Desolation Wilderness

1. 

When everything's wet all the time it's important to find time to dry things out 

And bathe in the Stream whenever possible

10 miles a day

I could not walk more than 10 miles a day in the Sierra .Even after I became confident with my navigation skills. When you're hiking on top of snow pack for many miles it becomes impossible to calculate elevation gains and losses because the drifts can be 40 ft deep.

The ice axe combined with mountaineering boots are essential for me at my age .I need to be able to cut steps into the snow banks with my boots  and if it's ice-covered I need to be able to cut steps using  the adze of my axe . Twice I needed my  ice axe to arrest my fall on icy slopes. Once on a 1200 ft descent .Aside from thermal gear  my ice axe is my most important piece of mountaineering gear 

Heatwave

During my time in the town of Bishop a heat wave caused flooding in the surrounding area.
I took a bus North to South Lake Tahoe. Then started walking North through Desolation Wilderness. This picture is Aloha Lake mostly covered with ice just a small opening to get water from. I found a patch of Earth to put my tent on.

I spent most of my time alone in Desolation Wilderness .  The trails were mostly covered with snow and I had no one but myself to rely on for navigation . The first couple of days were difficult . When the trail is covered with snow and Ice, it's not always the safest route. it's important to know your target destination and find the safest way there .  Traversing Mountainside switchbacks that are covered with ice and snow is dangerous 

 June 17th, on the way to resupply in the town of Bishop .I exited the PCT via Kearsarge pass. 11700 ft above sea level .the  climb was as exciting as the two previous days. These last 3 days Whitney, Forester, Kearsarge were the most adrenaline-filled days of my entire life.

Next big climb

Me and Wizkid Forester pass 13200 feet above sea level .This ascent was more difficult than the summit climb on Whitney. Both days had  spine-tingling traverses . But snow obscured the Switchback trails  on the shoot , south-facing slope approaching Forester pass. It was a long slow wall hug straight up to that mountain pass.crampons and Ice axe the whole way. After the pass it was one long glissade down the other side our speed averaged six miles per hour on The Descent

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Endorphin and adrenaline

After climbing Whitney, I felt like I could do anything. Near the end of our hiking day, this stream Crossing was relatively easy and provided a boost as one more challenge is behind us. Less than 1 mile later we met our match. A stream that was so swollen by the days snow melt that we could not cross it safely . Our last failed attempt left us soaking wet as the sun went down. We pray for below-freezing temperatures to reduce the amount of runoff in the Stream to make the crossing easier in the morning. Another night camping on snow pack. And soaking wet boots mean solid blocks of ice to put on our feet in the morning. As soon as I wake up, I put my boots in the dry sack I use for my sleeping bag, I curl around them in the fetal position inside my sleeping bag until the ice melts enough to put them on my feet. The Crossing in the morning went much easier. the stream was still a raging torrent that nearly knocked me off my feet but the endorphins and the adrenaline make it all manageable and gives you the head of steam for the next big climb

Whitney Summit

Mount Whitney Summit tallest mountain in the lower 48 states 14,500 ft

We Camped at Guitar Lake and begin our Ascent Before Sunrise

I am proud of my accomplishment but I acknowledge that I could not have done it alone.

The positive energy from the group that welcomed me has filled me with new confidence

Happiness abounds in this Pleasant group of young people

I joined a herd

I fell down an icy slope. My confidence was the only thing shattered. I backtracked to the town of Lone Pine and purchased Mountaineering  boots, crampons, ice axe, thick trousers and Gators to protect my legs from the crampons and the inevitable Falls. On the mountains I could feel the advantage the new gear gave me, but my confidence did not come back until I joined a group.

Kennedy Meadow

Kennedy Meadow is like a birthday party for everyone. As you first approached the General Store everyone cheers you on to celebrate your arrival. Everyone in the trail Community is your family, and they are proud to see that you have made it this far. Next you pick up your packages. The next stage of your life, on this Trail will be very different and you will need a new set of toys.
Then you eat cake. At the Grumpy Bear Restaurant they serve pancakes that are the size of a large pizza. I was the first at the bar to finish my entire breakfast and I received a round of applause as though I just blew out candles on my birthday cake. The last seven hundred miles of desert seemed harsh at the time. But it was Child's Play compared  to the adult life that awaits us in the Sierra Wilderness Area.

Extended family

I met a young woman named Savannah on the summit of San Jacinto. Her family supports her Intrepid nature. On this blistering hot day in the desert they set up a hamburger stand on the trail. Mom served fresh fruit, and Dad tended the grill. Cold drinks for everyone.
The Israeli soldiers set up shade canopy using trekking poles and bed sheets. The hiking Community is the most inclusive group that I know . Some Trail Angels don't hike . They provide support for hikers in many various ways and enjoy being part of this linear community

400 miles

After four weeks, approximately 400 miles of hiking. Trail conditioned Thru- hikers all move at about the same brisk pace. If there are hikers a mile ahead of you or a mile behind , the only time you will cross paths is if one takes a break. If you coincidentally take breaks at the same time, you could  hike the whole day without seeing other hikers . Because of this many people can occupy the same Trail and still enjoy many hours of Solitude. Above is a picture of Me and My Shadow enjoying quiet milestones.
The trail also provides awesome opportunities to socialize.

