PCT SECTION HIKE | DAY 21 Lower Palisades to Lake Marjorie
Miles Hiked: 12.1 miles
Elevation: 2692 ft ascent | 2140 ft descent
Today was hard for many reasons. Condensation was killer this morning, my tent soaked and sleeping bag fairly wet. It’s the cost of having a single wall tent and sleeping by a lake. Worth it though. We were also tackling Mather Pass. Unfortunately, we lost two members of our tramily. After much consideration, they are turning back to exit through Bishop Pass due to suspected altitude sickness. It is never easy to lose people you’ve spent time with on trail, especially when they are not leaving by choice.
While Mather Pass is difficult, I prefer it to the Golden Staircase. Once you pass Upper Palisade, the landscape changes, becoming rockier. And so the climb begins. But first:
A pika leaps out of the boulders in front of me and darts down the trail…and runs straight into my shoe, before bolting off into the boulders behind me.
I talked with a few hikers on my way up, and then finally made it, after what seemed like endless switchbacks up the rocky pass.
Look at this view. This is why I hike. It is not always fun. You stink, everything hurts, and you rely on the gear and food you carry on your back. It is almost always challenging. But…the places hiking takes you is amazing. And the people are even better.
Down down down the switchbacks. Into the valley. The terrain changes from open landscape to forest. I caught up with the others, who had also been joined by Phoebe. Conga line. I followed them for a little while until we reached the South Fork Kings River crossing. I decided to take a break and get water, as I would not be able to keep pace with the others on the uphill.
2.8 more miles to camp and a pretty good climb to get there. It is fairly steep up until the Taboose Pass junction. Then the trail becomes a more gradual uphill. I soon reached camp and set up my tent. Then it was time for laundry and swimming. Plans changed a little once my feet hit the water. Marjorie is very cold. I soaked my feet for a little while and then used one of my small towels to clean up with a little bit of camp soap (away from water)