13 June - Day 53 - Up & over Pinchot Pass

From Middle Rae Lakes (Mile 793.5) [10,587 ft] to Woods Creek [8511 ft] to Pinchot Pass [12,132 ft] to South Fork of King's River (Mile 811.7) [10,219 ft]

Total PCT Miles Hiked Today: 18.2

Mile 800 passed at suspension bridge over Woods Creek.

2nd day for Dionysus hiking with abdominal sprain (?). Pain is pretty intense, but he is managing it with good humor.

Regular feature of our day is daydreaming about food. We are fine with the rigors of long distance hiking. The really boring food on the trail, however, gets us to daydreaming about town stops. Yikes!




Beautiful hike down along the Rae Lakes by first light. At the end of the valley going down, we cross a fabulous bridge (later, thru-hikers were fishing here and then later roasted the fish at a fire ring nearby).

Long (7+ miles) ascent of Pinchot Pass 3600+ ft. We notice how on long grueling slogs up steep passes our minds become vulnerable to old griefs and losses ... And so we have to sometimes get conversations going - regardless of how out-of-breath they are - just to get out of our "heads."

Incredible roaring creek on sheer rocks up long valley with aspens and signs of avalanche. Rooster tail of water.

Napped on sponge sphagnum by alpine creek. Saw Dirty Brown, Anteater, Stride, Nancy, & others. Dirty Brown told us that our German artist friend, Tina, had left the PCT and returned to Germany. We were so sorry to hear that.

DB came down the pass w/ us 5 and we quickly filled the campsite. More arrived later. Big circle of laughing voices ringing out over roaring creeks in this high pine forest.


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