My Trails

7/28/13 – 70 miles
Today we walked 13 miles, the longest day yet. It was tiring but tolerable because most of the afternoon into Reds Meadows was a gentle downhill.

We were afraid that all the good campsites at Reds would be gone so we decided to send our fastest hikers on ahead to secure a site while the rest could take their time. Deadeye and N were chosen to go on ahead of the group and they took off like scalded dogs. On the last five miles into the resort they hit a blistering 4 mph, taking only 1 hour, 15 minutes to cover the distance.

N tells the story of part of their high-speed walk: “I was trying to keep up with Deadeye and starting to get awful thirsty. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t stop for water. Then I realized he was drinking out of his damn water bladder – he didn’t need to stop. I finaly got close enough to stop him so I could get a drink.”

They secured one of the last remaining sites and we all enjoyed hamburgers and showers before turning in. As usual everything at a backcountry resort is expensive – it cost $9 to take a shower.

7/22/13 – 7 miles
Congratulations to the Troverts for summiting Half Dome. Suuz made it to the base of the cables – quite an accomplishment in itself. Deadeye and I only hiked a couple of miles and staked claim to a campsite at Clouds Rest campsite.

It has been a little cooler as we climb higher each day. Tomorrow we will be above 7000′ and the day after close to 9000′. We have had some sprinkles this afternoon as thunderstorms roll through the area.

My battery is very low. Deadeye’s solar charger has not had enough sun to charge me today. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better or no signal.

7/21/13 – 5 miles.
On day one of our hike we woke early in the backpacker campground, boiled water for a quick cup of coffee, and walked a mile through Yosemite National Park to the official starting point of the John Muir Trail. The temperature was cool and the path shady as we climbed the first two miles up a fairly steep canyon. We definitely struggled with our full packs and new muscle demand, but all of us did well and soon put the valley far below. As the morning wore on the sun broke over the mountains and slowed our pace for the last mile before we reached Nevada Falls.

Deadeye had his new solar panel tied to the top of his pack, so the sunny parts of the trail were good for charging but not pleasant for hiking.
We passed two mule trains coming out of the valley and you can probably guess why hikers call this the John “Manure” Trail. Watch where you step!

We are camped at Little Yosemite Valley tonight. Tomorrow X, N, and Dr. Suuz will attempt Half Dome while Deadeye and I will hike to the next camp and wait for them. Deadeye has a sore toe so we thought it best to rest some tomorrow. We hope tomorrow will take us beyond the crowds and noisy camps and into the back country of the beautiful Sierra. I probably won’t have much signal there.

After several days of relentless wind and heat near Borrego Springs, Richard and Dianna moved over the mountains to an RV park, while I sought refuge in a more protected section of landscape discovered the day before. I’m still in Anza-Borrego State Park only about 20 miles south of Borrego Springs, but a whole world removed from the wind and oppressive heat. It has been a little breezy but nothing like the howling torrent on the other side of the park. The campground I’m parked in, called Blair Valley, is surrounded by mountains on all sides, quite secluded and pretty, and also quite a bit higher and cooler than the flat lands near town. And even though AT&T has been very disappointing almost everywhere I wilderness camp, I was surprised to find I have excellent cell service.

There are some pretty cool hikes in this area. You wouldn’t think to drive through this place – the term ‘forsaken’ comes to mind – but there are some nice places to hike. Last week we hiked through a slot canyon that twisted for about a half-mile along a narrow, sandstone groove cut by ages of seasonal runoff. In some places we had to turn sideways to squeeze through, while the walls towered way above our heads, blocking out the sun and creating a feel almost like a cave. I have not hiked many slot canyons but this hike has given me the desire to do more of it.

I have also hiked to a place called Palm Canyon. It was a nice five-mile walk on easy terrain with tons of people along the way. The trail follows a canyon to an oasis of palms and gushing water that seem quite out of place in such an arid area. I almost didn’t take enough water; I was thirsty when I got back to the visitors center.

I’ll probably be here for a few more days. There are some nice places to explore and the weather is looking good. I will meet Richard and Dianna in Julian this afternoon. The road to get there looks like fun on a motorcycle – lots of curves.