Day46, June 21, 2017

• Daily mileage 0 PCT, 13 non-PCT
• Total mileage 785
• Hiked from whenever to whenever (ok, I forget!)

Out to the town of Bishop

Today was the summer solstice, which means it was officially hike naked day. But, all of my clothes stayed firmly on my body where they belong!

I awoke to a surprisingly heavy frost this morning. Well that explained why it felt so cold last night. Our group was away in a fairly early fashion with one thing on our minds. Town. This seven days in the Sierra have been incredible, but also very wearing. Our first task was to find our way across the valley bottom with only occasional glimpses of the actual trail. Apple Jack and Gabe had joined us so as a party of eight, we forged our way across to the switchbacks leading up to Kearsarge Pass. Well, most of us did. Sam, Chris and Gabe missed a turn and ended up having to go up about a 600 foot elevation rock/scree scramble to get to the pass.      

It was a cold morning at Bullfrog Lake      

More drop dead scenery on the way to the pass      

Looking back from the top of Kearsarge Pass

We knew to expect snow on the other side of the pass and were not disappointed. We had a very long side hill traverse to start with and it was a bit sketchy. Not as bad as the one yesterday on Forester, but a fall would have had consequences. Like, there would be no stopping before a very cold looking lake at the bottom. Everyone made it without any problems and then we were back to the fun "I wonder if this is where the trail is" game. You follow footprints in the snow, you follow your gut instincts, you check your maps, you check GPS if you have it, but it still feels like opening a present on Christmas morning when you actually see a patch of bare trail. This was about when we started hearing rumblings that the road down from the trailhead was closed from returning hikers. When we finally got to the road, indeed it was closed.      

Long side hill traverse from the pass on the right side of the picture      

Frozen Pothole Lake      

Yet more stunning scenery      

And more stunning scenery

We all took the time to dry our gear which was all soaked from last night's condensation and then it was time to start the dreaded six mile road walk. But with genial banter and the knowledge the town food and cold beer awaited us, the two hour walk in the increasing heat went fairly well. When we got yo the closure, there was no washout. What the hell? But then we looked at the snow melt fed stream flowing into the culvert under the road and saw the reasoning. It really is only a matter of time before the stream either overflows the road or worse, washes out the culvert.

Six miles of this. Bleh.      

We were all very happy to get to this sign

Down at the bottom, there were two minivans waiting for us. The first one was Sam's dad and little sister. They had driven up from the Bay Area to meet Sam for a few days. The second one was trail angel Santa's Helper whom we had last seen back at Landers Meadow. Between the two vans, we squeezed all of us hikers and our gear in and headed to Bishop. 

First stop, food and beer. We ate at a very good Mexican place which served their fare on very much oversize platters, but it all seemed to just disappear. Then we scattered hither and fro to find accommodations and do all of the mundane tasks that town days involve. 

Apple Jack and I happened to end up at the laundromat at the same time and we both had a good laugh when the local news included a list of local roads that were closed due to flooding from the snowmelt. We both figured it would have been faster to list the roads that remained open.        

No, we do not need any take away containers!

We met up with everyone who has made it to town (only Cedar, Alex and the Bearcans are still up in the mountains) for supper and exchanged war stories. Three members of our group turned back from the Wallace Creek crossing after two of them got swept by the current. Pretty much everyone had similar stories. All of this is because as I sit here in the valley bottom, it is well over 100 F which means the huge snowpack from last winter is melting at an accelerated pace.

Then it was bedtime which turned out to time to be listen to the junk air conditioner rattle all night trying to get the  temperature down to just below the boil!  

As a final twist of irony, the hotel has adorned it's walls with pictures of local scenes. In my bathroom, there is a picture of, get this, f***ing sun cups.