DAY 1 | SUNRISE LAKES TO LOWER CATHEDRAL LAKE | JMT
MILES HIKED PER GARMIN | GUTHOOKS: 11.6 miles
MILES ON THE JMT: 4.5 [SOBO mm. 13.2 -17.7]
PASSES: 0
WILDLIFE: Deer [3]
BLISTERS: 0
Today is finally the day. My parents and I packed up camp at Mono Lake, made breakfast, and drove into Yosemite. It ended up being a later start than expected, arriving at the trailhead around 0915 due to breakfast and traffic at the park entry.
The Sunrise Trailhead starts with a steady incline as you make your way from Tenaya Lake to the junction for Clouds Rest and Sunrise HSC. I met a ranger on the way who checked my permit. We chatted for a bit about the hike I had planned for the day, as well as my end goal. First permit check: less stressful than anticipated (I don’t know what I was expecting). There were many day hikers, all of whom encouraged me along the way. About half of those I talked with shared their amazement that I was going at it alone. Those first few miles to the junction for Cloud’s Rest could not have been a better moral booster. I talked with other women who had hopes of hiking the JMT in 2020 and other who has completed sections many years before. As I reached Sunrise HSC, I started to meet more backpackers on their way to Happy Isles, but had yet to meet another southbound hiker.
My goal was in the opposite direction: Lower Cathedral Lake. The last real option for camping before hitting the 4 mile no camping zone from Tuolumne Meadows. Earlier backpackers had mentioned that there was no camping there, but I decided to chance the 0.5 mile off trail walk based on past JMT hikers reports and Elizabeth Wenk’s list of camping locations. The trail from Sunrise HSC to Cathedral Lakes was more flat, with a short incline ending about a mile before reaching Upper Cathedral Lake.
There were a number of day hikers at the lake, as expected, but only one other backpacker, solo as well (in the perfect spot!). I found a spot for my tent, successfully pitched my Duplex, and started to relax, with hours left before sunset. Thanks to a little wind, the mosquitos were not an issue. As sunset drew near, clouds started rolling in.
I don't know why I get so nervous at night. I have never had an issue hiking alone, but sleeping in a tent alone brings out all the irrational fears. I think part of it is just being lonely—not having someone to share the experience with. The other part is the unknown. The things that make noises in the night. I KNOW that the chance of having an issue is low, but it gets me every time. I read a post by Noël Russell (@noel_russ) on Instagram recently that stood with me (click here to read). It brings up looking at the unknowns outside the tents as positives instead of negatives: you don't know what is there, why assume it is something big and bad? It doesn't calm all the fear, but I know it will get better with time and experience.
