July 30th Mileage: 13.3 (168.5) At some point during the night the smoke cleared and the temperature dropped.  All five of us agreed it would be smart to get over Muir Pass as early as possible because weather was supposed to be poor today.  By 5 a.m. everyone was stirring and by 6 I was … More Smoke and Rain: the Travails of Muir Pass

July 29th Mileage: 17 (155.2) I wake to the sound of rain-flies being shaken out.  The swooshing swooshing snapping sound is coming from 3 or 4 different places, so it must be time to pack up and move on.  When I crawl out of my tent I look to the sky before doing anything else. … More Where There’s Smoke…

July 28th Mileage 7.5 (138.2) I am the last person to leave Marie Lake in the morning.  Somehow I overslept.  As I’m breaking camp Jeremy and Karley walk off and I learn they’re staying near Muir Trail Ranch in the evening, just as I am.  Before we get there we have another mountain pass to … More Deluge

June 27th Mileage: 15.2 (130.7) My current state of hygiene: every time I stop I am quickly surrounded by a swarm of flies.  That’s not a metaphor and its not hyperbole; that’s the reality of the situation.  I’m not sure if its an indication of my odor, which I don’t even notice, or the proliferation … More Thunder At 10,000 Feet

July 26th Mileage: 13 (115.5) I’ve found a new game to play since “The Bodily Pain Carousel” has stopped going round and round.  “Wild Animal, or My Stomach” is the name, and it goes like this:  when I hear a strange noise I stop hiking and have to guess if it was made by a … More Silver Pass

July 25th Mileage 10 (102.5) I let myself sleep in again, this time until 7:45.  Last night was very cold and I had trouble staying warm.  When I step out of my tent I am all alone again.  The two guys camped with me had already hiked out. The crisis from last night seems to … More The Salvation

July 24th Mileage: 18 (92.5) I made the mistake of pitching my tent on a slight slope with my head oriented downhill, which made it difficult to sleep.  All night long I felt like I was being crushed by the weight of my own body pushing me down, down toward Garnet Lake.  The nearby trees … More The Desolation

July 23rd Mileage: 2.6 (74.5) I’ve decided to forego the 15 mile day and save the hike into Red’s Meadow Resort until tomorrow, which means today is a very short day.  I feel alright about taking a nero; my body needs to do some healing. Short days mean trying to sleep in, and I succeed … More The Howling Wind

July 22nd Mileage: 11.3 (71.9) I enjoy my best night’s sleep of the trip and wake at 6 a.m., without the help of an alarm.  The morning is once again cold and the opposite ridge keeps the sun from warming me.  I walk through the empty campsite, blinking, and find my bear canister.  Still no … More The First Pass: Donahue

July 21st Mileage: 14 (60.6) I wake to air so crisp and cold it could chip a tooth.  The sky is blue and the surrounding mountains look lunar: pale, stark, severe.  Last night, I was not visited by a bear.  I begin my morning tasks: breaking down camp and loading my pack.  I have become … More The Glory of Lyell Canyon