our group of 7 left. We put on our spikes and she let me go first, so if I slid.. I’d slide back down to her and she’d tell me I was fine.. lol.
It was terrifying. It was steep, and each step felt like it was one ounce of pressure away from sending me back down hill. I kept my eyes directly in front of me. Just step, step, step.. no looking around and scaring the shit out of myself.
When I got to the top, I realized the steps went left, I slowly maneuvered my way that way before seeing that now I was headed in a down slope to the trail. My goodness, it’s just so terrifying. But, I never feared for my life.. I knew if I slipped I’d slide a long way back down, but it didn’t look like I’d be hurt unless I landed too hard or hit a hidden rock or something.
Margot came up after me, looking cool as a cucumber, her steps looking like normal walking steps, not “please don’t slip to my near death” steps like mine. She’s so good on snow. Maybe I’ll feel that way after the Sierra, but I doubt it. I don’t find this high risk business fun.
We had one or maybe two more small patches to cross, we didn’t have to put our spikes back on. Then we started a pretty massive descent. We decided to stop a little early, like 5:30, because it wouldn’t make much of a difference for the next few days either way, and Margot hiked her first day with her bear can, and while taking it like a complete champ, her back was hurting by the end of the day. We had already decided we wanted a shorter day before her back started to make its discomfort known, but I think she was relieved that I was happy to stop, too.
We got to camp and start setting up.. and I kid you not, by 5:45 there were 7 other people that we haven’t seen all damn day also setting up all around us. CliffJumper and Gazelle are 2 of the 7, but I didn’t catch the other’s names. They’re funny and kind and loud. Although, now it’s dark at 8:02 and everyone has pretty much respected the hiker midnight bedtime rule and all is quiet. I bet it won’t be so quiet come 6am. Ugh. I think the Sierras will be pretty crowded this year, too.. with all the flipping around.
Lord help us. Ok, that’s all I got. Time to fall asleep before someone starts snoring and I can hear them over my earplugs. Goodnight!