16 June - Day 56 - Mozzie Mania

From campsite at South Fork San Joaquin River (Mile 852.4) [8,493 ft] over 10,000+ ft. Selden Pass to Campsite along Bear Creek (Mile 871.8) [9,098 ft].

Total PCT Miles Hiked today: 19.4

Pan here.

Very difficult day for Dionysus today. The pain in his lower abdomen increased significantly. So discouraging when it had improved the day before.

With our large group stretched out across a mile or two of trail, we leap-frogged one another, or joined up and hiked together as usual.

Dirty Brown, Seano, Dionysus, Anteater, Calf, Pan, Stride, and Rubylocks. Leaving the John Muir Wilderness.

Dionysus & I cliff jumped about 20 ft into North Sallie Keyes Lake - but the mozzies were bad there and just got worse as we hiked over the pass.

What lakes in view from up there looking north. And how lovely the many braided waters descending the mountain sides to those lakes.

That we had a troop of nine seemed to catch other hikers by surprise (so far we are Calf, Rubylocks, Dirty Brown, Anteater, Geriliet, Stride, & the Gay Caballeros).

Many water crossings today - including one fording of broad Bear Creek. Barefoot. Dirty Brown carried Dionysus's clothes bag; Dionysus was in quite a lot of pain and moving slowly down the mountain. Sidekick/Seano stayed with him. I waited at the crossing and took Dionysus's pack across the creek while he crossed with shoes on. Calf has loaned him the use of his trekking poles since after Glen Pass.

Exhausting day since both Dionysus and I are under-caloried (we under-ate by quite a bit).

When we reached our pine-pillared campsite next to the loud, broad Bear Creek and almost hidden down below the trail, I had Dionysus rest while I set up the tent. Sidekick set up his own and then I made supper sitting in the circle of eight (Gariliet headed off for night-hiking to get closer to Mammoth Lakes).

Plan is to hit the trail at 6 am and get 7 miles to the Lake Edison Ferry trailhead, then down the 1.7 miles to the ferry. We'll then catch the ferry to Vermillion Valley Resort - a camping & hiker outpost high up here in the Sierras. That means a 4:45 wake up! (we want to give Dionysus plenty of time to take it slow & easy so his pain doesn't spike).

Mozzies fill this camp, and our tarp is open to them. But not many come in.

G'night.

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