July 28, 2012 – Sapphire Lake to Davis Lake

Title: July 28, 2012 – Sapphire Lake to Davis Lake

Trail head: Sapphire Lake

Hike Info:

Trail: JMT and Cross-Country

Destination: Goddard Canyon

Actual Destination: Davis Lake

Distance: 4.4 miles

Travel Time: 10:48

Moving Time: 3:35

Elevation Rise: 1,044'

Maximum Elevation: 11,700'

Map of area

Profile of hike

Description:

We get up at 6:30 or so. The wind is blowing but not as strong. We hit the trail at 7:40 and start our 400' climb to Wanda Lake. We cover the 1 ¾ miles in an hour and a quarter—it is not a bad climb, but we are over 11,000'. It is a nice temperature and we make good progress.







We stop when the trail crosses the creek below Wanda Lake and have a break. It is so wonderful looking back down the canyon. Even with it with a series of unnamed lakes. The sloping ground and the cut off of the land below our view.







But it is not time for us to start our cross-country adventure. We will be going up to a small 11,700' saddle and then drop down into Davis Lakes. 40 years since I have been here. We make it up to the saddle pretty good. Sherri's asthma does not kick in. But now we start going down. It is a boulder field all the way down to Davis Lakes and Sherri does not like it. The mountains are a good backdrop and anytime we want to breath, they are there to admire—ie, a good excuse for me to stop and breath.

But the boulders are a calling and they are there to hamper our progress. It consumes a lot of energy and time going up and over and around them. Plus, we are going on a pretty steep incline as well. Sherri is a bit spooked by then. I help her before lunch. After lunch, Andrea works with her. She does really good with Sherri. Even when we get to the lake. There are boulders and a cliff which force us to go high. We come back down a ravine, which gets progressively steeper. We eventually get down to the lake, but the shore disappears and there is 8' of rock cliff which we scoot along in the water. I in my boots am able to hop from low rock to low rock. The others are bare feet or Teva's. We are tired, but not sure where we can camp. So we trudge on. Andrea does find a place and we decide to settle down by Davis Lake for the night. It is a beautiful lake. We even have a little bit of energy and spirit to play a short came of catch with the frisbee.



Trail Lesson: Fear is a mind killer—Bene Gessart saying from Dune.

July 27, 2012 – Evolution Meadow to Sapphire Lake

 Title: July 27, 2012 – Evolution Meadow to Sapphire Lake

Trail head: Evolution Meadow

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Destination: Wanda Lake

Actual Destination: Sapphire Lake

Distance: 8.9 miles

Travel Time: 10:00

Moving Time: 4:52

Elevation Rise: 2,307'

Maximum Elevation: 10,992'

Description:
After yesterday morning, I stayed in my bag until Sherri moved—probably 6 or 6:30. But I could not outlast Andrea who rose up at 7:30. We discuss this some—Andrea thinks we should have woke her up sooner, and that is probably true.



We have breakfast and Sherri hits the trail at 9:20. Andrea and I follow shortly. We pass through Evolution Meadow, the least of the three meadows in Evolution Valley. Making good time. But we start climbing up a ridge and get to McClure Meadow.



This meadow is just so pretty. You get the idea of a perfect Valley It is some place which you can spend time just admiring. We do not do it justice. Just before Colby Meadow, we catch up with Sherri and take a break.



This starts our leap frogging of a Japanese man00older with limited English. We would pass him several times. Very courteous. Later it looks like he was hobbling and we offer moleskin, but he says he does not have blisters.



The JMT book sad we might need to wade one creek. But it was pretty low so we crossed o a log. Then the start of our steep 800' climb. Coming up the Valley, we already rose up 900'.



We spot a couple of waterfalls and head over there. I borrow Sherri's Teva's and go under the falls—cold--not shocking cold. But it did get the heart racing. Andrea did the same thing after I was through.



We are hot and slow. But there is enough eye candy, mostly The Hermit, to keep us going. The U-Shape of the Valley gives a peaceful feeling. The altitude is also working against us. We are about 10,000' now. Well that is except the energizer bunny—Andrea--who still has a bounce in her step.



By the time we get to Evolution Lake, it is 4. Sherri is still good for Sapphire Lake. So we start the 2 mile, 200' trek there. Andrea goes ahead to find a camp site. In contrast with the warmth of the day, the falling evening shadows send a chill through us. Then with the breeze, it is getting downright cold.

The site Andrea has found is by the Lake, smooth enough to pitch our tent. So Andrea will sleep with us tonight. Good thing she bought us a 3 person tent. While dinner is being made, Andrea and I go fly a kite—at 11,000' for our capture California points. We eat, clean up and watch the sun set—or more accurately, we see the light leave the surrounding mountains.



Trail Lesson: Waterfalls are a great source of refreshment—both visual and when you personally plunge in.

July 26, 2012 – San Joaquin River to Evolution Meadows

 Title: July 26, 2012 – San Joaquin River to Evolution Meadows

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Destination: Evolution Meadows

Distance: 8.3 miles

Travel Time: 8:11

Moving Time: 4:41

Elevation Rise: 1,824'

Maximum Elevation: 9,257'

Description:



Got up around first light. But Andrea and Sherri are still sleeping. I just wander and sit and write. Around 8:30 there is stirrings and they get up and pack and we have our usual breakfast of oatmeal.



