Backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail and Beyond
Day 108: Above Summit Lake (Mile 1624.5)-Grider Creek (Mile 1650); 25.5 miles
The Marble Mountain Wilderness featured hillsides of wildflower-filled meadows topped by peaks of jagged rock.
We certainly didn’t object to a morning jaunt through that! Neither did the local cows, which at one point blocked the trail. We clacked our trekking poles together and hollered at the cows. They reluctantly lumbered off the trail and up the hill, cowbells clanking madly.
Day 74: Above Latopie Lake (Mile 1013.5)-Overlooking Golden Canyon (Mile 1036.5); 23 miles
The morning’s walk was crisp and beautiful. The PCT traversed a ridge of colorful volcanic rock formations, which reminded us more of Utah than California.
The trail then descended to Highway 108 at Sonora Pass, where we were very excited to find The Owl providing trail magic. There, we eagerly consumed fresh fruit, beverages, and cookies topped with whipped cream and cherries. This is what every thru hiker dreams about!
Day 70: Tuolumne Meadows (Mile 942.5)-Above Virginia Canyon (Mile 955.5); 13 miles
After stopping at the Tuolumne post office to pick up our new tent, socks, and trekking poles, we ate an extra large breakfast and continued walking north.
A few miles down the trail, we ran into our friends Mags and Stu. They have been traveling the world for the past six months and it was great fun to swap stories with them for a few hours. You can follow their adventures on their blog.
Yosemite National Park continued to impress us with its many stunning rock formations, meadows, and waterfalls.
Read More “Day 70-73: Lush Meadows and Their Blood-Sucking Friends”
Wandering the Wild 