Aug 17: Mather Pass -- Kings River -- Sculpted Camp

I started packing my belongings and preparing breakfast. I had to wash my socks, and attempt to dry out my bag in the weak morning sunlight. For the first time, I felt that I might not be able to keep our scheduled pace of 12 miles/day--surely last night’s freeze would push my cold into something worse.

Last one to get ready, I felt a burning determination to make it through. Surprisingly my walking ability not too badly affected by last night and I charged up the barren rocky ascent to Mather Pass. Here’s what it looks like midway up:

Somehow I found the energy and reserves to push on and get to the top of the pass. Susan and I relaxed at the top and I shoot two panoramas to show the two sides of the pass.

We speculate about whether we can see today’s destination lake in the canyon approach to Pinchot Pass. The cellphone again makes no connection to anything. I decide to get going first as I want to participate in picking our campsite and have time to dry out my sleeping bag.

I trucked through the alpine “Upper Basin” and soon caught up to a group of young people playing around on their shovels--apparently a trail repair crew wrapping up their work. I passed them after awhile and for quite some time would hear them toss rocks and scree off the trail as they walked along it.

I keep my fast pace up and mile after mile fell by the wayside. Finally I am so tired I can’t go on without lunch, and I find a wonderful sunny spot by a small stream. I lay out my sleeping bag in the sun and take off my boots and dip my toes in the cold Sierra water, perhaps the most relief I’ve had in months. Some people go by and off in the distance I hear and see someone doing more trail work. Time could have stopped for all I knew or cared. The sound of the stream, the sun’s warmth, and my tired repose formed a perfect balance.

Eventually I regained some energy and repack. I slowly move down the trail only to discover that I was a short distance from the crossing of the Kings River. There are people on the other side so I follow them briefly. My energy’s flat but the hill is steep as anything and I’ve got to secure a campsite so I keep up a good pace, although the ten member trail crew passes me carrying their shovels and gear.

Soon the trail breaks out of the dense cover and I see the first lake. I feel triumphant as the second and destination lake pulls into view. I rest for awhile at a spot next to the trail and then start investigating other campsites, eventually finding a flat site with a great view behind an incredible fallen log whose roots are sculpted in the most amazing way. Some women come along the JMT and I ask them if they have any cold medicine but they don’t.

There is a huge tent structure down by the first lake which I ponder over. We didn’t realize it, but reportedly there is a summer ranger stationed there.

I keep an eye out for my friends but no one shows for a long while. Finally Susan comes along and we agree that the campsite will work out. She is concerned about David--she waited back at the last trail intersection for some time without seeing him. Finally she decides to go looking for him sans pack.

I create a sign for David on the trail with a stick and start setting up camp. My sleeping bag feels like it is mostly dry although some overcast has come along to filter the sun’s warmth.

Then David arrives and tells me about his adventure over by Taboose Pass. We agonize over how to deal with the fact that the sun is rapidly going down and Susan is out there somewhere, without a fully functioning flashlight. We shout from the top of the knoll to no avail.

Finally, when twilight’s taking hold and it’s starting to look really bad, Susan arrives. She had gone all the way back to the Kings River and back. It’s such a relief that we’re all together again. Dinner is a happy event as the last light fades from the gorgeous peaks all around.

Once the sun is gone the wind picks up and tosses my tent about some. I am never so happy to crawl into a dry sleeping bag. I slept pretty well and we heard no bears.

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