PCT SECTION HIKE | DAYS 24-25 Mt Williamson Zero Day + PCT SECTION HIKE | DAY 25 Onion Valley Trailhead to Forester Pass Basecamp
Miles Hiked: 0 miles / 13.2 miles
Elevation: 0 ft / 4374 ft ascent | 0 ft / 2347 ft descent
Much needed zero day.
Check.
Breakfast with other hikers and guests at the basecamp. Some NOBO, some SOBO. Laundry was done yesterday, so today is all about relaxing and organizing resupply. I spent the morning organizing what I already had and then took the bus to Lone Pine in order to pick up some fresh food and a burger. All I wanted was fruit. Raspberries, blueberries, grapes, clementines. I ate what I could, packed as much as I could fit in my bear can, and left the rest for other guests. I text Giulia and Eldo, who had planned to be at Mt Williamson the same day as me. They were already done and headed back to Oregon! They skipped VVR and made it from MTR to Whitney in 8 days.
The next day, another breakfast before hiking. Sharon appeared from one of the cabins. She was getting back on trail! An 0800 shuttle ended up being later, as we had to turn around part way up the switchbacks and head back to town. One of the other hikers forgot his big camera. Start time: 0915. This is my third time up Kearsarge Pass from Onion Valley. Hot, dry, long. And a whole lot of up. Sharon and I started the day together and slowly worked our way up the pass. A zero day has its benefits. But at the same time, it feels so much harder to get back in a groove. Just over a mile an hour. Oof.
I filled up with water just past the Bullfrog/JMT junction, then continued the downhill. I’m not looking forward to the climb up to Forester Basecamp. I want nothing more than to make it there, but I know it will be a late night. It is either push now or have a bigger climb up and over Forester tomorrow. The total ascent today is the biggest for the entire trail, more than 1,000’ more than the ascent to Whitney from Guitar Lake. The good news: Whitney feels like a piece of cake after today and tomorrow.
1940PM.
Camp is nearly empty this year. A fraction of the crowds that filled the area last time I was here. I set up camp. Filtered water. Tried to shove some calories in. I didn’t want to cook. Not hungry at all. I know I need to eat though.
Food. Pee. Sleep. Ready for another long day tomorrow. No short day like last year. This year I’m going to Wallace Creek. Sharon has decided to push to Crabtree and then out Whitney Portal the next day.