Casa De Luna

Joe and Terrie Anderson have captured Both Worlds at Casa De Luna. Hikers from all over the world are welcome to socialize in the front of the house. During my stay I heard many languages spoken as hikers respectfully enjoyed their shared experience.
The expansive backyard was quiet refuge for weary Wanderers.

Mine was one of many tents in this wild life Sanctuary known as Manzanita Forest in the Andersons backyard. Thank you Joe and Terrie I had a fantastic time

Tracking Beacon

The majority of long-distance hikers that I have met ,carry some form of tracking device or emergency Beacon. Mine is called the spot connect .During the time that I have my device turned on , my support team back home can click on a shared web page to follow my progress and see my exact location on a map as it is updated every 10 minutes.
My friend Mark is a retired Logistics expert.
During my 2012 Appalachian Trail thru hike he called me on my cellular phone on several occasions to guide me back to the trail when he saw that I made a wrong turn. On Thursday May 18th of this year I left the desert town of Agua Dulce. I was 4 miles into the desert when I realized I had not packed enough water to get me to the next water source safely. I had no choice but to go back to Agua Dulce to fill my water jugs. But first I went into the bar and grill had a couple of beers and burgers with the other hikers. I knew that Mark would be the first one to realize that something was wrong. So after lunch I sent him an email explaining why I returned to Agua Dulce. He immediately replied I thought you had a problem with your gear  because I see you are at the hardware store. All the while I was in the Pub ,my pack and Beacon were on a bench outside of the hardware store where the water hose is to refill my jugs . Mark used his computer skills to Overlay my Geographic location with a map from Google Earth to see what building I was in.
One week later ,after resupplying in the town of Mojave California my beacon batteries were dead and I didn't realize until I was past the point of no return. In a remote area with no cell signal. I had no way to communicate to my loved ones that all was well. I moved as quickly as I could for 3 Days until I finally had Karen on the phone .she told me that Mark  advised her the day earlier to give me one more full day before calling the Rangers.
Later that day ,I stopped at Walker Pass Campground and met a trail angel named Chris a 74 year old retiree and Ultra Runner. Chris was at the campground providing food and beverages to assist the hikers. When I told him my situation he happily offered me a ride to the town of Ridgecrest 25 miles away where they have a super Walmart and Kmart. Now  I'm carrying enough batteries to keep my beacon working until I meet with Karen in Oregon for the solar eclipse in late August.
I am solo hiker, but I am never alone.

KOA Campground

Me and Haines at the KOA in Acton.
I carry paper maps and guide book pages for approximately 500-mile sections. Before I left home I prepared these resources in resupply boxes to be sent to me as needed by my wife Karen. On Tuesday May 16th I pitched my tent at the KOA Campground for a $15 charge. Wednesday morning  I hitchhiked into the town of Acton to pick up my resupply box at the post office. I got a ride from an older gentleman named Greg driving a white Ford Ranger pickup truck. Greg dropped me off at the post office just as it was opening the timing was perfect. Before I got out of the truck I asked Greg where I can get a good breakfast. He said the best place is Crazy Otto's but it's a long way from the KOA, then he offered to wait while I picked up my package and drive me to Crazy Otto's. When Greg dropped me at the restaurant I invited him to join me and offered to pay for his breakfast in hopes I could get a ride back to the KOA. He said he had already eaten but he'd be back in a half hour to pick me up to take me back to the KOA. Crazy Otto's was the best breakfast I've had in a month . Only one cook in the kitchen but he really knew what he was doing. On the way back to the KOA I offered Greg money for gas and he refused to take it. But when he stopped at the gas station to refuel I jumped out of the truck and swiped my credit card at the pump and started filling his tank. I wanted to fill it but he stopped me at $10.
Every single day on the trail I am overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.
For some people when we are not competing with each other, we are still  in competition to be our personal best.

Mount Baden Powell

After resupplying at Jensen's grocery I decided to spend the night in Wrightwood. That decision coupled with a late start Saturday morning lined me up for a very late Summit push Saturday evening 5 p.m. I worried about the struggles I had on Mount San Jacinto.
My body had made the necessary adjustments. I had no problem with the thin air. I summited strong without muscle fatigue. That which had not killed me,

has indeed Made Me Stronger

Fuel the body

Thursday May 11th. I take my time packing up my Silverwood Lake campsite.Just  50 miles until the summit of mount baden-powell. If the land was flat that would be an easy 2-day hike.Add 6000 feet of elevation gain and it's a three-day hike .

