Howdy All
The plan -- hike in over Bishop pass, follow the JMT and hike out over Kearsage in 6 days. We succeeded but this was much harder than expected. This is one of my favorite sections of the JMT. When I set up the itinerary, I did so based on my 2013 JMT fitness. However a lot has happened in five years
On Sept 11, Sister Sally, Miracle Marilyn and I left Sally's car in Onion Valley, then headed to Bishop. We had a lovely visit with the generous and legendary Laura Molnar at the Mountain Rambler brewery.
Day 1: Drove my car to the Bishop Pass TH. Nearly got knocked down when we got out of the car due to wind. We headed up to Bishop Pass -- didn't linger due to the wind. Descended to Dusy Basin and pitched in a protected area close to a water source.
Day 2: It was so cold in the morning that Sally's bandana froze when she used warm water to wipe her face We broke camp and headed down to the junction of the JMT/Bishop pass trail. From there, we went south along the JMT. Shortly after Grouse Meadow, the JMT turned east next to Palisade creek. By the time we reached the trees above Deer meadow, we'd had enough and pitched.
Day 3: The climb up the Golden Staircase was as beautiful and strenuous as I remembered. There's nothing like a 1,500 ft climb to get your heart started in the morning. Mother nature treated us to gorgeous clouds in all directions as we walked by the Palisade lakes. Then, Mather pass beckoned us to ascend and bask in her magnificence. After taking in the exquisite views and recuperating, we descended into the barren Upper Basin. After about 3 miles, we were back in the pine trees and Sally spotted a very small campsite. Sally's picture of our campsite looked like an advertisement for Big Agnes tents
Day 4: We descended until we crossed the South Fork of the Kings river, then started climbing up to the JMT/Taboose pass junction. That section was just a warm up for the 3.5 mile climb to Pinchot pass. I'd forgotten that this was a long climb but the terrific views hepled. At the pass, we took time to fuel and regroup before beginning the descent. At the JMT/Sawmill pass junction, we were very tired. I recommended continuing on as we were behind schedule. I also thought we could find a good campsite before reaching the JMT/Woods Creek junction -- I was wrong . Running on fumes, we reached the junction and camped on the north side of the suspension bridge.
Day 5: Had fun crossing the suspension bridge, then started climbing up to Dollar lake. Even in the cool of morning, this was a solid climb of 1700 ft. Took a long break, then continued hiking into the Rae Lakes basin. My words cannot adequately express the exquisite beauty of this area. As we were approaching the last Rae lake, we encountered a doe, her spotted fawn and older sibling. I wanted to weep with joy. Then we started up Glen pass. I think my "forgetter" (as Sally says) kicked in and erased my memory of this extraordinarily arduous climb. From the 60 Lakes Basin junction, the trail gained about 1,400 ft in 1.9 miles. I lost track of time. As with Pinchot pass, I kept expecting to see the pass around the next corner. When I thought I was close, I looked over at a ridge that seemed impossibly far away and saw what appeared to be ants An eternity later, I stood atop narrow, windy Glen pass with my sisters Sally and Marilyn. After resting and refueling, we started heading down. Compared to my previous hikes, there were very few tiny lakes/tarns for water. Sally found our camping site (I was brain dead) and we pitched.
Day 6: Broke camp once we warmed up enough and continued down the JMT towards the Kearsarge Pass junction. Then we started the climb up to the pass. Compared to the last two days, this was a civilized ascent -- good footing and not too steep. Took our time at the pass fueling and chatting with other folks. Overall, the descent was very nice as well. Still it was a relief to reach Sally's car. We picked up chilled beverages and snacks in Independence and drove back up to Bishop. Sally and Marilyn kindly retrieved my car while I was bathing. After six days of sunscreen. I had to soak a while Enjoyed breakfast at Jack's before heading home.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen