Tag 59-67: The end of the High Sierras

Day 59: This zero day was definitely characterized by overeating. At breakfast at Nicely's, I can't finish my plate for the first time on the trail, even though I chose a slightly smaller breakfast. After breakfast, we go to the gas station with the Woah Nellie Deli, from where we hitch back to the trail. The first car stops immediately. It's a full car, but they take me, Warrior, Ninja, and Gumby by sitting in the footwells. They're soldiers who want to hike in Yosemite Park. They are also impressed by the PCT and it's a good ride. But when we get to the border of the national park, there's a problem. To enter the park, you have to make a daytime reservation, and our drivers don't have one. So they drop us off and look for an alternative after we take a photo together. We are allowed into the park with our permits, and the rangers don't even check us. I guess we look like enough PCT hikers. Since it's eight miles to the trailhead, we try hitchhiking again just behind the entrance control. And once again, we're lucky. It's the first car that picks us up. This time, the four of us are on the back seat. We are taken by two older ladies who are starting the John Muir Trail on Monday. The JMT is a trail through the Sierras that overlaps with the PCT for quite a while. The two women are great. They are happy that we're hiking the PCT, that we come from Europe and Australia, and about everything. We take a photo with them when we reach the trailhead. And while we're standing there, Metrics comes along the trail, who had gone to Mammoth. Usually, there's a small store here at the trailhead that we know is closed, but Metrics wants to try his luck.

Since we don't know how long the others will still take, we start walking slowly. Shortly after we start, we come to the Soda Springs. These are highly mineral and carbonated springs. No one knows why the water contains carbon dioxide, but you can see it bubbling up from the ground. But it doesn't taste good, it tastes strongly of iron. Unfortunately, during the day, my shin becomes increasingly painful, and I'm getting slower. It's also the first rainy day. It starts to drizzle around 2 p.m. and doesn't stop. But the scenery is once again beautiful. We pass through pine forests and rocky landscapes and past the Tuolumne Falls.

Just before we reach the camp, we have to cross two rivers that I can't cross with dry feet because of my shin. With the second one, I slip on a slippery rock, and my right arm and leg get wet. Warrior has an even worse time, she gets even more into the water. When we reach the camp, we set up our tents as quickly as possible in the rain and spend the evening in the tents. But despite the rain and the muddy river crossings, it was a good day. Such difficult days are part of it. The only thing that worries me is my leg. I'm glad I planned an extra day of food. So I only need to walk 14

Day 60: Good news, my sleeping pad is finally fully repaired, and I slept very well. Not so great, it's already raining from the beginning. After packing up everything I can in the tent, and it's raining harder again, I treat myself to my Complete Cookie in the tent. Complete Cookies are the best breakfast I can imagine on a trail. And since there were none in VVR, I had to go without them for a while. After the rain subsides, we take down the tents and start walking. It's a rainy hike up to Benson Pass. The ascent is quite easy, and at the pass, we find a wind- and rain-sheltered spot and have Pop Tarts o'clock.

The descent from the pass is not so easy anymore. Because of the rain, it's hard to see the trail again. Plus, the descent is steep, which is difficult with my shin. And there are snow fields to cross again and again. Since there were no below freezing temperatures during the night, the snow is very soft. On the one hand, it's good, because if you slip, you don't slide that much and hurt yourself less. On the other hand, you slip more frequently. The others are already far ahead of me, and I'm hiking alone. When I get back on the trail once again after losing it, I step on a rock with my left leg to step from it about a meter further onto the trail. The stone is surprisingly slippery, and with my injured leg, I can't keep my balance. I slip, hit the left thigh on the rock, and roll to the right and fall onto the trail. I collect myself quickly and get up. Luckily, neither me nor my equipment is damaged. I continue walking slowly. It's already 12 p.m., and I know that the others will probably take their lunch break soon. But if I want to make progress, I don't have time for breaks, so I decide to keep walking and rely on snacks.

