Saturday, July 24

Northbound over the Headwaters Bowl of East Fork of the Carson River, past Wolf Creek Lake, and on to the Sonora Pass

After meeting a bunch of Pacific Crest Trailers down low in the East Carson River, I did not run into anyone for an hour or so, until I climbed above the forest line, into the sparce cover of the Whitebark Pines.

Then I hit the damn Jackpot!

A Cool Chick Solo PCT hiker!

And...

A Squared-Away Boy Scout Troop hiking from Sonora Pass to Echo Summit!

Climbing up the last bit of the headwaters of the East Carson River, I spied this lady carefully making her way down. She was examining the ground carefully, and appeared deep in thought.

I coughed gently, so I would not scare the shit out of her.

We both laughed, then sat and talked for awhile.

This is Dinosaur. She is out of North Carolina, doing the Pacific Crest Trail, and was a delight to encounter on the trail, as you can see.

Dinosaur Trail Journal

and...

Two Damn Sharp long distance backpackers from Oregon, who were walking home!

and finally,

I got a ride down to Kennedy Meadows in a fancy silver Mercedes two-door sports car...

Any ride in a Mercedes, especially a new two-door sports car, would be really amazing for a dirty backpacker with a huge pack, except that the two dayhikers, a fit early-sixties couple whom I passed on the way down to Sonora Pass, who were also packing heat, were also parking a fast car at Sonora Pass.

And 'cause they liked me, they insisted that me and my pack would fit in their car. And we did.

I was truly amazed that my huge-assed backpack fit in the trunk of

The Fine Trail work going up the headwaters bowl of the East Carson River is just beautiful.

Without the tireless and dedicated work of Generations of Hard Workers on Trail Crews, these mountains would be very difficult for backpackers to penetrate.

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that two door sports car. But the Germs are pretty damn ingenious...

Index By Page

Trail Culture Index

Hwy 395 to Corral Valley

Corral Valley to PCT at East Carson River

The E Carson Headwaters to Sonora Pass

Troop 13 out of Newcastle, California.

These kids were squared-away, though I know a few of them will come to rue the heavy things they packed. But you have to love the

Kennedy Meadows Pack Station

Hiking towards Brown Bear Pass

Brown Bear Pass to Stubblefield Canyon

Stubblefield Canyon to Cold Canyon

Cold Canyon to Tuolumne Meadows

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Map

Miles and Elevations

Swazie, heading North on the Pacific Crest Trail on the Eastern Flank of Sonora Peak near Wolf Creek Lake.

Now you should understand that the Pacific Crest Trail hikers are at the 1000 mile mark at this point on the trail.

Swazie and Dino were hiking together for sections, and solo for sections.

I think Swazie is from North Carolina too, but my notes fail to inform.

The flowers growing on the flanks of Sonora Peak are stunning every year, from when they first bloom, to when they pull in their flowers and go to seed.

This one was growing near the Sonora Gap, the Gap in the ridge that brings you from Sonora Peak's East to its South Flank.

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This is Ted and Henry. They are from Southern Oregon.

Ted and Henry have walked 75 miles to this point, which is just North of the Sonora Gap, and Just South of Wolf Creek Lake, from Tuolumne Meadows.

They are on their way back home to Oregon, walking to Hood River.

Nice guys. Wish I had more time to kick it, but the thunderclouds were forming up, and we were at about 10, 400 feet here.

Wolf Creek Lake sits just South of the East Carson Headwaters bowl, and just North of the Sonora Gap.

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The Leavitt Massif From the Sonora Gap. The peak in the foreground is part of the massif, and the peak in the background is Leavitt Peak.

Sonora Pass sits beyond the low hills between Leavitt and the Sonora Gap.

July 2009: This little guy was living at the hole in the Sonora Gap.

At the gap between the East and South flanks of Sonora Peak (just North of Sonora Pass) there is a gap that the PCT passes through. In that gap there is a hole in the ground.

I took a break there this year, but the little dude did not show.

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