Snapshot from the Trail: PCT, Friday, July 15, 2005
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite N.P., California
Well, today was my longest zero day yet. I hiked into the Yosemite Valley. Not sure exactly how many miles I hiked, 24ish maybe. Anyhow, I managed to complete the John Muir Trail! Man it’s awesome to have that accomplished. Now it’s really Canada or bust.
So about today…well actually it starts last night at about 11pm when people decided to set up their camp all but in our campsite. I really liked having headlamp flashing into my tent. It made for awesome sleeping. I would have slept just as well if I had been in the middle of a dance club. Let’s leave it at me being, oh I don’t know, livid.
So the morning finally comes around. I woke up on my own (Doodlebug did check up on me) and as I was getting ready Stitch came over to say good morning. At 6:15am I was on the trail…well at least I was walking around the campground looking for the trail. Finally found it.
I had to deal with some snow patches and a ton of mosquitoes…especially in and around the Sunrise Camp area. In fact, if it hadn’t been for my rain gear and head net I absolutely would have jabbed my titanium spork in my eye and then thrown myself off a mountain. The mosquitoes were that bad. They were swarming by the thousands.
I met many people along the way, many JMT hikers who were just starting out. Man did they have a heck of a climb. Many of them were asking about trail conditions. One guy heard that Donohue Pass was impassable as of July 12. We went over it on the 14th. I told him not to worry, it was fine, a little bit of snow for about a mile on each side. He felt better.
Flew by the side trail to Half Dome and ran into a ton of people who had just come down. There was a wait for the cables it was so busy. It might have something to do with the fact that the cables are closed for maintenance, Monday-Thursday from 7am-4pm. It seems like a bad idea to encourage people to hike it so early or late in the day but, I guess, it’s a better idea than not maintaining the cables so people are making due.
Well, the trend continued…people, people everywhere. The park was hopping. I was passing people left and right. As I was waiting for the shuttle bus, I saw a deer and it’s baby bounding down the road…then I saw the bear chasing them. The topper was the tourists chasing the bear. Now I realize that I am not an expert in ursine behavior however I am certain that it is never prudent to run after a bear…to ask it to participate in a photo shoot.
I then hopped on the bus. I went to Curry Village and saw a buck peeing near the bus stop. I cannot believe how close parents let their children get to a peeing buck. If I were that buck and I was urinating, and it happened to be at a bus stop in front of many people’ and they were all staring and pointing and snapping pictures and letting their boogery children get close, I would have turned right around and bit someone. Granted, the Park Service would probably have to kill me but every action has it’s consequences. Right?
So I made it to Camp 4, I was told it’s the best place to hitch. Hitching didn’t go as well as planned. Finally, a nice man by the name of Sam gave me a ride to the 140/120 split. I then got a ride from another lady who was following her friend. At the 120 split, I went in her friend’s car. Rey drove me all the way to the Tuolumne store. It was a great ride and she was very knowledgeable about the area and the PCT. I got to the store about 10 minutes before it closed, got some pasta, talked to Dad and got back to camp at 9pm. Long day. I have finished the JMT!
Rob Miller
December 9th, 2008 at 3:13 pm #
Anitra,
I recently added a link to your blog in our blog’s sidebar: http://blog.TwoKnobbyTires.com/
Do you think our blog is worthy of being linked to from your blogroll?
Keep up the good work,
Rob Miller