PCT Day 57, 08 July 2022 (Friday)
"The Past Is The Passes"
Start Location: |
Kennedy Canyon Creek |
Destination: |
Kennedy Meadows Resort |
|
PCT Miles Day 57: |
10.9 |
Cum PCT Miles: |
1,016.9 |
|
Non-PCT Miles Day 57: |
0 |
Cum All Miles: |
1101.2 |
|
PCT Miles Remaining: |
1,635.7 |
|
|
|
Elevation Gain Day 57: |
2,544 |
Cum Elevation Gain: |
183,014 |
Today I completed the Southern Sierra section by getting to Kennedy Meadows North a half day early. So, instead of getting here tomorrow morning, I will be leaving here tomorrow afternoon. This will be helpful in that I should now have a much shorter day going in to South Lake Tahoe in a few days.
The PCT permit has special rules for the Southern Sierra section, one being that you have 35 days to complete it; I took 21, so I think I’m good. They really have no way of knowing, though, so not sure it really matters.
The Southern Sierra may be the section that hikers most look forward to. It is the section with the most well-known high passes (Forester, Mather, Pinchot, Muir, etc.). Today was the last of those passes, Sonora at 9,649 ft. Multiple snow patches across the trail reminded us that we were still at a high elevation. Today was also the windiest day in the past few weeks. But overall, except for the change in scenery, it was a pretty uneventful day of hiking.
The Kennedy Meadows Resort here runs several shuttles a day from the trail to the resort, which, by the way, is quite a bustling place. However, the next shuttle was not for a couple of hours. So, several of us were trying to get a hitch. It’s a a Friday, so there was decent traffic on Hwy 108, but no cars were stopping; I guess they weren’t interested in picking up some smelly hikers. Finally, an older lady named Pam stopped and gave several of us a ride. She was a nice, careful driver, which I like when I’m a passenger on windy roads. So far, I’ve had good luck with hitch drivers; you do hear of people getting some crazy drivers.
I also ran into a hiker named Cal today. He started the same day as me all the way back in Campo. I saw him last in Julian (Day 4). He is quite a bit younger than me, so I didn’t think I’d see him again, I thought he’d be at least several days ahead. But that’s just the way it works out here, you never really know where people are.
I did see something about the Electra fire, but it sounds like they are getting it pretty well contained. I hope it stays that way.
A different landscape on the way to Sonora Pass
Contrasting landscapes
A good example of why the "C" in PCT stands for Crest
One of several snow patches to cross on the trail to Sonora Pass
View from the trail to Sonora Pass
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