In the morning I ask Bob about his condition yesterday. He says that he was more fatigued than he has been on this entire trip. I suggest we take a zero day (no hiking) in Kennedy Meadows. He thinks that is a great idea.
As I move around camp I notice a slight movement in the bushes. I stare hard until I see some kind of grouse or quail. These birds know they are basically invisible to the eye if they sit still. Why this one moved is curious. Do you see it?
Here is another view of Lake Noble (our campsite) as we head out. When I reach the saddle I look back at the lake. It doesn’t look like much from up here but for a while it was everything.
Tribute
Changing shoes is no trivial matter for a long distance hiker. They are so critical for success that once you land on a model that works for you, you become devoted to them. In South Lake Tahoe, I said goodbye to my shoes. They were worn out.
I began wearing this particular pair on the desert section of the PCT two years ago. They still had some life in them so I wore them at the beginning this year. I have logged over 500 miles in them, which is a very respectable number. My new shoes are Topos. They are a new brand but the closest thing I could find to my old shoes.
They were doing well until I noticed some hot spots below my ankle. I pulled up immediately and applied some Leuko tape over the spot where a blister was forming. At lunch I treated two more abrasions. I think yesterday’s rain was the root cause. Walking in wet socks on a grade will tear your feet up.
Early Trail
Unlike yesterday, the sky is clear in the morning.
We move in and out of trees. This area is very remote. I haven’t had a hint of cell signal in two days.
Mountain Cows
Mid morning I hear a distant cowbell. This could mean that I have entered the mountain cow domain. This elusive species has evaded my camera in the past. But today I spot one through the trees. Turn your sound up for the cowbell.
Bob and I are chatting at a water stop when a young man walks by. His trail name is Vorth Face. (He has a hat with a North Face label but the N is missing the left side. See? I ask if he has seen a cow. Yes, he says. And he says those cow patties on the trail are pretty annoying. He lifts his foot revealing NO SHOES. He is a barefoot hiker. How can there be such a thing?! His comment about the cow patties takes on new life.
Building Blocks
We have been noticing the clouds building. There is a 50% chance of thunder showers today. We pray that we will be spared.
Hmmm
I walk by an enormous pile of rocks. The bottom of the pile has a distinct edge. Where did these things come from. The rocks are as big as suitcases and at least 400 feet high.
And this part of the trail is pure gravel. My shoes crunch along as I walk.
Storms
The thunderstorms arrive. We don our rain gear. Today the rain is steady and cold. Rain is always cold. But when at 9000 feet it is super cold. After two hours of this Bob says we need to talk. He says he has seen this kind of rain go on for much longer. We need to find a place to camp quickly and get out of this. He is serious. He says the problem is hypothermia.
Most of the camp sights are soggy and puddled. We identify a couple dryer spots among the trees and set up our tents. In side my tent I begin to understand. When you stop moving, your wet clothes turn freezing cold. But I don’t have any spare clothes. I have a sleep shirt, a jacket and my sleeping quilt that are not wet.
I think that if I just sit quietly in my tent for a few hours, my body heat will dry my clothes. I eat two snack bars to raise my metabolism. I am thinking about tomorrow. I don’t want to wear soaking wet clothes in the morning. I lay in my tent I on a thin foam pad curled up in a ball to stay warm.
I finally relent and remove all my clothes and put on new underwear, my sleep shirt and a jacket and get into my quilt. This helps a lot. I get a few snack bars, some crackers and cookies out of my pack for dinner. This should hold me till morning.
It’s 14 miles to the highway at Sonora Pass. We will hitch into Kennedy Meadows from there. I suppose we will hike in our wet clothes until they dry. But more thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow
August 25, 2025
Miles hiked today: 13.3