South-North loop
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2019 2:14 pm
Aug 28 - Sep 2, 2019
I bailed out. I had planned to go from South Lake to Duck Lake over the course of six days but cut the trip short and exited via Piute Pass instead.
I drove up to Lone Pine and easily got a walkup permit for Thursday via Bishop Pass. Sitting at the McDonalds later I talked to a young lady who had bailed from her NOBO attempt after reaching Crabtree, she said she couldn’t take the elevation. When I asked about mosquitos she just smiled and generously offered me her headnet. That turned out to be a great piece of gear! I paid back a little hiker karma by taking two hitchhikers to Horseshoe Meadow so they could complete their PCT effort.
The next day I parked behind the Police Department in Bishop and caught the shuttle to South Lake where I began on that familiar trail. While taking the obligatory photo at the Pass, I got jabbed by a sharp rock in my left instep. I didn’t think too much of it at the time since the rest of the day was downhill to Little Pete Meadow. It took a long time to travel the next six miles, I chalked up my slow pace to first-day fatigue along with the amazing views in Dusy Basin. I also stopped for water a couple of times and took a nice long lunch break.
Day two was an issue, as my foot was bothering me some and I just wasn’t making any time. Every little bit of uphill - which was pretty much the entire day - just wore me out and I had to stop frequently just to collect my breath and thoughts once again. I stopped for a long break at the lowest lake (tarn) before Muir Pass and left some of my breakfast behind. I don’t think that was altitude sickness, since I don’t usually notice it until well past 12k and I didn’t have any symptom of general nausea. Anyway, I struggled on to reach Helen Lake by about 4pm and felt like I just couldn’t go any further. While sitting on a rock feeling sorry for myself I decided to just stay there and see how I felt in the morning. When I was changing socks I noticed my foot was very red and starting to bruise. I did spend the night in one of the best campsites I have ever used, and that evening officially decided to bail from my original plan.
The following day was all downhill, so I managed to cover a little more than 16 miles while cruising through Evolution Valley and over the two bridges spanning the San Joaquin River. The afternoon creek ford was less than knee deep and I felt stable enough to stop in the middle and take a couple photos. That view coming down into the valley from Muir Pass is spectacular! Every time I passed by water, the bugs were out in force so I couldn't take any nice shady breaks. I did find a couple of spots in the sunshine where a light breeze kept them away.
Day four was a short downhill and then plenty of up, as I trudged past Hutchinson Meadow in the afternoon. Near the Pine Creek Pass junction is a group of stream crossings, at that time they were very confusing to follow with alternate locations above and below the regular trail. I got a bit lost and then attacked by bugs, I brushed off my legs and arms and ran back the way I came. When I sat down to zip on the pant legs and roll down my sleeves I counted 17 fatalities there. Adding the head net I felt better prepared and set forth again to make the five crossings. This time I paid closer attention to the ground immediately below and managed to get through the little wet area on the actual trail. I was attacked once again later while refilling water so I didn’t quite finish that job. Later in the afternoon I got concerned about how much water I had, since with no map on an unfamiliar trail I did not know how much I would need. I decided to dry camp at the first likely location, which turned out to be well above Little Golden Trout Lake at 10,800 feet. I had about 20 ounces of water so I just had licorice for dinner and a couple sips during the night. Even at this spot the bugs were out, I had to kill two more that snuck inside the tent with me. I guessed that I was about three miles from Piute Pass, and I knew there was a lake just this side of that spot.
In the morning they were still hanging around, and I hurriedly packed up and hit the trail by 6am, hoping to get a couple miles toward the Pass before it got hot. I reached a watering spot in about 25 minutes, so I polished off a full bottle and the rest of my Camelbak bladder before refilling. Just before reaching Summit Lake I had a Clif bar breakfast, which did wonders for my psyche. Reaching Piute Pass was almost anticlimactic, I was expecting to see a sign or something to mark the location. Walking down Piute Canyon was pleasant, as an overcast day kept the temperature down.
I met up with a couple from Colorado near the campground, and we hitched a ride in the back of a pickup out to the highway. From there four cars passed us before two nice folks in a Chevy Volt managed to get all three of us plus our packs loaded up and down to Bishop. That was my first hitchhiking as a passenger experience.
Pic set 1:
What I learned:
Know your level of fitness, I thought I was in better shape - especially the second and third days.
Make sure to eat, I wasn’t hungry and skipped out on replenishment. The Bear Vault didn’t get lighter either.
Be aware of alternates, I don’t know if this qualifies as a Plan B since I didn’t plan for it.
Even the downhill miles are long.
I really dislike mosquitos.
Don’t spit while wearing a headnet.
