photos – Page 25 – Wandering the Wild

Day 79-84: Walking Through Challenges

July 12, 2012October 14, 2012 Anna (North Star) and Chris (Shutterbug)14 Comments

Day 79: Echo Lake (Mile 1094.5)-Heather Lake (Mile 1102.5); 8 miles

Leaving the comforts of Echo Lake, we headed off into the Desolation Wilderness, where we walked past all sorts of lakes, big and small.

Unfortunately Shutterbug developed bad stomach issues, making frequent breaks a necessity. We weren’t sure of the cause, perhaps overeating in town. His discomfort was bad enough that we opted to stop and set up camp early. Though we hadn’t covered as many miles as we’d hoped, modifying our plan was the best thing to do.

Day 80: Heather Lake (Mile 1102.5)-Barker Creek (Mile 1125); 22.5 miles

After a good night’s sleep, Shutterbug’s stomach was feeling good enough to hike, though not perfect. We continued on and were both excited by the many beautiful lakes we passed, some teeming with fish.

PCT - Northern California

Day 74-78: The Kindness of Strangers

July 8, 2012October 14, 2012 Anna (North Star) and Chris (Shutterbug)28 Comments

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!

PCT - Northern California

Day 52-56: North Star and Mt. Whitney

June 21, 2012October 14, 2012 Anna (North Star) and Chris (Shutterbug)18 Comments

Day 52: Kennedy Meadows (Mile 702)-Near Clover Meadow (Mile 709.5), plus 0.5 off trail; 8 miles

Anna received a trail name today! Blueberry, one of the hikers Anna caught heading the wrong direction on Day 33, suggested Anna be called Right Way. We liked this suggestion, and felt a route-finding name was appropriate, since Anna is always helping other hikers navigate. After some brainstorming, we felt North Star was perfect, as that star is used for navigation, and it also represents our continual bearing towards Canada as we hike the Pacific Crest Trail. From now on in the hiking community, Anna will be called North Star.

For the upcoming 11 day stretch in the Sierra Nevada mountains, we equipped ourselves with 44 pounds of food, 2 bear cans, 2 pairs of Microspikes, and a warmer jacket and shirt. After dividing this evenly and adding it to our packs, we weighed them. Shutterbug’s pack weighed 45 pounds, and North Star’s, with a much lighter camera, came in at 39 pounds. This was the heaviest load we anticipated carrying on the entire trail.

Shouldering these hefty packs, we left Kennedy Meadows in late afternoon and walked a few miles. Our backpacks are designed for lighter loads, so we found ourselves adjusting straps frequently to keep them from causing pain.

Tag: photos