Thursday Day 54

5.17.2018

Mile 774-788

Best day ever. Today was like none other in my life and it kinda left me wanting more. I know my reasons for not having done things certain things in life and today became one of those days when they just happened. There was no going back. There was nowhere to go but up.

It was just after 4am when we were all ready to go–Andrew, Laura, Dude, Karma, and myself. Still dark, we headed up the trail with only the light of our small headlamps. It was cold, well below freezing. We were bundled up with nervous excitement of the next few miles that were to come. Within less than an hour of walking my water bottles on the side of my pack were practically frozen. It was around 515 for sunrise today which proved to be amazing with the mountain landscapes that lay before us. The main purpose of the day was to get up and over Forester Pass before the sun warmed and the snow became dangerously slushy. We pretty much walked on hard crusted snow for the next 2 hours. It was Slow going as we would occasionally lose the trail. What’s even more crazy the snow was so thick you could often hear the melting snow underneath where you walked.

By 6am we started the approach–this is where we all had to stop taking photos. The crampons, microspikes and crampons came out and it was game on. I’ve never done anything like this. Laura and Andrew gave me some pointers on the ice ax and helped cut steps for me when they could as they had crampons and I had spikes. We went up the steep switchbacks for about an hour–somewhere in there we were able to climb a few hundred feet without the footgear but it was still steep. When we reached the “chute” we put the footgear back on and this is where it got a little hairy. Dude went across first. That crazy guy never even broke out his ax. Andrew was second and then coached us girls all the way across. It was steep and icy and something you just didn’t want to look down from. But sooooo exhilarating when you were across. There was one smaller straight up climb from there where I literally had to use my ice ax as a handheld to get me up and over the top. And when I did… I wanted to cry. Both sides of the mountains were spectacular!!! And to realize you’ve climbed something that most people will never do is simply overwhelming. I’ve already heard stories of people looking at Forester Pass and turning back around. I was pretty impressed with all of us today.

Once on top we took the obligatory photos. How could you not. From there the sun was already working it’s magic and the back side of Forester was soft and fluffy. After about an hour of cutting steps we found our first glissade. Super fun!!!! Nothing like sliding down the side of a frozen mountain. We had a little snack break there, I hadn’t eaten a thing all morning and I was starved. (Side bar: the granola bar I left in my pocket for the walk up was frozen by the time I reached for it as were my ShotBloks.) While we were on break we could see a few other hikers just reaching the top of Forester. It was just about an hour later that I would turn around and see Luc plowing through the snow behind me. What a freaking surprise! (Side bar: he was camped 1 mile behind us 2 nights ago, and we thought he woke up early and passed us. Well, that was not the case. Even tho Dude and I didn’t leave that spot until 9 yesterday, Luc didn’t leave his spot til 11am. Very unlike him but funny how it all worked out.)

Lunch break was now a party of 6. After that, we had to cross a river. Now I’m gonna say this. After crossing a sketchy face of a mountain, I’d rather do that a hundred times over than crossing these dang rivers. Today’s ugly crossing was your choose: the skinnier shorter log or the higher fatter longer log. I went with the fat log. I scooted my feet and I think I looked at the water halfway over, got a little tipsy but regained my balance and made it across. Ugh. I can’t tell you how scary those crossing are!!!

After the crossing we found Bible. Luc had been hiking with him before Kennedy Meadows so they were happy to reconnect. And now we were a party of 7. As the rest of the miles ticked by, it was 1pm by the time we took the steep side trail to Bullfrog Lake and Kearsarge Pass. From where we are currently camped it’s 2 miles up the Pass and 4.4 back down the other side. Snow covered as well so we will be doing some of the same things we did this morning. Although we won’t be starting out at 4am again. Once over Kearsarge Pass tomorrow we will hitch into Independance where we will resupply. I may have to go into Bishop as my microspike are too small for my shoes and horribly uncomfortable once I’m going down anything steep. And I also broke a tip off my trekking poles and my new tips won’t be on the trail until next week–poor planning on my part of the resupply system.

Laura and Andrew already have a room there and they were kind enough to allow me to stay with them. Most likely we will take a zero there to give us time to get all the chores done and see what the weather has in store for the next few days. Glen Pass will be the next significant day of the trail so we’d like to make sure the weather hold steady for us. We have been so lucky this far. As we camp now there are some clouds brewing over the mountains we climbed from. Hopefully we won’t get too much moisture tomorrow and if we do, we will at least have a warm room to hunker down in. Until tomorrow! Goodnight.