We hit the trail at 10:10. The trail is an easy to moderate grade up this morning. But we are in the sun. Seat comes easily to me as we go on—pretty good clip so far. We reach Piute Creek around 11:15 and have a gorp stop.



We get going again around noon and it is a long hot, but moderate uphill. But the sights are improving. The gorge which the San Joaquin River runs through is narrowing and the water rushes down. We stop again about 1:30 at an unknown place for lunch. There is shade and access to water. We have lunch there and continue on. A little later, we cross the San Joaquin River, on a bridge. Not there is shade for us, as we walk along the western side of the river. After a mile we come to the Goddard Canyon Junction.. We cross the river—on a bridge, once again. It is time for a decision and a break. Do we go up to Evolution Valley? Or stay here and camp? We decide to go up.

We meet a group of females—eight in all. They are doing the JMT—there are some other women in the group as well, doing a section of the trail. They are called WILD. The trail up is step—one step, one breath. Good part is there is lots of eye candy on the way up. First it is up and down the canyon views. Then there is a creek coming off the side of the canyon walls opposite us. As we climb, the view change and grow deeper. It takes my mind off of the heat and weight.



We stop at some falls, a couple of hundred feet below Evolution Valley. Nice to watch. I go up next to the creek to watch the water flow—good rock and the ascent Is fast. Before we know it, we are walking level. We meet a winemaker from Gallo who lives in Fresno—good talking with him.



We need to cross Evolution Creek. It is time to take off our shoes and wade. Not a bad crossing. Once on the other side, we hike 10 minutes and find a good spot around 6pm. Dinner is a mashed potato, cheese, and jerky combination. Got everything clean.. Andrea gets a fire going to burn some moldy pepperoni sticks and then it is off to bed.

Trail Lesson: Early stars makes for good walking.

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.

July 10, 2012, Day 1-JMT, Happy Isles to Sunrise Creek

Title: July 10, 2012, Day 1-JMT, Happy Isles to Sunrise Creek

Trail head: Happy Isles

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Destination: Sunrise Creek

Distance: 9.43

Moving Time: 5:11

Elevation Rise: 3,500'

Maximum Elevation: 7,500'

Description:
Got to bed a lot later than expected—about 11pm. I thought we were all packed and ready to go. But things did not seem like we had everything so we went through our stuff and inventoried them again.



The alarm did not go off. But we still woke up around 5:15. Out the door and on the road by 5:45. We stopped in Oakhurst for Breakfast Burrito's at Carl's Jr. Then go to Camp Curry Parking Lot by 8:15. By 8:45 we hopped on board a shuttle bus and got off at Happy Isles to both the bathroom and to start our adventure. This is the start of our John Muir Trail adventure. We are planning on doing this in 20-22 days.



Before we have gone very far, we meet our first two disasters. Sherri does not have her Allegra and did not pack her energy shot's for this leg of the trip. She has packed those in for our restocks. The energy shots she will sorely miss on this section's steep rises/ She adjusts her attitude and onward we go.

Steven walks with us for the first three miles, just above Vernal Falls and about 1 ¼ miles from the top of Nevada Falls. It is good that Steven walked and talked with Sherri. With the couple of things forgotten, it was affecting how Sherri was thinking about this trip. Steven was able to talk through it with her and get her calmed down. After that Sherri was good and walked ok.

Of course, the walk up Nevada is drop-dead gorgeous (DDG). The falls, the domes and all. As wonderful as they are we were concentrating on the task at hand-getting to the top of Nevada Falls. It is a 2.000' rise from the Valley floor to the top of Nevada Falls and another 1,000' rise to the junction with the Half Dome trail. By the time we cross what we think is a dried up Sunrise Creek, we are spent.

When did reach the top, we had lunch. Felt good to get the pack off the back and food into our stomachs. After resting and admiring the area for half an hour, it was back on our feet, crossing the Merced River on top of Nevada Falls. I got ahead of Sherri and was wondering where she was. Turned out that Sherri looked like she knew where she was and was giving advice to others about how to get down, where were good views and the usually Gary tourist director stuff. We also stopped by the Merced a little ways into Little Yosemite Valley to restock our water and take a bite of gorp. There we were joined by a snake who encouraged us to move along.



As we went through Little Yosemite Valley, we came across what has to be the queen of latrines, at least in the Sierra's. It is a two story outhouse and always a fascination for me. We both did our business and moved on. As we climb up to the trail junction with the Half Dome trail, we met a ranger coming down from Half Dome. While not asking to see our permit, we did give answers to our travels and where we were going enough that he was satisfied.



We went beyond the Cloud's Rest trail junction before feeling like we needed to stop. Met a fellow JMT'er who camped along the creek. He found some pools of water and is boiling his. We go up a little beyond the creek crossing and find a site on the ridge, east of the creek. Nice site. Even found a place where the water is running—very slightly We are able to catch the water in my filter bag. We dropped our packs around 5:30.



Dinner is freeze dried Beef Stew—tastes good. At a 3,500' climbing day we are glad to be able to do it, but very tired. We go to bed at 8:45 to escape the mosquito's.



Did I mention that it was hot all day? We were sweating like crazy. So when we got to the semi-dry creek which we thought was Sunrise, we were a bit disappointing. Also we thought we were crossing Sunrise Creek and had gone a bit farther. But all in all, we did well for the day.