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Day 69
After a couple more trips to the now hilly crest we begin the descent to Sierra City. For a little while I break out of my spell and can’t help but immerse myself in the world as it completely changes around me. The air gets more humid, colorful plants are popping up everywhere in vast…
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Day 68
We ran into J.P. and Abbey around lunch. Just north of Donner Pass, we went to check out the Sierra Clubs Peter Grubb hut. Someone had left some stuff up in the loft. Soon enough we saw who. A young couple sitting out in back of the hut. They looked an awful lot like the…
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Day 68
We have many encounters and incidents. Pete takes a fall on a steep snowfield and barely avoids a serious injury. We cross I-80 at Donner Pass, coming into contact with a B&B climbing school, joggers, fishers, mountain bikers, and fellow trail walkers. All these events touch us somehow. Pete “swaps” the leaky water bottle for…
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Day 67 (Pete)
Today’s views more than compensated for yesterdays lack. Fairly early on, before breakfast, we climbed up onto the Sierra Crest. The trail was to stick close to the top of the ridge all day, dancing from one side to the other. To the west, green wooded foothills rolled off toward the central valley. To the…
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Day 67
Early on we climb up to the crest for some peeks at awesome Lake Tahoe. We can never see the whole lake at once. Cutting through closed Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley ski areas makes us imagine the hordes of skiers that were still on the slopes this time last year. Our attempts to glacade…
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Day 66 (Pete)
The morning we went from Showers lake to Echo lake the snow was icy hard and pitted out with sun cups. The lower elevations make route finding extremely difficult. Before, we were above tree line a great deal of the time. Peaks could be used as references and the topography of the land was much…
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Day 66
Maybe it’s the thicker trees, or the mosquitos. Or the amount of time on the trail. I start shutting the world out, falling into routines, poring over the guidebook calculating mileages. Maybe Pete & I have reached an impasse. Although I still love the life, my attitude toward the trail is changing, taking on more…
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Day 65 (Pete)
I’m writing this on little line notepad paper because the usual unlined 8.5 X 11 sheets in the resupply box never arrived. Along with the guide book, film, all our FOOD. Really, if it had to happen anywhere, this was the place. My Uncle Keith and Aunt Jan have a cabin right near Echo Lake…
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Day 65
After a suitable raid on a nearby grocery store, we’re heading into the snowy Desolation Wilderness. Just over Poop Out Ridge we poop out, next to a peaceful little lake. One of our three water bottles has a leak.
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Day 64
The goal for the day is Echo Lake Resort, where Pete’s Uncle Keith and Aunt Jan will feed us and put us up for the night. To get there we have to negotiate several miles of crusty snow in low, thickly forested hills. With not much more of a plan than “head north”, we somehow…