PCT Day 45 – A Blustery Day

The rain we had been expecting came at 2am with two deep rolls of thunder. It rained for about an hour at a rate that did not worry me. All the forecasts I had seen for the last week predicted two days of rain beginning today (Saturday).

I sleep until 5:45. This is a new phenomena and one I could get used to. I keep listening for Bob stirring in his tent, but he seems to be sleeping late, too.

There is no reason to hurry. We are not going over Mather Pass today. The climb up to Mather and the time it will take to get down to decent camping on the other side is too great. All this means that the most we can do today is 12 miles. 12 miles – how can anyone hike this way? Don’t you have to chew through the miles like a deer through a trekking pole handle?

Animal magnetism

Speaking of deer, the animals in this area are the tamest I have encountered on this hike. Birds that would normally not get near you land on branches next to you. Deer don’t give you a second glance. You normally never see bucks, but I have seen four in the last three days. Grouse waltz right into camp like a bunch of yardbirds.

And there are some exotic animals out here, too. This big fella looks scary, but he eats only pine cones and used hair brushes.

The early hike

An overcast morning in the Sierras is unusual this time of year. But that is what I get today. Thankfully it is not very cold. Still I am ready to get moving. Since we are not going all that far today, I want to hang closer to Bob during the hiking. Furthermore, if it starts raining hard during the day, it would be nice to shelter together. Just to make sure it works, I try on the thin plastic poncho I bought at Muir Trail Ranch. I have a feeling this light piece of plastic may be the most important thing I will carry today, besides food and water.

Although the name of the canyon here is Le Conte Canyon, I feel that the name of the entire wilderness area is more appropriate – King’s Canyon. The mountains that line the canyon feel like statues of long- dead kings, their majesty amplified in furrowed granite.

The skies are more appropriate for this landscape. Leave blue skies for ocean and river. These mountains call for gray skies with clouds that mirror the drama of mountain pass and stone precipice.

Thunder

It has been sprinkling most of the morning. As long as Bob and I keep moving, we can keep warm. We are wearing wind shirts over our hiking shirts so the cold never really penetrates to our core. But when we hear thunder down the valley, we snap to attention. The air gets colder and the rain intensifies.

We search for shelter under some large trees. We could stay here and try to ride out the storm or we could wait for the lightning to pass and head out in the rain. We choose the second, but we need to don our “rain gear” – our $2 ponchos.

Bob’s normally stoic attitude cracks. “I carry rain gear from Oregon to Mammoth Lakes and never use it once. So I send it home and this is what happens.” Here’s Bob in his dime store rain gear.

The ponchos work great after we figure out how to fit them over our clothes and under our backpacks. Our hands and arms are cold, our bodies are warm. After about 30 minutes, the rain subsided and we begin thinking that we might be able to eat a normal lunch. Blue skies start to appear.

The rain stops and the sun actually comes out. We spread our wet clothes in the sun to dry.

More rain

We have not hiked for long when I feel the air change and the thunder returns. On go the ponchos again. The clouds now are coming down the face of the mountain.

Little things

With my head bent under the rain, the little things catch my attention.

Conclusions

The storm seems stuck up on the pass. So we finally agree to go ahead a mile and start looking for a place to camp for the night. We had wanted to go farther today. But higher and farther means more exposed. If the storm were to return when we are camped higher, we could be in trouble quickly

Bob always says, “Hike high, camp low.” And that is what we are doing tonight. If the storms hold off tomorrow we will go over the pass and camp six miles beyond. But we are going to be smart.

• September 10
• Starting marker: 832.6
• Ending marker: 823.2
• Miles hiked today: 9
• Total PCT miles: 527
• Why do zoos not have more rock monsters?