I decided I need a good day on the trail, for the sake of my sanity. Not a mostly good day. An all good day. A day with no mosquitoes and no snow. A day when the weather is nice and there is no wind. Warm enough to take a bath without freezing. And the trail would be a trail. Not a river, or an ice sheet, a swamp or a rock fall. Just a smooth gently graded trail.
My hike started with a 1500 foot climb up snowy switchbacks. Ok, fine. But the add the wind. It was gusting so hard that every so often the wind would catch me off guard and blow me a few steps off trail. It was cold too, and for 9 miles up to Sonora Pass there was no escaping it. The scenery was beautiful (pictured), but the rocky slopes and bone chilling wind made it hard to appreciate.
The trail down to the pass went through every snow field on the mountain. It was the worst kind of snow too, mushy on top and frozen underneath. The top layer would slough off when you step on it, and I must have fallen 15 or 20 times. I was so exhausted and demoralized when I finally reached the pass (pictured, though I'm not looking at the camera because the wind is blowing my pack over) that I decided I need that perfect trail day or I'm not sure how much more I can take.
The rest of the day was easier. Less snow and smaller climbs through river canyons and around volcanic outcrops. Still, the constant elevation change was a drag, even if it was only 100 feet here and there. In the high Sierra the passes are tough, but you feel like you've made progress once they're done. Here it feels like the hills just keep rolling on forever.
I noticed how much complaining I've been doing, as if every new section of trail is the hardest thing ever. That, of course, isn't true. This section is much easier overall. I just feel worn down I guess. I can't pinpoint if it's physical or mental. Probably a bit of both. Though I do have pus and blood coming out of a sore on my hip, and have been noticing a wet cough the last couple of days. I'm sure that means I need to work harder, lol. Don't worry, I'm treating both very seriously to be safe, even though I'm sure a doctor would tell me to ignore them and they'll go away.
Anyway, Sonora Pass was a benchmark for me because I have driven over it so many times. Each time I would look at the PCT and think "maybe someday..." I wanted to see the pass from the perspective of a through hiker, so I snapped a photo from the north side before I left it behind. FYI: find the largest snow fields in the frame and you've found the PCT (not pictured: fun).
The afternoon turned out a little better. The wind never stopped, but it got less frigid as the day wore on. I found some cool bear tracks on the trail (pictured), and had a number of views of interesting rock formations. This is the Carson- Iceberg Wilderness, and I recommend it for those looking for a moderately strenuous outing.
I made it to Wolf Creek Pass just as the sun's last rays were dying out. I had enough time to throw out my sleeping bag (not going to bother with a tent in this wind). I'm now writing by the light of a fading orange sunset. I knocked out 33.5 miles and some ungodly amount of elevation change no doubt. Tomorrow looks easier on my maps, though the elevation marks are often off page so it can be hard to tell. Here's hoping for my perfect day!