I tried to finish my pizza  for  breakfast.I  have no appetite. In 10 miles I'll be at Cajon Pass with a convenience store, McDonald's, Del Taco and Subway. Whenever there is a food venue less than 1 mile from the trail, you must take that opportunity to fill your bodies fuel tank. The two hamburgers and large bucket of sugar water that I consumed at McDonald's was resources that I did not have to carry on my back for 10 miles. As I gained elevation the ridge walks become more frightening and the opportunity for sheltered tent space becomes less frequent. I put up my tent in a wash out among rocks and poison ivy. I slept like a baby literally curled up in fetal position. I am a small person it's easy to leave no Trace when your entire body footprint is so small.

Bobcat outside my tent

At Silverwood Lake Campground I saw this Bobcat, not far from my tent. I had just finished eating tuna fish for lunch. I know cats like tuna. The park ranger told me not to worry about it. She said the small Bobcats mostly just eat squirrels. She also told me a local pizza shop will deliver to the campsite. So I ordered an anchovy pizza, I crave salt when I'm on the trail.

Tuesday May 9th

 cold slept late. It's mostly downhill today. My strategy was out run the polar vortex over Big Bear City. By mid afternoon I thought it was working beautiful sunny day not too hot.
By 6 p.m. I got off the trail found a place to put up the tent the wind was picking up temperature dropping and dark clouds filled the sky. Hiked 21 milesGood enough 7 p.m. I finished going over my maps of made my notes its raining and I'm going to sleep

Slack pack

I Double zeroed friday & Saturday in the big bear area. During that time I became familiar with the public tranportation between the Two Towns Big bear city & Big bear lake.  Big bear lake has greater resupply options and the mountain transit is reliable
"Slackpack" is Trail talk  for hiking without the full weight of your gear. There are many ways to accomplish this.At The Nature's Inn I met Mike & Greg, local residence. They were interested in long distance hiking lifestyle and they were familiar with the local trails .Greg  offered to drive me around that weekend  showing me many  access points from Trail to town.You can choose to slack a small number of miles or almost 20 miles in that area, without coordinating with Car and Driver.I reserved the mountain lion room for another night, with the intention of leaving most of my gear  in the hotel room,  walking a few Trail miles and returning to the hotel. Jerry the innkeeper told me to bring cold weather gear on my hike .I'm glad I listened to Jerry.What started as a sunny day quickly became a freezing winter wonderland. My gloves were inadequate and I quickly lost the fine motor skills of my hands due to the bitter cold. Setting up my tent would've been nearly impossible . Instead I fumbled with the key to my room turned up the heat lit the

fireplace and took a hot shower Much thanks Jerry. Big Bear City is more like Mayberry RFD .Jerry runs the Nature's inn with a comfortable family feel. It was hard to leave

Zero day

" zero day" is Trail talk for any day that you don't walk Trail miles. Miles walked to or from the  trail or miles walked within a Town do not count as Trail miles. Zero day does not necessarily mean day of rest. Post offices are not all open on weekends. Timing of town stops around business hours is critical. Before I left Mount Laguna I shipped some gear 200 miles north to Big Bear City. Leaving Whitewater Preserve I had nearly 60 miles to cover in two days to get to Big Bear City post office before close of business Friday. After sleeping someplace different than I had anticipated the previous night. I woke up 28 miles from Big Bear. The first half of the day would be climbing From Below 7000 to almost 9,000 feet. As I approached big Bear I called to reserve a room at a hotel closest to the post office. The Nature's Inn was very accommodating welcoming PCT hikers with a special rate. The Innkeeper Jerry Sheen told me I could have the squirrel room for a reasonable price. After hearing a description of the room I asked how much more expensive for an upgrade to a larger room. Jerry performed Magic and got me the much larger mountain lion room for the same rate ,thank you Jerry. Minutes after that phone call I arrived at Highway 18 got a ride immediately and was at the post office before 4 p.m. that day was filled with surprises. The biggest surprise was that it was Thursday not Friday. The next day was Cinco de Mayo. Maybe I'll get a zero day after all. My first 13 days I hiked 266 trail  miles  that's 10 % of the overall trail .I averaged over 20 Trail miles per day

Lost in a pocket

It's important for me to look over my maps and data sheets in the evening during daylight. I usually start hiking before the sun comes up. Studying map in the morning  by flashlight it's easy to overlook details. Especially at elevation with no coffee. I put the maps that I need for the next day in a pocket where I can easily access them during the hike. This particular morning moving swiftly on Flatland I lost track of the distance I traveled and missed an important turn at a stream Crossing. I couldn't find my map in my pocket. I unpacked all my gear from my backpack searching for my map. As the sun came up the trail revealed itself.
Simon , the Mountaineer I met on san Jacinto told me" if you are adequately provisioned, and you have appropriate survival gear ,and know how to use it. You are never lost you're just sleeping someplace different than you anticipated. Genius! I also have wilderness camping permit & a California campfire permit. I'll never forget Lessons Learned as a Boy Scout, be prepared.
I covered 20 miles that day despite my circuitous route. The map was in my pocket the whole time. Clear skies ,cloudy brain.