I woke up pretty early in our camp just 3 miles from the top of Muir. When I got out of my tent Early Bird and Alright were already gone, (they’re not stopping in VVR and are trying for a 25 mile day today). Julian and Keglegs left soon after I was awake and I left about 1/2 an hour later. This is the norm for us now; I like to eat a big breakfast, and since I’m so fast on the snow, I can usually catch up before long.
Not a 1/4 mile after leaving camp the snow fields began. Well, normally they’d be snow fields but on this pass they were steep snow walls! Unlike other passes which depart the rivers and switchback up sharply then down again, Muir Pass was 3 long miles us a valley with a huge river in the middle, and then 4 miles down the other side with multiple rivers concealed just under the snow.
I caught up to the other two at the bottom of the first climb. Julian’s GPS wasn’t working and the group ahead of them had gone sideways up a steep canyon head wall instead of traversing on the PCT. when I saw where they were headed I cruised up to catch up as fast as I could as icy steep slopes could turn real bad real fast. Both of them had microspikes, so we decided to just continue up instead of backtracking and losing precious early morning hours.
First climb
Snow was crunchy but sun-cupped. A recipe for twisted ankles!
Looking back down the sketchy (and I don’t use that word lightly), step and angled sun-cupped ice wall...
I don’t have spikes or an ice axe (on purpose), but aside from one or two moments climbing up and over some slick granite, I felt 100% comfortable and confident on the snow. I do admit, this pass kicked my butt compared to the others!! After not too long we emerged out of the shadows and the pass flattened out a little.
Beautiful frozen lakes
After passing by the lakes and heading up and over some soft blind hills and valleys, we were looking straight up at our goal! We couldn’t quite see the emergency shelter/hut at the top but we knew it was there!
Headed straight through the middle. The grade is waaaaaay steeper than it looks.
Looking back down halfway up the climb
Julian coming up
And Keglegs
The Muir Hut at the very top of the pass!
We hung out at the top for a bit, but knew we had to get a move on soon as we had 4 miles of not too steep snow to hike down out of. When climbing crunchy ice, not to steep is perfect, but once the sun comes out and the snow gets soft, coming up OR down mild-slopes snow is rough!
Looking down the other side
We flew down on the crunchy snow, and passed some beautiful lakes. Unlike the other steeper passes where you could see relief in where the snow stopped, it seemed like the snow continued forever and kept on around every corner and new vantage point! There is MUCH more snow on this pass than in 2016.
Mars
Plenty of wide shallow rivers filled the valley we were going down, between constant snow and just trying to find the best line through/along the rivers, dry feet were out of the question!
We’re we’re still over a mile from being snow-free when the actual post-holing began. At this point, I was trying to get to the next patch of boulders as quickly as I could as each step on the snow swallowed my leg, sometimes up to my knee or even waist a couple times! As you can imagine, those last couple miles were VERY slow going.
Post-holing
Aside from a few times where my foot went down and glanced awkwardly under sharp, snow-covered rocks, I came away from the whole ordeal pretty unscathed. I saw a few people (mainly those in shorts) with some bad battle wounds. Anyway, because we started so early, we avoided what could’ve been a reeeeeaaaaally long day of postholing.. I feel bad for the people who got over the pass after we did!
Eventually, I (sort of) found the trail!
Looking back up at a fun and steep trail-glissade! I almost went off the side of the steep slope! Haha
Finally, most of the big snow-patches went away, and every now and then we’d get one spanning a hundred yards but usually not more. That’s not to say things got dry! No, quite the opposite!
Looking back at a very swollen Evolution Creek crossing. This was a fun one!
A big roadblock. I hope no one was walking on trail when that happened!! (Splat)
Finally snow-free!
Right at noon I saw familiar persons of another large group of ~10. Four of them were hanging out in the sun and resting while waiting for the others. I decided to join them and wait for my other two. Some of their names were Gnarwhal (whom I met in Lone Pine), Bits and Cosmo (also from Portland), Rafiki (hiking in sandals( today he was in the snow in just his socks with crampons strapped to the outside)), Coach, and Wheezer. I can’t remeber any others at the moment.
Julian came about 30 mins later and Keglegs about 20 mins after him. We had all had a grueling time through the softening snow! We had some lunch while our bags and tents and ground sheets and socks and shoes dried out, then we headed back out and on with our long day!
The trail dropped down, following Evolution River, and there were beautiful sights left and right. It’s like we’re walking through Yosemite every day all day, but without 1,000,000 people around! I swear, the waterfalls and lakes and rivers we have surrounding all day are similar to ones that people make big efforts to go out and see as a days’ destination! I feel so blessed!
A crossing of Evolution Creek
This is the mellower alternate route to cross the notoriously dangerous Evolution Creek. Today, it was just a knee-deep walk through a beautiful meadow..
I didn’t even have to take off my shirt!
I waited for the other two at the river crossing since I had once again gotten a little ahead. I didn’t mind one bit though. I just waded while I waited. The icy water felt very refreshing on my feet/legs! They caught up about 25 mins later, we decided on a loose campsite and goal for the night, and I sped off again!
I hiked most of the day solo. I find that especially on big downhill days, it’s harder to hold my long legs back from their natural pace and flow. I can get into a very focused mind-space and practice my hand eye coordination with my trekking poles, to go steeply down switchbacks and other terrain at between 3 and 4 mph. Anything slower actually hurts my knees as I am using them as brakes instead of efficient tools.
Riverside trail
Crossing a bridge
Crazy snow-bridge way down the valley!! It surprised me to still see snow this low.
So beautiful!!
I did leapfrog a few hikers today. One named Verde and one named Happy Feet. While I was hiking with Happy Feet, we saw a family of deer close up on a ridge just above the trail. Something I probably would’ve missed in my trail-focused downhill state. I really enjoy talking and walking with people from time to time, but there almost always soon comes a time for me to depart and go my own speed, or as many people in the thru-hiking community say HYOH (hike your own hike).
A couple long and delirious miles later, I crossed a neat bridge over Piute Creek, the meeting place that Julian and I had set up. This marks the beginning of the John Muir Wilderness. I’m so excited!
Yay!
While I waited for the other two I boiled the water for my dinner, Jamaican Jerk Style beams and rice with chicken! Yum!! When they arrived we decided to camp in a nice sandy area nearby.
We did another 20+ mile day through the Sierra! Although I’m very tired, I feel very accomplished, and oddly enough, none of us feel rushed through this beautiful place despite our quick pace the last few days. Tomorrow we do ~18-20 miles and the next day it’s ~3-5 miles into VVR!
Thanks for reading!!
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