PCT Day 105

Start: 1651.3

Stop: 1674.2

Today’s miles: 22.9

Total PCT miles: 1526.4

Today was spectacular, and exactly what you’d expect on your first day walking in to Yosemite National Park, our 5th national park so far.. I was in awe all day.

We started hiking and it was a little chilly, but I quickly warmed up. It was a slow and gradual incline to the top of a pass with a beautiful alpine lake named Dorothy Lake. I ended up going the wrong way around the lake and didn’t even realize it until another hiker I had seen earlier started coming back towards me. He showed me on our app how off trail we were, so we walked back together-then skirted the lake and did a little bushwhacking and log crossing together.. instead of walking all the way back to the junction we both apparently missed.

As the trail started climbing up to the pass, around rocks and a tiny bit of snow, the other hiker got ahead of me. Just as I was wondering if Margot went the wrong way, too, or if she went the right way and was now ahead of me, I walked right into her! The other hiker passed her and let her know he and I went the wrong way and I wasn’t far behind, so she waited for me. We sat and had some snacks before moving on.

At the top of Dorothy Lake Pass, the views were simply incredible. Pictures just truly can’t capture that raw natural beauty, but they try. I was giddy and happy the whole day! The descent from the pass was also slow and gradual and easy. There was a ton of water everywhere, more lakes, some squishy areas in a meadow with a stream running beside the trail- and it was every bit as perfect as it sounds. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if my cabin was off to the side and my dogs were running out to greet me.

We stopped to eat lunch together somewhere on that downhill. While we were sitting there, talking and marveling at the beauty of this place, we both started to miss Marquis. I checked to see if I had service, and when I realized I didn’t I was bummed. Then I remembered my Garmin Inreach! I sent him a message telling him we missed him and hoped he was doing well-all while praying he wouldn’t be mad that I was using up his messages.

After lunch, Margot and I got stopped by our very first ranger! He made me show him my permit, which he thoroughly read, and my bear canister, too. Margot showed hers-and the three of us chatted for awhile about the park, the permits, weather, water crossings.. all the things. He was super nice and I was happy about having a kind interaction, so many have mentioned some rangers being kind of snippy and rude after dealing with so many people all the time, and probably not having the correct things.

Just after talking with him, we had a large stream to cross.. it wasn’t too deep, maybe mid calf high, but it was very wide.. so I took my socks and shoes off and walked across in my crocs. Margot opted for barefoot and we sat on the other bank of the stream to let our feet dry. It was starting to get late afternoon and we still had some climbing to do.. I was getting worried we wouldn’t make it to our planned site before dark.

I heard back from Marquis on the Inreach, he was doing well, made it through the Sierra and was now in Kennedy Meadows South, getting ready to start the desert. He said the sierras were cold and difficult but incredible. I’m now even more excited for the Sierra, and missing Marquis that much more. I wish we had caught up to each other!

The next river crossing had a huge log across it. I got to it first, and started across, but half way the limbs sticking up off the tree log started to snag my shorts and I got anxious that I’d fall if I continued, so I slowly backtracked and then took my socks and shoes off again and crossed in the crocs. Margot came through on the log while my feet were drying on the other side. She doesn’t wear loose shorts, so the limbs didn’t snag her as badly as they grabbed at me, and she’s way better balanced in general I think, haha.

After that last shoes off crossing, we started our first of two climbs, each one over a thousand feet of elevation gain in under two miles. It. Was. Tough. The second climb had slick rocks from waterfalls cascading down the trail, making it hard to move quick. On the descent of the second climb, there were tons of loose rocks and we ended up in our headlamps. Damn the sun for setting so early these days! And damn the rocks for slowing us down!

At the bottom of the descent, there was a valley with a fast moving creek running through it. Since it was dark already, we decided not to attempt the next climb to find our intended campsite. We’d only be a little short, and that was fine by me! We looked for campsites on the side of the creek we were on, but couldn’t see much. What I could see was that Margot’s headlamp is a hell of a lot better than mine! I thought I could see fine until she shows up and suddenly I can see another 50 or so feet! It’s nuts!

Not being able to find a suitable campsite on this side of the creek meant a very sketchy rock hop crossing of said creek to the other side to find camping. It was very sketchy, fast moving water with lots of slick rocks. I was able to make it across with dry feet somehow, and just barely.

Margot had to get her feet wet at last minute, with her legs being just a little shy of reaching the second to last rock on the rock hop. Actually “hopping” across rocks is beyond terrifying. This water wasn’t high consequence in the sense that it would sweep you away and you’d drown, but it was scary in a “it’s cold as hell, the water is even colder, and falling onto sharp, slick rocks in ice cold water would be awful” kind of way.

Across the creek, we looked for about 10 minutes for the supposed campsites. Yosemite has some serious camping rules-like you must be 25 feet away from the trail and 100 feet from water and yada yada yada.. welp, we couldn’t find any established sites like our app claimed we would. So, we did our best and found mostly flat spots on sandy gravel type ground. We’re both a little slanted. Oh well.

We set up camp, and just ate our dinner. It’s 9:45 now and the stars are outstanding. I can hear the creek rushing by and our bear canisters are stashed “far away” like they’re supposed to be. I’m a bit cold, so I think it’s bedtime. Goodnight y’all. YAY FOR MAKING IT INTO YOSEMITE!