 This is a slightly delayed hiking update from when I joined Charlotte and Sophie on the trail for a week in June. The Greyhound bus left me on the side of the road at 12:20 AM in Independence, where I met them, just after they had successfully climbed Mt. Whitney. We headed out the next day up and over Kearsarge Pass, where I experienced rather debilitating Altitude Mountain Sickness, having just flown in from sea level in Maine. We camped that night at Charlotte Lake. I felt terrible! Charlotte fed me miso soup and worried that she would have to hike me out the next day, but at about one in the morning I started to recover and by the next day was feeling good and we went up and over the next 12,000 foot pass no problem.
The three of us were a great hiking team. I was not in the best hiking shape, especially compared to those two, but they tolerated me well and made jokes about me being on my own personal Outward Bound course, or more accurately put, my own personal forced march. They terrain was very rugged and often snow covered above 9,500 feet. We had a 12,000 foot (or nearly) pass every day. Route finding was often a challenge due to the snow cover, and one day it was a little too challenging for myself and Charlotte. We confidently headed up the wrong pass, watching all these other "lost" hikers from a distance trudge up the "wrong" pass. By the time we realized our mistake, back tracked, and climbed the right pass (where Sophie was patiently waiting for us) it had cost us several hours and a lot of energy. We post-holed our way down the other side, grumbling as the thin crust of snow would break, and we fell through up to our thighs, the icy crust scratching our bare legs.
Another big challenge, and perhaps the most risky of all the elements out there, were the stream crossings. All streams were flowing well above their average level due to snow melt and several times the trail would just dead end in this raging torrent of freezing cold white water. We would spend a lot of time working our way back up stream to find a safe crossing place. Charlotte taught us a three person method of crossing, were we basically all hung on to each other and tried to forge our way across. Poor Sophie was much shorter than both of us and often mid crossing would be having quite a different experience than us taller people!
A definite highlight of the week was hiking into the Muir Trail Ranch and using these wonderful spring fed hot baths. We were also very low on food at this point and were able to get lunch there as well.
The week ended with a 6 mile ferry ride (really a pontoon boat) to Vermillion Valley "Resort" were we drank some beers and shared war stories with other through hikers. Charlotte met up with her friends and hiking partners Jason, Lara, and Lara's husband (I forgot his name!) here and they all set out together the next day, headed for Toulomne Meadows.
I got a ride out to Fresno and rented car to tour through Yosemite. This turned out to be sort of a bummer due to all the tourists and traffic. It was a radical change from the way I had just spent the week. It was neat to finally see El Cap and Half Dome for real, but I would have rather experienced it from a climbing perspective, not a drive through tourist. I flew out from Reno the next day, exhausted and happy, full of great memories of our adventures.
I have a MUCH greater appreciation for what Charlotte is doing out there-it's really hard! She is doing great and I have total confidence that she will finish the trail.
|
