From PCT mile 1058.6 to 1074.4 Total: 15.8 miles 8/14
On the 38th day of my PCT Sierra Section Hike I started near Raymond Peak in the Mokelumne Wilderness and hiked north through upper Pleasant Valley, then on across the granite basin containing Wet Meadows Reservoir and Tamarack Lake, and on, climbing up the windy exposed slope of The Nipple above the Blue Lakes, to the Lost Lakes, and north to the Forestdale Divide, where I then descended to a campsite near The Elephant.
I didn’t realize it last night, but the spot on a ridge where I camped was perfectly situated to catch the first rays of the morning sun. Of course, I slept late enough to still be in my tent when it rose, but that was due to the sixteen mile day I had yesterday. Sadly, Today was planned to be another sixteen miles, but I wasn’t too worried. I was truly a Hiking Machine now, and, if I desired, I could keep on hiking indefinitely, into the night if needed. Today’s plan was to hike about six miles downhill, then five uphill, and five more mostly downhill.
I ate breakfast first, then got dressed in my now-stinky day-clothes in a slightly warmer than usual tent. I packed up quietly, because I heard a couple arrive last night and didn’t want to wake them. They were far enough away that small noises were OK, and they hadn’t kept me up at all. Good neighbors. I put on my pack and headed out a bit after 6am, so I wasn’t as late as it sounds. It looked like it was going to be a fine clear day, with no rain in the forecast for at least a week. By then I’d be heading home. All I had to do now was crank out another hundred miles to my car at Donner Pass. I had the willpower for it. And the legpower.
After passing the side trail to Raymond Lake, the PCT headed downhill into upper Pleasant Valley through obviously volcanic rock. No Sierra Granite here! It was a bit crumbly, and at one point I was seriously not amused at the eroded trailbed just above a steep drop-off. Very sketchy indeed. But I made it OK. The trail also had great views, down into Pleasant Valley and all the way out into the distance where Topaz Lake faintly shimmered in the morning light. Somewhere down in the depths of the valley I spotted burnt pine trunks, and I was glad it didn’t make it up here. Not that there was a lot of wood to burn on the steeper slopes. This volcanic soil wasn’t great for trees, probably because it eroded too fast. But at least the views were good.
After crossing an upper branch of Pleasant Valley Creek, the trail climbed again, heading southwest, for some reason. This trail rarely heads due north, which was aggravating at times. But I still love it. Along the way I noticed that the sun was at the perfect angle to highlight one of my pet peeves, which is the prevalence of sharp-pointed hiking sticks and the destruction and erosion of the trail edge that they cause. Trail crews know all about this damage, and there isn’t anything they can do to stop it. Maybe if more hikers used the rubber tips it would help, as they might not loosen the soil so much. Plus, rubber tips work on granite, where carbide tips just skitter away uselessly. Oh well. I’m probably beating a drum that no one will ever hear. Of course, I also have great balance and don’t hike with sticks at all. I only carry one, and only use it on snow or when crossing tricky streams, for a bit of extra insurance.
The trail left the Mokelumne Wilderness behind as it neared Wet meadow Reservoir. I took a short hike to check it out, as my PCT Sierra Trout Fishing list didn’t mention it. I looked for fish rising to the surface, but saw nothing, so I didn’t update the list. When I arrived, the water had been drained quite a bit. That’s what happens to reservoirs. They get used. And maybe the fish went away when it got drained.
The trail crossed a forest road, and I saw some RV’s parked in the forest nearby. Probably a campground, as there was good fishing in some of the nearby lakes. Plus swimming for the kids. National Forests are good for that.
An hour or so later, I stopped for water at the Tamarack Lake outlet creek. Even though there were plenty of lakes and ponds in this big granite basin, many of them were at a distance from the PCT. Getting water was more a matter of finding a flowing creek on the Far Out crowd-sourced app. This was one of the last spots for many miles, so I filtered two liters. That would be enough. I also took a lunch break here, and washed one of my two sets of merino wool socks. Merino wool doesn’t stink, but it absorbs trail dust just fine.
My rest spot was the low point of the valley, and then the trail began to climb. I had to climb about 1400 feet in the next five miles, which wasn’t a bad grade at all. So I got started. It was fun, and I got to hike on a granite trail, which I like. I crossed the paved Blue Lakes Road, and I saw a couple of big RV trailers drive by. This was a popular camping destination! The trail kept on climbing as it wound in and out of the trees and low ridges. Good views presented themselves on occasion, but I had to remember to turn around to get them.
An hour or so later, the trail broke free of the forest and the real climbing began. The sun beat down and the wind picked up. The few pines eventually fell behind and only the Woolly Mules Ears remained. They have pretty yellow daisy-like flowers in the Spring, but now they were hanging on for dear life on a hot dry flinty slope of marginal soil. Naturally, as I climbed, the views got better and better. Soon, Lower Blue Lake came into view, as did the distant mountains to the south. It should also be stated that the mountain I was (almost) climbing was called “The Nipple.” There were many sophomoric comments about it in the Far Out app, at the spot where a side trail to the summit branched off near the highest point on the PCT as it traversed around the peak.
