Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 16:56:38 -0700 From: lacavacl@ccmail.orst.edu (Clem LaCava) Subject: John Muir Trail Report #4 Hello Friends and Adventure Runners! Part Four: Day Two (August 3rd): -------------------- Up again at 5AM! A few laughs, a few mosquitoes, a few small band aids placed on a few toes, both achilles looked a little red, but I didn't do anything, used the socks from day one, and our food was still hanging in the trees. Breaking camp, eating, getting organized for the long day ahead was taking us about an hour and half this day and for all other days. We dropped back down to the trail at 630AM and on our way. Almost immediately, we saw bear tracks all along the trail. Apparently, the bear has his or her route picked out every night. Just walk the trail and look for food. Sure enough, we came upon a camp, whose food hanging didn't work. Within 3-4 miles, we had climbed up to about 9,500 feet on our way to Donahue Pass. The camping areas up here, along a stream with great views of Lyell Canyon would have been a better campsite for Day One. Donahue Pass was not a particularly hard climb, but, with 23-25 lbs on our backs, 2 1/2 MPH would be a challenge. We were aware of Hal Winton's comment, "that the run to Red's Meadow was difficult, but beautiful", and Tim Twietmeyer's comment, "We made it to Red's Meadow, well behind schedule." The trails around Thousand Islands, Ruby, Garnett, Shadow, Rosalie and Gladys Lakes were hard to run, especially the downhills. We got some strange looks from the fisherman along the lakes. We stopped for lunch around Garnett Lake. Lunch was also a filtering stop and usually consisted of a Pemmican bar with peanut butter, and some trail mix. It was around 1230PM and we had 12 miles, with a lot of downhill, to reach Red's Meadow and meet Jan and Paul for another food drop. Our earlier thought of arriving at Red's Meadow by 4PM, eating a hot meal, refreshening up, relaxing and being ready to take off when Jan and Paul arrived with the food at 530PM was in jeopardy. Shortly after passing Johnston Lake, we all made a wrong turn down a gorge following the stream. Hal Winton mentioned in his report about missing the trail a few times along this section. Larry and Curt were feeling pretty good, Max and I were slowing down a little. With 2-3 miles to go, I told Larry and Curt just get to Red's Meadow, I'll catch up! I fell a little behind. This day was hard! I eventually crossed the bridge leaving the Devil's Postpile National Monument. The large trail sign after the bridge included a arrow pointing towards the trail junction ahead. At the trail junction, the trail went north and south. But the sign at the junction did not reference the JMT. My map showed another trail going east. I ran north for awhile, then south, then back to this junction, looking for a the JMT trail going east. After wasting about 20 minutes, I finally noticed, off to my right, not clearly visible from where I was standing, a small trail going east. I followed the trail and eventually found the JMT sign. I was getting frustrated and mad at myself because I didn't want to slow my friends down. I'm running along this trail and Max comes running towards me. He was confused. He had reached the end of this short trail section at a parking lot. He thought he had gone the wrong way and returned. We pulled out the maps and ran back to the parking lot and eventually found our way to Red's Meadow at 545PM. I went right to the restaurant and ordered a turkey sandwich, fries and a coke. I ate it, but didn't have much of an appetite. My son was sitting there with me and from the look in his eyes, he must have been thinking, "Dad, is the JMT more than you can handle." I started thinking, I better perk up a little and get ready. Jan and Paul had brought along the next two days supply of food. We repacked our bags, but once again, we wasted too much time at Red's Meadow, just like at Tuolumne. I had contributed to the delay. In my haste to regroup and get ready, I forgot to change shoes and socks, which I had planned to do. At 730PM, I gave Jan and Paul a hug, we all said goodbye and started on up the trail. Twenty minutes later, we discovered after climbing up the trail with heavier packs, that we were on the wrong trail again. Back down to Red's Meadow, over to the corrals and followed the correct JMT trail. It was now about 815PM, getting dark, and we hadn't covered many miles since 4PM. We hiked up and along the trail in the dark for a few miles and set up camp. We had a plan of approx. 