Bailing isn’t failing.
I bailed out. I had planned to go from South Lake to Duck Lake over the course of six days but cut the trip short and exited via Piute Pass instead.
I drove up to Lone Pine and easily got a walkup permit for Thursday via Bishop Pass. Sitting at the McDonalds later I talked to a young lady who had bailed from her NOBO attempt after reaching Crabtree, she said she couldn’t take the elevation. When I asked about mosquitos she just smiled and generously offered me her headnet. That turned out to be a great piece of gear! I paid back a little hiker karma by taking two hitchhikers to Horseshoe Meadow so they could complete their PCT effort.
The next day I parked behind the Police Department in Bishop and caught the shuttle to South Lake where I began on that familiar trail. While taking the obligatory photo at the Pass, I got jabbed by a sharp rock in my left instep. I didn’t think too much of it at the time since the rest of the day was downhill to Little Pete Meadow. It took a long time to travel the next six miles, I chalked up my slow pace to first-day fatigue along with the amazing views in Dusy Basin. I also stopped for water a couple of times and took a nice long lunch break.
Day two was an issue, as my foot was bothering me some and I just wasn’t making any time. Every little bit of uphill - which was pretty much the entire day - just wore me out and I had to stop frequently just to collect my breath and thoughts once again. I stopped for a long break at the lowest lake (tarn) before Muir Pass and left some of my breakfast behind. I don’t think that was altitude sickness, since I don’t usually notice it until well past 12k and I didn’t have any symptom of general nausea. Anyway, I struggled on to reach Helen Lake by about 4pm and felt like I just couldn’t go any further. While sitting on a rock feeling sorry for myself I decided to just stay there and see how I felt in the morning. When I was changing socks I noticed my foot was very red and starting to bruise. I did spend the night in one of the best campsites I have ever used, and that evening officially decided to bail from my original plan.
The following day was all downhill, so I managed to cover a little more than 16 miles while cruising through Evolution Valley and over the two bridges spanning the San Joaquin River. The afternoon creek ford was less than knee deep and I felt stable enough to stop in the middle and take a couple photos. That view coming down into the valley from Muir Pass is spectacular! Every time I passed by water, the bugs were out in force so I couldn't take any nice shady breaks. I did find a couple of spots in the sunshine where a light breeze kept them away.
Day four was a short downhill and then plenty of up, as I trudged past Hutchinson Meadow in the afternoon. Near the Pine Creek Pass junction is a group of stream crossings, at that time they were very confusing to follow with alternate locations above and below the regular trail. I got a bit lost and then attacked by bugs, I brushed off my legs and arms and ran back the way I came. When I sat down to zip on the pant legs and roll down my sleeves I counted 17 fatalities there. Adding the head net I felt better prepared and set forth again to make the five crossings. This time I paid closer attention to the ground immediately below and managed to get through the little wet area on the actual trail. I was attacked once again later while refilling water so I didn’t quite finish that job. Later in the afternoon I got concerned about how much water I had, since with no map on an unfamiliar trail I did not know how much I would need. I decided to dry camp at the first likely location, which turned out to be well above Little Golden Trout Lake at 10,800 feet. I had about 20 ounces of water so I just had licorice for dinner and a couple sips during the night. Even at this spot the bugs were out, I had to kill two more that snuck inside the tent with me. I guessed that I was about three miles from Piute Pass, and I knew there was a lake just this side of that spot.
In the morning they were still hanging around, and I hurriedly packed up and hit the trail by 6am, hoping to get a couple miles toward the Pass before it got hot. I reached a watering spot in about 25 minutes, so I polished off a full bottle and the rest of my Camelbak bladder before refilling. Just before reaching Summit Lake I had a Clif bar breakfast, which did wonders for my psyche. Reaching Piute Pass was almost anticlimactic, I was expecting to see a sign or something to mark the location. Walking down Piute Canyon was pleasant, as an overcast day kept the temperature down.
I met up with a couple from Colorado near the campground, and we hitched a ride in the back of a pickup out to the highway. From there four cars passed us before two nice folks in a Chevy Volt managed to get all three of us plus our packs loaded up and down to Bishop. That was my first hitchhiking as a passenger experience.
Pic set 1:
What I learned:
Know your level of fitness, I thought I was in better shape - especially the second and third days.
Make sure to eat, I wasn’t hungry and skipped out on replenishment. The Bear Vault didn’t get lighter either.
Be aware of alternates, I don’t know if this qualifies as a Plan B since I didn’t plan for it.
Even the downhill miles are long.
I really dislike mosquitos.
Don’t spit while wearing a headnet.
Bailing isn’t failing.
