Gary-Summer: June 29, 2013

Saturday, June 29, 2013

June 29, 2013 - Island Pass

Title: June 29, 2013 - Island Pass

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Starting location: Pond at 10,185'

Destination: Island Pass

Distance: 6.7 miles ¹
Start Time: 8:00

End Time: 3:45

Travel Time: 7:45 (0.86 mph)

Moving Time: 4:37 (1.45 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,440' ¹

Maximum Elevation: 11,060' ¹

There are a great many pictures today. Many of them can be found at the bottom of this page.

Description:

Lyell Canyon

Got up at 6 and started to get prepared for the day. Washed clothes from yesterday, and then did the usual. Sherri got ready and made breakfast. We crossed the creek, wading across and put our stuff together. This was around 8. It was not too bad of a creek crossing. Only came ankle high, water was cold, but not as bad as we thought it might be. The crossing was about a hundred feet toward our pond from the outlet of the pond.

We immediately start climbing the first of our 1450' up towards Donohue Pass. Today I am not following Sherri because with two bear canisters I need to keep my own pace. But we both do pretty well. Actually, better than either of the other times we hiked this. It takes us 40 minutes or so to get to our other crossing of an outlet. Sherri decides to take off her shoes to cross. I think I can cross on the rocks. Well, I did mostly, that is until a rock rolls and my boot splashes into the water, followed by the other boot. Fortunately, it was only about an ankles worth of water before I recovered. Unfortunately, the water slopped over my boot top, getting the socks a little wet.

Sherri wondering wheres the top?

Gary Charging Up Donohue

At this crossing, a woman, Nicole, came up and crossed the same way as I did, but without getting wet. We would hike with her most of the day. We talked for awhile, then she took off. We followed her shortly, and slowly afterwards. The rest of the climb was of the one foot after the other variety. But there were some very awesome views of Lyell Canyon, Glacier and Peak to help moderate the effort.

We Made IT!

We made it to the top of Donohue Pass around 10:30. This is better than expected. Traditional picture taking and all of that. Nicole was up there as well. Pretty nice pass top time. Not as hot as we expected. In the distance we see thunderclouds forming, but does not look like a problem for today.

Coming down the south slope of Donohue, we do this pretty well. Sherri is taking the rocks much more in stride than into past. She is going down faster than I have seen her do before. Around 11:30 we catch up with Nicole and invite her to have lunch with us, which she accepts. She recently got her MBA from USC and will start work right after the JMT. This is one of her first backpacking experiences, but she seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

Rush Creek

After lunch we hike together, down towards Rush Creek. The creek we are following is unnamed and is pretty gentle until the descent into Rush Creek. We do cross Rush on logs and stop for a small break. We are now in the drainage which goes to the Great Basin. We see many fields of snow gracing the northern flanks of the mountains.

But now we leave Rush Creek and take off on going up towards Island Pass. This is a trudge up it. It is only a 600' climb, but still the sun is on us. So we climb and rest. We meet some PCT'rs coming down. One is from San Jose. Even more so, she was born in Palo Alto at the same hospital I was born at-about 40 years apart.

We make it to Island Pass (37.73581, -119.19275) around 3:45. After talking about options, Sherri and I decide we will stay here rather than going on to Ruby Lake. So we say goodbye to Nicole who is ready to make some miles today. We then set up camp, battling mosquitoes. After awhile we give up and crawl into the tent and just relax-reading and listening.

Sunset

Sierra Spectacular

Dinner was beef stroganoff. Not as filling as usual. Guess I will live off of my fat. We take a walk around a pond after dinner, waiting for the sun to set. Clouds have filled up the sky. On the plus side, it is making for a gorgeous sunset with the thunderheads rising majestically in the darling sky. On the other side, will it rain? We decide that we will compromise. Cover the packs, but leave the rain tarp off the tent. When we wake up at night, if there are no stars, we will put on the tarp. We watch an episode of Dr Who-Rose, and then go to sleep.

Today's JMT Lesson: If it looks like you are at the top, you're not.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Beef Stroganoff	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP

¹The supplied figures come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk. Also some information comes from topo maps as well.The tracks from my Foretex did not get saved. This will become a problem for the rest of the trip. Getting either no or incomplete set of tracks. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance: 7.3 miles

Moving Time: 4:37 (1.58 mph).

Elevation Rise: 920'

Maximum Elevation: 11,190'

Pictures: