PCT SECTION HIKE | DAY 5 Benson Lake to Matterhorn Canyon Creek
Miles Hiked: 11.1 miles
Elevation: 3088 ft ascent | 2215 ft descent
Some days on trail are hard. Today was one of those days.
I woke up feeling sick to my stomach and the last thing I wanted to do was hike. But I had miles to make in order to get to Tuolumne Meadows in time to pick up my “JMT” permit. This is one of the downsides of having two permits and not giving yourself a cushion day. Lesson learned—add extra days to a permit! If you don’t need the extra day to spread out miles, take a zero.
I didn’t end up leaving camp until around 0800 and was barely moving at 1/2 mile per hour.
1/2 mile per hour.
I switched to my Bedrocks (lifesavers) at a creek, once again. It will probably take me a couple of days to finally just wear them all day. I don’t know why I keep thinking my too-small-shoes will suddenly get bigger.
I met more SOBOs along the way, usually on my sit breaks. I made it to Smedberg Lake for lunch and decided to take a longer break in order to soak my feet and maybe swim. I wasn’t 100%, but I was feeling better. I decided to push on, with a goal of Matterhorn Canyon. I still had a pretty big uphill to Benson Pass and then a steep descent all the way to camp.
The last little bit of the pass reminded me of Mount Saint Helens. Steep and sandy.
Two steps forward.
One step back.
I tweaked my calf again on one of the big steps up, sending shooting pain through my calf and back of my knee. I tried to hide the pain as hikers passed. I stopped, took a breath, and continued on. The pain usually only lasted a minute or two, if that. It was downhill from here.
I arrived at an empty camp. A few pesky deer were hanging around. NOBOs continued to hike by until around 2200, but no one stopped. It is a solo night tonight. Well, aside from the deer.