Day 54
Published:
No day has been more of a sufferfest than today. We were moving by 3 and immediately postholing through the crusty snow (as nighttime temperatures didn’t stay slow enough to cause a freeze in the alpine), something that would continue for the entirety of the twenty two mile day without more than a mile or two of dry trail. Our first hour of hiking was at an average pace of 0.6 miles per hour. For those playing along at home, try to walk that slow for even five minutes. It will kill you inside. We made it to the top of Silver Pass by the skin of our teeth and were greeted by some pretty predawn light over several frozen alpine lakes.
The descent was similar—postholing across icy and sun-cupped snow. Soon enough Giuseppe caught us and we worked our way together through the steep snow-covered forest which led to Fish Creek far below. After crossing the creek via a merciful iron and wood bridge, we experienced our first dry miles: two miles of switchbacks leading up to a massive frozen lake. The climb was a nice respite from the postholing hell, the only stretch of total dirt we would walk all day.
Once we reached the lake, we were back on snow for the rest of the day. Because of the snow melt, the trail crossed the lake at two points, so my lower half has a mandatory ice bath.
We then had a long descent to Purple Lake, where we snacked before the 1500 foot climb to the Duck Pass junction at Mile 896.9 we planned to take to Mammoth Lakes. This six mile side trail ended up being one of the rougher parts of the day because the climb had no boot tracks, forcing us to chop steps or scramble around steep snow fields, and the descent was graded very easily, making it take forever. Fortunately, about three miles from the trailhead, I caught that town-day burst of energy and we flew to the finish. We got a hitchhike almost immediately and found ourselves at a brewery where I finally dried my feet—wet since 3 AM— next to enough food to feed an army.
Tomorrow I catch a bus to Reno, where I will fly home to Chicago to do the whole graduation thing (and see my beloved friends and family).
Editor’s note: Dow missed his bus for no good reason, so he will actually return home on June 2nd.