Day 45: Short day setting up for Forester Pass

Day 45 – 6/5/16

Crabtree Meadow 766.3 to 775.5

Total miles: 9.2 miles

Today started off with an immediate climb that was quite steep. I’m not a fan of doing a steep climb right away. I need a mile or two to warm up otherwise I move slow. The climb was about a mile and 700 feet of elevation. We reached the top and we’re greeted with a fantastic view. Although, it’s a given out here. Everywhere I look has an amazing view.

We descended for about 45 minutes until we came across our first creek crossing of the day. We walked 100 feet up stream and found a narrow spot we could leap across. Although the grass was soaked on the other side so our shoes got a little wet. Better than soaked shoes.   10 minutes later we came across a second creek to cross. We scouted up the creek but couldn’t find a place to cross without getting our feet wet. We found a shallow and slow moving spot to cross and plowed right in with our shoes on. Our trail runners dry quickly and we knew we had a couple more crossings for the day so wet feet for awhile isn’t that big of a deal.

After the crossing we went back up. The climb was gradual and not as bad as the initial climb of the morning.

We reached an out cropping and had another amazing view.

We came across another creek that was flowing faster than the first two and had lots of rapids. We walked up stream for about 100 yards and had to settle for a spot that wasn’t flowing as fast. Luckily we saw a hiker on the other side just up a small hill so we didn’t have to walk back. We ran into him a couple minutes later and met Mad Dog. Mad Dog got his name when he was invited to dinner and asked to bring wine and jokingly asked if a Mad Dog 40 was good.

The next mile was very steep. At the top we began walking through a grassy meadow peppered with boulders. The trail was also soaking wet in a lot of areas from the snow melting and running down the trail.

The trail climbs over a small hill covered in snow and then we get a view of a massive valley that stretches out.

We start crossing the valley and over the snow fields. We dip into some trees and start heading down.

We round a corner and get our first glimpse of Forester Pass in the far distance.

The notch at the bottom of the “V” is forester pass

We continue down until we hit Tyndall creek. We cross the creek and begin to climb back up on to the other side of the valley. Inching towards the pass.

We cross s couple large clusters of trees until we reach the last one. We stop and find a flat and dry place to camp. We are less than 5 miles from the top of the pass.

We have only gone 9.2 miles but it is too late to attempt Forester. The north side is probably covered in snow and trying to come down that at around 11:30 would result in lots of post holing.  So we stop early for the day at 10 am.

We found a nice spot looking across the valley and where we can sit up against a log.

5 Star sets to work on a backcountry sound system. Mark I involved placing his ear buds in his plastic container. This worked OK but was a little quiet.

Mark II involved a piece of his notebook paper curled up. This worked great.

Then 5 Star cut up a chip bag and curled up the foil material and tapped it together. This worked much better.

We spent the rest of the day laying in the shade. A hiker we met in Kennedy Meadows named Swag stopped and hung out with us for a few hours before moving closer to Forester.

Tomorrow we conquer the PCT high point and set up for our next pass, Glenn Pass. Others would jump out over Kearsarge Pass to go into Independence or Lone Pine but we are going another few days to Vermillion Valley Resort. All I can think about is what did they have.

Here is the 5 Star sleeping set up and part of how he got his name.