One problem with glasses is that when you look at the ground it appears bowl-shaped. This can make it hard to find level ground for your tent. As a result, I set up my tent so that my feet were higher than my head and I slept poorly. Dumb.
But I console myself with one undeniable fact: after 7 nights on the trail, I am going to town – to Mammoth Lakes exactly. And I am going to rest my weary bones.
Here is one of the smaller of the Badger Lakes near camp.
Bob has been contemplating our route today. We could stay on the PCT and hike high above the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Or we could take the River Trail which stays low.
When Bob asks me if I have a preference, I say I do. I came out here to hike the PCT not some God-forsaken trail along a river. I don’t mind the climb up high. In fact, my legs want to climb this morning. Bob smiles and says he was leaning in that direction, too. This must have been a test, I think.
Early Trail
Looks like I made the right decision.
The smoky conditions from yesterday appear to have gotten worse. It’s from the Garnet fire over 50 miles away. I try to ignore the smoke as much as possible, but, well you can see what I am up against.
I feel good today. Yesterday as I was climbing Donahue Pass, a man near the top congratulated me on my pace. He said he had been watching me climb up, and was impressed. I wanted to believe him, but I felt he was just trying to make me feel good. And yet, I can’t deny that I am stronger today then I was that day I climbed up out of Chester and laid down on the trail to avoid throwing up.
My plan all along was to hike long enough to be strong for the high Sierras and the summit of Mount Whitney. After four weeks and almost 400 miles, I feel like the plan is working.
Staging
Bob and I make it down to the road to Red’s Meadow. We grab the bus into Mammoth Ski Resort and then another bus into Mammoth Village. We both have boxes at the post office. We need to get food and replace worn out gear. And we need to eat and rest.
The High Sierras are ahead of us. I’m getting excited.
The Best Laid Plans
It has been 4 days since I wrote the first part of this post. I am still in Mammoth. The Garnet Fire expanded rapidly after we arrived bringing “Very Unhealthy” smoke to the central Sierras and the surrounding towns. Yesterday, Bob and I took a shuttle up to the trailhead to check things out. What we found was a lot of smoke and a bunch of hikers who had turned around on the trail and fled back to town.
So Bob and I had to make a decision. I don’t want to bore you with all the details of the decision, but we considered the risks, the costs, and our ultimate goals. We have decided to skip the smoky parts of the Central Sierras and take a bus to Independence, California where we can hike back to the trail over Kearsarge Pass and complete the 5-day section that includes the Summit of Mt. Whitney.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this hike, Whitney is one of my two main goals. Right now that goal is in jeopardy. I am not going home until I climb that bugger.
Additions and subtractions.
For the next section I have bought new hiking pants to replace my holey ones (the patches did not hold), and a new rain jacket which I hope actually works. I bought a new bandana to use as a potholder for my stove.
The main thing I am ditching is my beard. After four days of staring at it in the mirror, it has to go.
Here are the before and after pictures.
I am starting the sixth week of this hike today. It has been fun, and I hope you have enjoyed my writing. The next few days will be the apex of this journey. I am stoked about it, and guardedly optimistic about the weather conditions. My next post will be from the trail on September 10.
September 5-9, 2025