It was warm in the sun, but the building breeze kept me cool. Sweating while Freezing, I call it. Perfect hiking weather, provided it doesn’t get too windy. And this breeze promised to do just that.
The Pacific Crest itself went directly over the summit. Most of the time I was on the west side, in the Eldorado National Forest, but the trail wasn’t afraid to cross back over into the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest when it felt like it. Lower Blue Lake became better defined with higher elevation, and soon enough, I rounded a curve and Upper Blue Lake was also on display. Yes, they were blue all right. They were also covered with wavelets thanks to the wind blowing across their surfaces.
The wind was a constant pressure from the west, mostly sideways, much like I experienced south of Sonora Pass a few days ago. But it also gusted significantly. I checked my position on the map, and there was a saddle up ahead, where the trail would cross over to the east, to the lee side. I was looking forward to it. Just before the saddle, however, the trail was barely a notch on the extremely steep slope of the mountain. If I slipped along here I might start tumbling downhill. I walked as carefully as a man without trekking poles can walk. When I got to the saddle, I looked ahead, and three horses and riders were coming uphill toward me. I waved them to keep on coming, and I stepped back to a safe spot, one that wouldn’t spook the animals. I noticed that two of them dismounted and walked their horses along the sketchy section. If the winds weren’t there it would have been fine, but they made quite a bit of surface area when mounted.
Down below me on the eastern side of the ridge were the Lost Lakes, while the Blue Lakes were on the western side. I took quite a few photos and videos, just like I always do. This was a pretty good spot for that. There were moments when I felt that the wind was going to push me bodily, which was exhilarating in its own way.
Eventually, of course, I had to make the descent to the Lost Lakes. It felt great to be on the lee side, without the constant roar of the wind in my ears, and the incessant flapping of my hat brim on my cheek. There weren’t many trees up on this exposed ridge, and I could see why. It must be terrible here during a Winter storm when the rime ice forms on the needles. It grows thicker with time, like icicles getting longer, until it’s heavy enough to tear off branches and take down entire trees.
I stopped and took a sit-down break in the calm of the trees across the road leading to the Lost Lakes. My fishing guide indicated that the lakes were stocked with Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. Even though I’ve never caught one, I wasn’t interested today. I knew it would be tragic with all that wind. Plus, it was already 2pm, and I still had four more miles left to hike. At this point, I mainly wanted to get into camp and get out of the wind.
The next stage of the day’s hike was traversing along the talus slope on the western side of Peak 9374. This was an annoying bit of trail, with relatively large loose rocks, many of which tipped and wobbled and clinked together as you walked on them. Not smooth, and not cruisey. Still, I liked the sound even if I hated hiking it, so I took a video, just for fun. This rock wasn’t Sierra-grade granite; it was more of a solid volcanic rock, like dacite or andesite. But I’m no geologist, so don’t take my word for it. I just know that they clinked.
The next piece of trail paralleled the forest road, and even crossed it at one point. It led toward the summit of the Pacific Crest yet again. This time it was called the Forestdale Divide. It was easy hiking along there, and the distance went by rapidly. I felt like I was getting closer to camp.
Once I was on the divide, the next mile and a half to camp was all downhill. Forestdale Creek was flowing down there somewhere. A quick check of the Far Out app indicated that the trickle at camp may have dried up already. That meant getting some a short way before that, at the main creek itself. I could handle that. Plus, everything looked greener down there, and there were ponds. Very pretty. I hiked onward happily.
I stopped to collect two liters of water at the creek but there weren’t any trees around to hang it from. I grew addicted to letting gravity do the work, rather than laboriously squeezing a cold wet water bladder. So I strapped the full bladder onto the back pocket of my pack and carefully slung the unbalanced pack over my shoulders. I was hoping to find a tree at the campsite.
The campsite must have been popular, as there were a number of flat spots under the trees. It was only 4:30pm or so, and I figured that there might be late arrivals, so I chose the spot furthest from the trail. There was a big granite boulder to block the wind, and it was shady enough. I put down my pack and did some stretches. Another sixteen mile day in the bank!
I hung up the water filter apparatus and let it flow while I set up the tent. I got my gear distributed both inside the tent (for things I might need at night) and just outside the tent under the vestibule (within arms reach but requiring me to unzip the bug screen). I had a good system going by this time. A place for everything and everything in its place, as they say. Then I took down the water bladders and put them into the vestibule as well.
I read in the app that there was Verizon signal here. So I climbed up onto the big boulder and took in the view. I called Vicki on the phone, which made both of us happy, and texted some photos home to friends and family, which made them jealous. I wondered why there was signal, and checked the map. Highway 88 went over Carson Pass, and it was down in the valley in the distance. Now it made sense. I would be climbing over Carson Pass tomorrow morning.
After that, I went into the tent and didn’t come out until later, for one last bathroom break before bed. I ate my ramen noodles and read my Kindle. I updated my notes and my position on my CalTopo map. I also noted all the ups and downs that Far Out said I did, as well as the total miles. And my watch told me how many steps I took. Type A personalities love their data, and I must be one of them. I was hoping to hike about fifteen miles tomorrow, and I would be nearing Lake Tahoe. That sounded like plenty of fun to me, and I was looking forward to it.
For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page
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