DAY 5 | ROSALIE LAKE TO RED'S MEADOW | JMT
MILES HIKED PER GARMIN | GUTHOOKS: 11.1
MILES ON THE JMT: 8.7 [SOBO mm. 50.6 -59.3]
PASSES: 0
WILDLIFE: 0
BLISTERS: 0
I couldn’t sleep at all last night. Decisions to be made. My mind wouldn’t shut down for the night.
I am done.
I hate that I am coming to this decision. I should just push through. Take a zero day to rest. Something other than quit. I planned this hike for months.
But…
I am done. The trail will still be here when I am ready to come back. Maybe next year.
I made the decision before I left camp at 0800. I told myself that it wasn’t set in stone. Maybe I would change my mind after a half days rest and good sleep at Red’s Meadow. That is what I told people later that day—I was taking a zero day in Mammoth, buying new shoes, then continuing on.
But…
I knew myself. I had already talked myself into leaving.
The trail from Rosalie to Red’s Meadow was my least favorite. Partly because I knew it was my last day on the trail and partly because of the actual environment. Thick forest, blowdowns, and mosquitos. I saw no more than six other hikers the entire morning. Soon, the forest became more exposed. It was no more than 75 degrees outside, but it felt like the ground was on fire—the Devil’s Postpile seemed surprisingly accurate for how those last few miles felt!
There was a stream crossing at Minaret Creek [mile 56]. This was the second and final stream crossing on my hike, with the water level reaching mid-calf. I later saw a note on Guthook about a log crossing downstream. I decided to cross, spending an extra few minutes soaking my feet once on the other side.
I arrived at Red’s Meadow at approximately 1230 and was spotted by Annie and Stu! They had arrived the day before and invited me to join them at their campsite and later, dinner (thank you again to both of you—you are amazing people and made me feel so welcome). I collected my resupply bucket, as well as an ice cold Coca-Cola, at the general store. Then headed to camp, situated right by the backpacker’s camp. After setting up my tent, I headed back up to the general store to purchase tokens for the shower—$10 for ten minutes [minimum of $5 for 5 minutes]. It is an additional $2 for a towel and soap [something the guy behind the counter failed to mention]. The charging station and laundry room are located between the men’s and women’s showers. After a quick shower, FOOD. There is nothing better than a hot—non dehydrated—meal after hiking.
The next day, I took the shuttle into Mammoth. I waited a few hours before taking a bus to Bishop, where I would spend the night. This was the cheapest option [other than hitching the whole way] to make it back to my car at Whitney Portal. I took the 0700 bus from Bishop to Lone Pine, then hitched to the portal with a trail angel named Michael. Michael had given rides to over 500 hikers this year alone.
After making it back to my car, I decided to pay it forward. A hiker was waiting at the junction of 395 and Whitney Portal Road. Her name: Trilby, a 78-year-old solo female hiker. She was hiking from Horseshoe Meadows north and was quite the spitfire! I can only hope that I have her passion when I am her age.