Day 70: Upper Kinney Lake (MP 1052) to Forestdale Divide (MP 1074)

June 5, 2014

Up this morning around 6:30am as Dirtmonger and friend passed by. More postholing through Raymond Meadows but flowers and sage smelled amazing. Lunch around mile 1060, nice view over Pleasant Valley creek. Leapfrogged Half Dome into the Sunset Lakes area of the Tioyabe National Forest before continuing to Tamarak Lake where I went swimming. Shortly after the skies started to turn grey. Soon ran into 300 and Easy Strider  and went up and over the Nipple during a hail and thunder storm. Eventually turned to rain and then stopped as I approached Forestdale Divide. Beautiful campsite at the summit.

Day 69: Boulder Creek (MP 1032) to Upper Kinney Lake (MP 1052)

June 4, 2014

Late start this morning, on the trail around 7:30am after chatting with Squirrel as she passed by my campsite. Continued through the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, past Wolf Creek Pass and around Asa Lake. Met a photographer/backpacker, Kent, as I climbed the pass near Tryon Peak. Down to Noble Lake for lunch where Half Dome (formerly Carlos) and Easy Strider passed and chatted for a while. Caught up with them in Noble Canyon where Easy Strider was doing to camp. Half Dome joined me for the climb up and past Ebbetts Pass. He stopped to camp near Sherrod Lake and I continued to Upper Kinney Lake. Twenty miles today.

Day 68: Upper Kennedy Canyon (MP 1009) to Boulder Creek (MP 1032)

June 3, 2014

Up and on the trail early (3am) to enjoy the sunrise along an epic ridge walk through the Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest. Glissaded down to Sonora Pass then up and around Sonora Peak before postholing into the Carson Iceburg Wilderness along the East Fork of Carson River. Ran into Alpaca again, catching up on her trail adventures before camping near Boulder Creek.

Day 67: Kerrick Canyon (MP 978) to Upper Kennedy Canyon (MP 1009)

June 2, 2014

On the trail around 6:30am, still in Yosemite National Park. Down Kerrick Canyon fording swift Rancheria Creek, over a pass and down into Stubblefield Canyon then up and over Macomb Ridge. Down to Wilma Lake (or Wilmer as the trail signs indicate) where I met two section hikers: Gaspedal and Firestarter who seemed to be enjoying the mosquitos while doing a bit of fishing. On up Jack's Main Canyon, past Dorothy Lake, and up to Dorothy Lake Pass where I left Yosemite behind. Entered the Hoover Wilderness of Toiyabe National Forest as I descended toward Cascade Creek and mile 1000! Just after lunch near Walker Meadows, I passed a couple of southbound weekend backpackers. Stopped to talk with Squirrel and Early Bird who were camped at the ford in Kennedy Canyon along with Hot Foot, Reboot and Bones before continuing a couple more miles. Set up camp around 9pm high up the ridge; thirty one miles today.

Day 66: Virginia Canyon to Kerrick Canyon (MP 978)

June 1, 2014

Finished my detour up to Summit Pass/Summit Lake and back to the PCT at Return Creek. Onward up and into Matterhorn Canyon, over Benson Pass (postholing through the snow on the north flanks of both), past Smedberg and Benson Lakes before postholing once again down into Kerrick Canyon where I camped for the evening around mile 978. Twenty eight miles today and didn't see a single soul!