30 miles per day, but earlier had thought that after two days, we would have covered 65 miles or more, giving us a cushion for the harder days ahead. The decision was made to set the alarms for 430AM the next morning. Larry and Curt may have remembered Tim Twietmeyer's group decision to start the 3rd day at 430AM after not meeting their goal. I didn't set my watch, I knew I would hear everyone waking up. Actually, as I laid there trying to go to sleep, I was hoping they would all sleep in a little. 430AM just sounds a little too early! Day Three (August 4th): ---------------------- No such luck! We arose at 430AM! I placed a few more band aids on three toes and larger band aids on the each achilles and put on my one spare pair of socks and later rinsed the other pair in a stream. We were on the trail by 6AM. The Red's Meadow part of our trip was a little hard to forget. I personally vowed to myself never to fall behind again. I was questioning my ability to stay on course, if tired and by myself. After those few wrong turns, we never made another wrong turn again. Max must have memorized most of the maps, he always had a pretty good idea of what was ahead. Curt was still making up songs and if your all so lucky to be running along side of him at Wasatch, you may hear a few JMT compositions. Just like Tim's group, when we stopped for water, we would discuss strategy. We were still laughing, Larry and Curt were still identifying birds, flowers and trees and the scenery was beautiful. We stayed up along a ridge and remained in the 9-10,000 foot range for 14-15 miles. Virginia Lake was absolutely beautiful. Hal Winton and Ken Hamada had picked a spectacular place to camp on their trip. Eventually, we made the climb up and over Silver Pass. During the morning, I slipped into a stream and somewhere along the trail, I lost one of my socks that was drying on the pack. I now only had one complete pair of socks for the duration of my run. From this point on, the JMT followed the pattern described by Bruce Hoff. For those of you who don't have Bruce's article: "You go along a rushing river, lined with aspen and pine trees. The trail climbs gradually, crossing the river's tributary streams, and passing through meadows. (The meadows are amazing, in that their levelness contrasts with the steep canyon walls and mountains all around.) The trail passes some lakes, and steepens. The trees thin and disappear, the wind picks up, the air cools, the surroundings become rocky and barren. The trail switchbacks and climbs, nearing jagged glacial arretes, passing lifeless ponds of melted snow, and snowbanks. The trail finally reaches a gap in the knife-edge ridge defining a concave amphitheater, miles across. Over the top, the trail descends quickly, switchbacking down towards new high mountain lakes, streams, meadows and eventually into a lush canyon, reversing the scenery previously seen. Bottoming out at a river, the trail turns up another canyon and heads uphill toward another pass. There are subtle changes in the character of the wilderness as the trail progresses: The northern section is dominated by granite domes, elsewhere one sees more volcanic spires......" After Silver Pass, the descent along the North Fork of Mono Creek was really nice. The creek was just roaring. The next time I'm up at Rock Creek in the Little Lakes Valley, I may hike/run a TWO DAY fastpack up over Mono Pass, along the Mono Creek Trail, and part of the JMT along the North Fork of Mono Creek and over McGee Pass trail. We arrived at the Junction of Quail Meadows (86.5 miles, Elevation 7,700) around 630PM. We decided to cook dinner and rest. This is the junction that would lead to the Vermillion Resort. Originally, Vermilion was considered as a supply stop. You can purchase hot food at Vermilion, unlike Muir Ranch. After dinner, 730PM, we decided we would go on to the Bear Creek Trail Junction, 2,200 feet in 4 1/2 miles. It was at this time, that I think I started to get into the mode of, "let's get there and get it over with." The climb up to Bear Creek Ridge was probably as hard as any of the climbs over the mountain passes. I just got into high gear, didn't say a word, and relentlessly led the group up the trail reaching the junction and camp area in the dark at 915PM. We were too tired to hang the food. This was a 15 1/2 hour day! We piled all the food in the center of all of our camp spots, stacked a few rocks right outside our bivy's and went to sleep. If anyone heard a bear, just get up and throw the rocks at old Smokey. We were at the 91.1 mile mark after three long days. The weather had been good! More Later! Clem LaCava Corvallis, OR lacavacl@ccmail.orst.edu