The others catch up with me shortly before Benson Lake. Here we have a spectacular river crossing. Even at the shallowest point, the water is at least hip-deep. We find a spot that is about 12 meters wide. A tree trunk leads halfway, where it's hooked with others, so the middle part is slightly underwater. So we balance on the trunks and only get wet feet, which have been soaked for a long time already. This way, everyone safely crosses the river. It's still raining. After crossing the river, we accidentally take the wrong turn and shortly after, we're at Benson Lake, which we actually would have passed. So we turn around and walk back. Next, we head up to Seavey Pass. The scenery is great because it's foggy, and because of the rain, the landscape looks even rougher and wilder. We pass several alpine lakes. On the ascent, I overtake Warrior. She needs two trekking poles to set up her tent, but one of hers broke. So for now, she's borrowing mine. We hike the descent together. It's steep again, and there are many snow fields, so we make slow progress. And one of the most dangerous sections so far lies ahead of us. We follow the rushing Rancheria Creek on steep snowfields that extend all the way down to the water.

When we finally make it through this section and reach a campsite at 5:15 p.m., we decide to call it a day. As far as we know, the others are going to a campsite 4.2 miles further. That would probably take at least two hours with my leg, and I haven't taken off my backpack since the breakfast break. So I'm very glad that Warrior doesn't want to go any further either. I send Ninja a message, and we set up our tents. By now, the rain has stopped, and the sun even shines through occasionally. We have dinner together and have a good time. After a while, I receive a message from Ninja. The others have only walked 1.7 more miles, but we don't feel like packing up again now and catching up. Today has been one of the toughest days on the trail for me so far. My leg, the conditions, and the weather have demanded a lot from me, and I'm very glad that Warrior is with me, and we can hike together tomorrow.

Day 61: When I get out of the tent in the morning, I see blue sky. My mood immediately improves. Warrior and I start walking at 6 a.m. Shortly after that, I receive a message from Ninja saying that the others will start at 6:30. I reply that we'll probably see them for breakfast then. Actually, we meet them much earlier, namely at the first river crossing, which was a bit tricky. There are a few more of them today, but we can handle them dry by rock-hopping or balancing on logs. During breakfast, we use the sun to dry our things. After breakfast, my shin starts to hurt again, and I become very slow. Once again, I decide to skip the lunch break. I'm extremely frustrated with the situation. Today could have been a day when I could have been quite fast. Instead, I can hardly make any progress. When the others pass me one by one after their lunch break, I feel like crying. Due to the rain, all the streams carry a lot of water, and the meadows are soaked, so we often wade through water and mud, but I don't care anymore.

The only person who stays behind me on the ascent to Dorothy Lake Pass, through which we leave Yosemite National Park, is Warrior. She catches up with me on the descent, and we navigate our way across a few snowfields together. It's already close to 6 p.m. We're at mile 998.9 at a campsite. But we're sure that the others are waiting for us at mile 1000 and will camp shortly after. So we keep going. And that's how it is. But my mood is so low that I can't fully enjoy it, and I force a smile for the photos.

We camp at mile 1001. For dinner, I also eat the missed lunch in addition to dinner. Tomorrow, we'll finally reach Kennedy Meadows North after 16 miles. Here, I can send back my bear can and my new trekking poles have been delivered here. I hope that the reduced weight and better support with two poles will finally improve my shin.

Day 62: As soon as I finish packing in the morning, I start walking first. But it doesn't take long until the others catch up with me. But then I'm lucky, most of the trail goes uphill today, so I catch up with the others again and can keep up with them. Since we crossed Dorothy Lake Pass, the landscape has changed dramatically again. The mountains are bare and less rocky. The views are beautiful once again. We're following the mountain slopes again and crossing many long snowfields, which are manageable with microspikes.

The descent to Sonora Pass then presents a tricky section. It goes down a steep slope covered with a thin layer of scree, making it very easy to slip. This is followed directly by a steep and icy snowfield. There are a total of 10 hikers at this point. Butterfly has already made it through most of the scree field, but then can't proceed and gets help from another hiker. Because of the loose scree, we can only go down one by one to avoid triggering rockfall that could hit someone. So one by one, we descend. I'm the last one. As the only one, I climb down the scree field backward and with the help of my hands, but I have no problems. I have to say that for me, this passage is pretty low down on the list when it comes to danger. But evaluating such situations is very individual, and I absolutely understand the fear of the others. Fortunately, the snowfield isn't as big of a problem as it initially seemed because the snow becomes slushy pretty soon.

