Large campsite, near Piute Creek to Campsite by Seasonal Stream
Wow...I had an amazing nights sleep. I awake only a couple of times, but fell right back to sleep. I awoke fully refreshed at 6:15...a little late, but feeling great.
I quickly got my stuff together and ate breakfast with the group. As we ate, Thunder Pass said goodbye and hiked off. We were ready to go not long after him at 7:49 AM.
I quickly got my stuff together and ate breakfast with the group. As we ate, Thunder Pass said goodbye and hiked off. We were ready to go not long after him at 7:49 AM.
Ready for a day of hiking.
Today we cross Selden Pass, supposedly the easiest off all the passes. From our maps, the climb up doesn't look too bad, and after the pass the terrain looks pretty easy.
After hiking about 39 minutes we crossed over from Sierra National Forest to John Muir Wilderness:
After hiking about 39 minutes we crossed over from Sierra National Forest to John Muir Wilderness:
Entering John Muir Wilderness
Today should be a great day. And how could it not with this all around us:
Our morning view.
Amazing mountains of the Sierra.
As predicted the hike started out with a slight downhill and then the trail started to climb. We hiked about 2 miles of really steep switchbacks where there was no place to stop and take a "shoes-off" break like we wanted. Finally, we came to a river crossing of Sanger Creek and a really nice spot to take a break.
While sitting there eating some snacks, Shwetty Balls. A thru-hiker from Sweden, arrived. We met him yesterday during a river crossing. He asked us if we wanted to do his daily dance with him. Throughout his hike, he had people dance with him daily. When he gets home he is going to compile all the days into a video.
Of course we said we would dance. He then spent the next 30 minutes teaching us the dance moves abs then set up his phone to record the action.
While sitting there eating some snacks, Shwetty Balls. A thru-hiker from Sweden, arrived. We met him yesterday during a river crossing. He asked us if we wanted to do his daily dance with him. Throughout his hike, he had people dance with him daily. When he gets home he is going to compile all the days into a video.
Of course we said we would dance. He then spent the next 30 minutes teaching us the dance moves abs then set up his phone to record the action.
Schweddy Balls setting up the camera.
We then performed the dance and he was then on his way up the trail. That was interesting! We now can't wait to see his compilation video.
After the break the trial continued to climb and then leveled out in a beautiful mountain meadow:
After the break the trial continued to climb and then leveled out in a beautiful mountain meadow:
Gorgeous
Just after 1:00 PM we arrived at Heart Lake less than 1 mile Delk the top of Selden Pass. At this point we couldn't believe that we were going to make it to the top of a pass early afternoon since we have been making it a habit to cross them after 5:00 PM.
Heart Lake.
At this point we were pretty confident that we were climbing up this pass:
This must be Selden Pass.
The last half-mile or so of the climb was pretty steep, but as we had heard, this pass was very easy to climb. There was a little snow, but it was easy to walk around so we didn't bother.
We made it to the top of Selden Pass just after 2:00 PM.
We made it to the top of Selden Pass just after 2:00 PM.
The top of Selden Pass, 10,910 feet
Looking north from Selden Pass
At the top were a couple and their 2 daughters plus a friend. The daughters (age 19 & 23) were hiking with JMT. They met up with their parents at Vermillon Valley Resort (VVR, where we will be tomorrow) for them to resupply them. The parents decided to backpack with the kids up Selden Pass and then backpack back to VVR. It was cool seeing the kids wave bye to their parents as they hiked back towards VVR.
We headed down from the pass just after 3:00 PM. We still had almost 7 miles to reach our intended campsite for the night. The good news is the trail from this point is a gradual downhill, so we should be able to cover those miles pretty easily.
The way down was spectacular, including this creek that we collected and filtered water from:
We headed down from the pass just after 3:00 PM. We still had almost 7 miles to reach our intended campsite for the night. The good news is the trail from this point is a gradual downhill, so we should be able to cover those miles pretty easily.
The way down was spectacular, including this creek that we collected and filtered water from:
Creek with flowers and mountains.
Brad filtering water.
Not long after climbing down the pass, we arrived at Bear Creek that had no easy way to cross, so we had to ford it. Brad and Share Bear both have camp shoes that they can wear to cross water, but I don't. Share Bear and Brad crossed, and then Brad was kind enough to walk Share Bear's shoes back to me so I could wear them to cross:
Awesome Brad!!
Right after that ford we had to ford Hilgard Branch which was 2 fords close together. They looked easy enough so I was able to go barefoot.
Oh...we came across an actual PCT sign today. We were very excited that it said "Pacific Crest Trail" and not "John Muir Trail."
Oh...we came across an actual PCT sign today. We were very excited that it said "Pacific Crest Trail" and not "John Muir Trail."
PCT sign of the day.
We arrived at where we planned on staying, but there were 2 tents already setup, so we hiked in for 20 minutes more and made it to a really nice place...except for all the mosquitos. It was the worst we had dealt with so far. I cooked dinner and couldn't take my mosquito net off to eat, so I broke one of the backpacking cardinal sins and ate dinner in my tent.
The mosquitos sucked, but the campsite was beautiful:
The mosquitos sucked, but the campsite was beautiful:
Home for the night.
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