July 3, 2013 - Pocket Meadow

Title: July 3, 2013 - Pocket Meadow

Hike Info:

Trail:  John Muir Trail from Lake Virginia to Pocket Meadow

Starting location:  Lake Virginia

Destination:  Squaw Lake

Actual Destination:  North Fork, below Pocket Meadow

Distance:  10.51 miles

Start Time: 7:58

End Time:   6:18

Travel Time: 10:19 (1.01 mph)

Moving Time:  9:42 (1.08 mph)

Elevation Rise:   1,869' 

Maximum Elevation:  10,900'

Description:

Beautiful night last night. Clear skies. Stars shining oh so wonderfully. Got up late this morning as we knew this was an easy day. We had decided to divide a long day into two nice days. So I did not get out of the tent until 6:15. But Sherri's first words were, "oh, it's going to rain today!" Sure enough, clouds are coming in-dark ones at that. But by the time we leave, they have passed us by, and we are left with scattered cumulus clouds, with some alto-cumulus. Looks like a fine morning for hiking.

Start of the day's hike

Even those clouds clear up by the time we start at 8.  We start with Sherri and her cup of tea, which gets us a relaxed start. Then we hit the the drop into Tully Hole. The drop is steep, but the views are great. The meadow where Tully Hole is, is a vibrant green, with a little creek going down the middle of it. It's reputation as a mosquito haven was not lived up to today. But you could see the potential.

Tully Hole and Cascade Valley

We continue down Fish Creek's narrow valley until we came to a bridge across it. Sherri says it was not here when she came through seven years ago. We stop and have a Clif Bar break, along with making sure Sherri's feet are well taken care of. Then we start on our ascent to Squaw Lake. 

There is some cloud cover now, but plenty of sun light. We go up pretty good, but need to stop several times. Sherri is starting to have some feet troubles, but not too bad. We come to this nice place around 11:15, but I am thinking if we push on for another 20 minutes, we will have gone not more than a couple of hundred feet and be about half way up the ascent. Well, at that time, the trail turns away from the creek and starts up this pretty good climb. By the time we finish the climb, we have reached Squaw Lake.  

Toward Squaw Lake and Silver Pass

We eat and rest by the outlet, admiring the scenery and view. The  vegetation is sparse and the trees are small. But we get some rest. We decide to go over Silver Pass. But there are clouds. After we have gone 15 minutes up, we hear thunder.

Now if you do not walk in the mountains much, you should know, do not be on a high place during a thunderstorm. So as the thunder grows more persistent, we hunker down under a small grove of trees, donning our rain gear. I will say I looked very stylish in my REI rain jacket, Sierra Design rain pants, and REI pack cover. They kept me dry.

We talk to a PCTer who has just made it over Silver Pass. He joins us, while eating and staying out of the rain. He has decided that his goal is not so much to complete the PCT, but to enjoy what he travels. Refreshing and wise beyond his young years.

Conquering Silver Pass

After the thunder subsides for awhile, we also move on, going up to Silver Pass.  Within an hour or so, we top it. But just to let us know who is in charge, there is one last rumble as we cross the pass. The climb up has been steady, and a bit hurried. We do not stay much on top. Just enough to get a few pictures, then we start on our way down.

And down we come. We hurry past Silver Pass Lake. Then,  continue down this trail. We stop for a quick break on a small ridge above Silver Pass Creek.  We eventual descend to a nice little meadow, before dropping down into Pocket Meadow.

But before we do, we met a person who was walking the PCT for type one diabetes, in memory of is father. He has a web site called crestblessing.org. He suggested we go up on a rock overlook, to get a great view of the Valley. I do this while Sherri travels on. It is a view which should not be missed, and I am glad I did not miss it.

In the meantime, Sherri has descended a ways while I have been gawking. This descent has got to be the worst on the JMT. It is steep, rocky and the stones are cut in places, so you have three to four foot steps. Not sure how Sherri made it down this. But I came close to stumbling down in in several places. But after being worn out by this, we make it to Pocket Meadow. We decide to go on for a ways, but soon realize we are tired from this "short" day and want to find a camp. Any camp will do. About 3/4 of a mile down the trail, we find someplace where I could draw water and pitch our tent. We make dinner and go to bed. Apparently, we did not get any wisdom from the trail today

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

Crossing North Fort of San Joaquin

Cascade Valley

Tully Hole

Picture says it all

Squaw Lake

Clouds over Silver Pass

South Side of Silver Pass

July 2, 2013 - Virginia Lake

Title: July 2, 2013 - Virginia Lake
 

Hike Info:

Trail:  JMT to Virginia Lake

Starting location:  Deer Creek

Destination:  Virginia Lake

Distance:    9.9 miles  ¹

Start Time:  7:45

End Time:   4:10

Travel Time: 7:55 (1.25 mph)

Moving Time: 4:57 (2.0 mph) 

Elevation Rise:   2,089'   ¹  

Maximum Elevation:  10,499' ¹


Additional pictures can be found at the bottom of this page.
 