From Sonora Pass, we hitchhike to Kennedy Meadows North. Butterfly is picked up by her parents, who meet her here and have drinks, a little resupply, and brownies for all of us. Unfortunately, they don't have any more space in their car. Ninja and Hasbeen were earlier at the road and already got a hitch. Warrior and Gumby get the next one after about ten minutes. Sorry and I have less luck and need about one and a half hours. During that time, we chat with Pickels and Coach, who arrive at the road shortly after us. The driver who takes us in the end is a nice retired man who hiked the PCT himself in 2015 and 2016. Kennedy Meadows North honestly isn't such a great place to stay. The WiFi is so slow that it can hardly be used to send messages, and you wait forever for your food. But I'm rid of the bear can, and I have my new poles. And of course, there are endless other hikers here again. I see a hiker who has her ferret with her, and that throughout the entire trail. During dinner, Michael from Switzerland, who sleeps in the same room as Warrior and me, tells us an almost unbelievable story. A few days earlier, on one of the rainy days, he was at a river crossing with Warrior in the afternoon. The water was so high that they had to swim. On the other side was another hiker. So she called out to him asking if she could throw him her 'ferret.' The hiker assumed that it was some kind of equipment and even said that it would be a very long throw, but of course, she could try. And so she actually threw the ferret across the river. However, not far enough, but it apparently landed in a few branches and twigs on the riverbank, where the hiker then picked it up. When I saw the ferret, it seemed to be doing well, but I don't know how traumatized ferrets behave. I think all hikers on the PCT, myself included, have to be a little crazy. But even among them, you can find the especially crazy ones. In any case, since then, the ferret has a trail name: Flying Ferret. And I almost forgot, today two months ago, I started the trail. By now, I don't have a real sense of time anymore, it feels like it's been much longer and much shorter at the same time.

Day 63: The breakfast is actually very good. Afterwards, we hang out a bit until we take the 10 a.m. shuttle back to the trail. It takes me a little while to get used to hiking with two trekking poles again. Plus, the weight distribution of my pack is different without the bear can. But it's nice that it's noticeably lighter again. Today, there are many snowfields to cross again, especially at the beginning, and the snow is slushy. I actually manage to stab my own foot. I put down my right trekking pole and take a step with my right foot. The snow under my foot gives way, and I posthole under my pole. Then I put more weight on the pole, which subsequently breaks through the snow and lands on my shoe. Luckily, nothing happens, but how ridiculous would the story be of the hiker who had to quit the trail because he stabbed his own foot. Overall, today is still a very good day. Surprisingly, my shin causes very little trouble, and I have to hold back after the lunch break not to hike too fast. I'll continue to do that for the next two and a half days to South Lake Tahoe. But right now, I'm very optimistic that it will get better, and I can continue hiking without a longer break.

Day 64: My body keeps finding new ways to tell me that it hates what I'm doing here. In Kennedy Meadows North, I caught a cough. Probably from another hiker because I heard some of them saying that they were sick, and there was one guy in my room who was coughing a lot. During the day, it wasn't bad, just coughing occasionally, and shortly before the camp, my eyes watered like crazy. But now, in my sleeping bag, my nose is completely stuffed. I hope I can sleep. Otherwise, today has been very good. Since we're out of the High Sierras and there are fewer dangerous situations, we're splitting up again. Sorry is sleeping in because he doesn't feel well, Hasbeen and Ninja hike the 22 miles to the next camp, Butterfly starts later, and I hike with Warrior and Gumby. I'm super happy that my shin is so good now that I can keep up with them. And for some time, we're doing 10 before 10 again and have breakfast then.

What's annoying and exhausting today are the many slushy snowfields. The snow isn't particularly scenic, it's just an obstacle, and I haven't kept count of how often I slipped and fell. After breakfast, we hike up to the Saddle above Noble Lake. Afterward, the landscape changes dramatically again and almost reminds me of the desert section of the first 700 miles. The descent from the saddle is also a lot of fun, going down narrow switchbacks that remind me of a roller coaster. Later, we cross Highway 4 and come across some trail magic, which I didn't expect in the Sierras. There are sodas and snacks. That's very welcome once again, especially since we didn't count on trail magic in the Sierras. The rest of the day goes as usual, arrival at the camp, setting up tents, eating, getting ready for tomorrow, and in my case, writing a blog and listening to a podcast for a bit. Luckily, we can sleep in tomorrow and only start at 7 a.m., at least Warrior, Gumby, and I. Because after 20 miles, there's a 6-mile section where camping is not allowed. The others want to hike the 26 miles to make their way into town the day after tomorrow shorter. But I'm not ready to subject my leg to that route yet, so I'm very glad that the other two also want to take it easier. But we'll still make it into town the day after tomorrow, just later.

Day 65: I slept better than I expected. And the trail is more pleasant than the past few days, especially with fewer snowfields. I can keep up with Warrior and Gumby. But at some point, the cough makes itself noticeable, and even though it's actually very warm, I feel a fever that doesn't come from the outside. We cover the first ten miles quite quickly, and at 10:30 a.m., we have breakfast. Since we've already completed half of today's distance, we decide to go swimming during our lunch break at Lost Lake, which is just under seven miles away. On the way, we pass by 'The Nipple,' a summit that looks like, well, a nipple.

I don't know if it was the best idea, but at least for a short time, I also go into the lake. The water is cold, but not as cold as I expected, and afterwards, it's very relaxing to doze a bit in the sun. The last section to the camp, just before Carson Pass, after which camping is not allowed anymore, is characterized by a few more snowfields. During dinner, we talk about the emerging group dynamic of wanting to hike more miles faster. Actually, I've noticed that especially with my injury and illness and I don't like it. I'll wait and see how it develops, but right now, I'm not sure if the group will stay together much longer. In any case, the last two days have been really nice when it comes to hiking. The previous days, with shin splints and a cold, which I still have, were mentally exhausting, and for large parts of the day, I didn't enjoy hiking anymore. Especially not for another two months. I haven't thought about quitting during that time, but I'm glad that I enjoy hiking again and hope that once I'm over the cold, everything will be back to normal.

Day 66: My cold is slowly getting better, and today I can smell and taste again. My shin splints are almost completely gone. Soon, I should be back in top shape. The trail is beautiful today, the ascent to Carson Pass is quickly done, and except for a few snowfields, there are no obstacles. When we reach Highway 50, from where we hitchhike to South Lake Tahoe, we meet a young couple with a seven-month-old baby who have trail magic prepared. There are Gatorades, beers, and snacks. It turns out to be Hundi's brother with his wife and child. Hundi is a hiker we have met several times and who passed through here yesterday. While we're there, another trail running couple with a very cute dog comes by. Just when I've finished my second beer, a trail angel named Chipmunk comes by and asks if someone needs a hitch. He can only take four people, though. Besides Warrior, Gumby, and me, only Queen of Hearts is there, so it's perfect. By far the best hitchhiking experience so far. Chipmunk drives us all over the town to show us everything and drops us off at the outfitter. Here, I get new shoes that I urgently need.

Afterwards, Chipmunk takes us to the Motel 6, where the others already have rooms. Hasbeen arrived this morning, the other three even last night. The three of us go to a Greek restaurant nearby. The food is incredibly good, and the service is great. After that, we do the usual activities, showering and doing laundry. Tomorrow, we're taking a zero day, so we can save the resupply for tomorrow. Actually, there's a small change coming up. Gumby didn't get a B2 visa because he couldn't get an interview appointment, so he's only in the US with an ESTA for 90 days. Since he only has about three weeks left, his girlfriend is coming here tomorrow, and the two of them will initially hike here and then spend some time in Canada. So we'll meet his girlfriend tomorrow, and I'm very curious and probably we'll hike together at least for a day. But then it's time to say goodbye, which will definitely be sad.

Day 67: I slept very poorly last night. On the one hand, Hasbeen and Waterbaby came back from the casino later, and then Hasbeen snored incredibly loud. And whenever I woke up, I had a strong cough, which I tried to suppress as much as possible not to disturb the others. Otherwise, today was the usual zero day activities. During lunch, Gumby's girlfriend joined us. She quickly found her place in the group, and as far as I can tell, I like her. I'm looking forward to hiking with her for a few days. In the afternoon, I go to the outfitter again and finally decide, after thinking about it for at least 500 miles, to buy a sun hoodie. They're in fashion on the trail now and very practical, and the hoodie will replace my shirt. It's lighter, more breathable, and especially provides better protection for my neck because even after applying sunscreen several times, my neck is constantly burnt. And now, as we're going back to warmer and sunnier regions, it's a good choice. Because after we reach Lake Tahoe, the Sierras are officially behind us from a hiker's perspective. From tomorrow on, we're moving into Northern California. After dinner, we take a short trip to Nevada, down the road for a few hundred meters. And right beyond the state line, there are, of course, casinos, which I take a look at briefly. But I can resist the temptation to play, and I go back to the hostel with Sorry, Ninja, and Butterfly soon to hopefully get a good night's sleep.