Days 60-61

Day 60, 14 miles, endpoint partway down the trail to VVR (off the PCT)

After a chilly morning below Selden Pass, we started hiking up, expecting it to take an hour or so to get to the pass summit. We were surprised when, about 20 minutes later, we suddenly found ourselves at the top, with views on both sides. Apparently, we were much closer to the pass than either of us realized. Had we known, we would have hiked over the top last night and camped down in the Lake Marie area on the north side of the pass. Oh, well.

The reason it would have been nice to camp around Lake Marie is simply because that area was so freaking beautiful. It was one of those places that didn't even look real. The lake basin was dotted with pine trees, surrounded by mountains, of course. Hiking here in the Sierras is very surreal at times; the sights are just out of this world.

After slowly making our way past the lake, we went downhill for awhile, then uphill for awhile, then downhill for awhile. Basically, typical mountain hiking.

We turned down the side trail towards VVR late afternoon and ran into a hiker named Whitney, who is hiking the John Muir Trail (JMT) southbound. For about 175 miles, the PCT and the JMT share the same trail, with hikers of both trails crossing paths. Turns out, Whitney is a nurse and will be moving to Bend, Oregon when she finishes her trip. We immediately got along and invited her to camp with us, as she is also planning on going into VVR tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, our plan is to go into VVR just for the day, clean up, get some good food, and do a little shopping. Definitely looking forward to all of that!

View from Seldon Pass.

Marie Lake from Seldon Pass.

Trail views.

Bear Creek crossing

Camp... cold tonight.

Day 61, 12 miles, endpoint same place as previous night along trail to VVR

We left our camp for VVR this morning a little after 6am. We left the tent, air pads, quilt, and bear cans behind and walked six miles along the side trail with light packs.

VVR is a rustic resort in a woodsy setting next to Lake Edison. They have a store next to a restaurant, as well as a separate "bath house" with showers and a laundry room. Josh immediately started charging his camera batteries with their multiple outdoor outlets, we showered, and instantly felt like new people. I ordered the breakfast special--cinnamon banana pancakes--which were gone in about two seconds.

We spent the day there doing laundry, organizing food, and buying some more food and supplies. While there we ran into Phil and Julia, a couple from Oregon Josh was acquainted with before the trip who are also hiking the PCT. We had known they were out there on the trail somewhere, but it took two months for us to actually cross paths. We checked the hiker register to see when some of our other friends we met on the trail had come through. People we were hiking with as recently as the day we went over Forester Pass are now anywhere from five to ten days ahead of us. Our slow pace has really dropped us behind (not that it's a race or anything).

We left late in the afternoon and headed back to our tent near the junction with the VVR side trail and the PCT. The mosquitos were starting to get us tonight for the first time this trip. It is likely only going to get worse from here in that regard. Good thing we have bug nets for our heads, which we did use tonight once we got to camp.

Tomorrow it is onward, with a plan of five more days until our next resupply in the small area (not really even a town) called Tuolumne Meadows. The scenery between here and there is supposed to be spectacular, so we can't wait.

VVR - Vermillion Valley Resort

Always nice to be reminded how far you have to go.

The food here was pretty damn good.  We spent too much money.

Lake Edison.  Usually has a lot more water.  The water level is so low that they can't run their normal ferries across the lake.