Description:

Got up a few minutes early. Skies, while not completely clear are almost. Had a nice quiet time with some hymns thrown in.

Today we had our first mechanical breakdown of the trip. The JetBoil would sputter and stop, or flame up. I ended up dismantling the burner and blowing through parts of it. After putting it back together again, it roared to life.  Success for today.

We get out of camp around 7:45, with Nicole. Fritz left a little before us. We immediately cross Deer Creek (37.56362N, 119.03418W). Then start an 1200', five mile rise up to Duck Creek. Most of the rise  comes in the first two miles. 

Fish Creek Valley

During one of the rest breaks, Nicole says that her pole's adjustment has broken.  Looking at it the lower shaft's plastic screw has broken loose from its top. Neither Fritz nor I can figure out how to reconnect it. So we duct tape it together at a lower setting. Nicole just has to make due.

Once we get up to around 9900' the scenery is really wonderful. You look across this expansive valley and see the range across the way.  You feel like you are in a magical setting. How the mountains rise from the green valley. That valley houses Fish Creek--we will be walking beside it all of today. Amongst this, Sherri and I have a minor celebration about making it farther than last year. Life is so good!

Rain Clouds

As we walk, I have been thinking about what would David or Dad do with Nicole's pole? The thought hits me. So when we get to Duck Creek and take a lunch break, I go out and find a straight piece of wood, about the length and size of the shaft. Then whittle it into shape. The stick  gets jammed into the shaft and I re-attach the lower shaft. Wola! A working walking pole! Nicole is amazed-so am I.

The Rains Came

About this time another JMTer comes up, Evan. His hiking partner has walked out on him. So he is rushing to finish the JMT. But he walks with us for awhile. About that time, the clouds which has been forming breaks lose. Ponchos, rain jackets and pack overs all come on.  It rains pretty good for 40 minutes or so. But the rain brings its own beauty.

Purple Lake

As we approach Purple Lake, the rain stops and the sun comes out. By the time Sherri and I catch up to Fritz, Nicole and Evan, they have their rain gear off. We follow suit. Purple Lake is nice looking. Nicole and Evan take off, and we do not see them again today.

Fritz and us play leap frog as we climb 500+' out of Purple Lake. This last effort is tiring to us, but the area is one which we are interested in seeing a bit more. So when we descend into Lake Virgina, Sherri and I take our leave of Fritz. He invites us to room with his wife and him when we get to VVR. I think we will take him up on the offer.

Lake Virginia

Lake Virginia(37.51449N, 118.93292W) is really picturesque. We are so glad we stopped. We have the time. I even get a chance to rinse the dirt off my legs. After our beef stroganoff dinner we walk around the lake and talk. The evening ends with another showing of a MacGyver episode, but not before being treated to a spectacular sunset.

Today's JMT Lesson:  Preparedness is much of innovation.

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 above come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk or from topo maps. There were no tracks for today from my GPS. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance:  9.8 miles

Moving Time:  4:57 (1.97 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,293'

Additional Pictures:

Mountain Walking

Walking the Trail-Fritz, Nicole and Sherri

Gap we walked through

Purple Lake Basin

Fritz at Lake Virginia

Tent at sunset-Lake Virginia

Place; CA-Fish Creek (Inyo)

Fish Creek (Mt Lyell 15', Crystal Crag 7.5', Bloody Mtn 7.5'quad)
(Long, Lat)

Description:

“Apropos of the sheepmen, I afterward learned that such of the fraternity as had visited the cañon were less strongly impressed by its scenic features than by the abundance of trout; hence they gave the stream the name Fish Creek, ignoring the cañon completely, except (possibly) to recognize it as forming the banks of the creek.” (Theodore S. Solomons, in S.C.B., 1894, I:3, p. 79.)  From Place Names of the High Sierra (1926)  by Francis P. Farquhar

Trips:

• July 2, 2013 - JMT
• July 2007

Pictures:

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References:

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