Wednesday, August 14
Start: Bear Creek (9657′)
End: between McClure and Colby Meadow (~9660′)
Miles: 22.3
Elevation gain: 5226′
This morning, I was awake early and headed out by 6am and did the long climb up to Selden Pass (10,900′), after some excellent balancing on a log to cross Bear Creek.
I then descended past Heart Lake (10,585′) and Sallie Keyes Lakes (10,210′). I then descended towards MTR (~7500′) to get my resupply and charge my electronics.
After spending an hour or so there and eating a pound of gummy bears and a sleeve of Oreos (sorry Poppables, I couldn’t make you fit), I headed out. With a pack around 38 pounds with a liter of water, I slowly climbed the never ending hot sunny uphill alongside the south fork of the San Joaquin River, having to stand to the side for a horse/mule train at one point.
As I hiked up the canyon, I decided to take the alternative high water route to try and avoid getting my feet wet going across Evolution Creek (unsuccessfully). I ended up just walking through the water (calf high), though I really should have taken off my shoes, socks, and ankle braces first. For the biggest water crossing on the JMT, it was super tame. I then accidentally blew past McClure Meadow (9660′), and ended up camping out another mile further; the mosquitoes were terrible all along this corridor. I have a campsite to myself and I spent most of my evening in my tent, hiding from the mosquitoes. Due to my extensive post-nasal drip, I’ve slowly gone completely hoarse; hopefully, it’ll resolve soon.
Unfortunately, due to the elevation gain, all of my food is taking up more space, as the air in all sealed things has expanded. Which means everything doesn’t quite fit in my bear canister. For tonight, I’ve hung a bear bag for a bit of overflow, all in zip bags; I hope it goes okay!
Transcending Mountains 