July 11, 2012, Day 2 JMT, Sunrise Creek to Sunrise Meadow

Title: July 11, 2012, Day 2 JMT, Sunrise Creek to Sunrise Meadow

Trail head: Sunrise Creek

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Destination: Sunrise Meadow-High Sierra Camp Area

Distance: 7.7

Moving Time: 3:43

Elevation Rise: 2,036

Maximum Elevation: 9,726

 







Description:
Got up at 6. The sun is still to be seen. Sherri's mat kept going flat, so she did not sleep that well. Later on today we will see how far we can go to Tuolumne Meadows. We take off at 7:30. Today will be a hard day.



About half an hour after leaving camp, we cross a creek. Was this the Sunrise? Was I that far off on our navigation? We shall see. We get to the Merced Lake junction. We come across another JMT'er—Greg who is going out for 23 days. My friend from last night joins us and we have a good chat. We take off and Greg joins us for the trip up the ridge. The trees along the ridge break up the view, but when you do see the sight, it is DDG. Seeing Half Dome, King Peak, the gorge which houses Merced Lake, it is just DDG.



We break at what we think is dried up Sunrise Creek. But after that we see Greg at the real Sunrise Creek—isn't this getting repetitive? Looks like I was wrong about last night-we were short of Sunrise Creek. Even though we have risen up 1000', the hard part is now upon us. We have another 1,200' in a mile plus to go. Sherri and I start up the hike up to 9,700'. We are huffing and puffing. Nevada and Vernal Falls were not as steep as this.



We stop about 2/3 of the way up. Greg has decided to see if Sunrise Meadow will provide better fishing. We have a good talk with him as we rest. He teaches at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. We also find out that he was raised in Yosemite—his father worked for Curry Company and then for NPS. It is good to get to know people along the trail.

It is 12:40 and we are on top of ridge 9,720'. There was DDG views on the way up. But the top has a lot of small trees blocking the view. Lunch is peanut butter, Nutella and Ritz crackers—the usual. The downhill is a lot easier on us than the steep uphill. 400' down to Sunrise High Sierra Camp. Then it is 400'+ climb back up to Cathedral Pass. We will need to decided on what we want to do—go all the way to Tuolumne Meadows, stop at Cathedral Lake or camp at Long Meadow.



We take our time-ooohing and awing as we come down. By the time we get to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, we are thinking it would be nice to stay close to here. I have told Sherri by hiking at a faster pace we would have more free time. So we pass the HSC and find a spot at the end of Sunrise Meadow, before Long Meadow. It is out of the way, yet there is a lot more water than last night.



We stop about three. Sherri falls asleep and I read a bit. Then I wash up and wash my clothes, then set up the tent. Tonight's dinner is Beef Stroganoff. The mosquito's are starting to swarm, so into the tent we go around 7. The sun is still up.



JMT Lesson of the Day: One Step, One Breath at a time will get you up the steepest slope.