Stats

Start: Kennedy Meadows – Mile 702.2
End: Monache Meadow – Mile 716.5
Elevation Max: 8,314
Elevation Min: 6,048
Elevation Change: 2,840 up & 1,398 down
Average Heart Rate: 130
Walking Time: 4 hrs 53 minutes
Date: 5/16/2022

The Walk

Another morning to relax. It was 5:30 and I was leaving for the Sierras around noon.

I packed my gear and did one last shakedown. A lot of people carried between 7-8 days of food, but that seemed excessive. I planned for 6. And that was more food than my bear can could hold. I can stretch the food to 7 or 8 days if needed.

After breakfast I mailed forward my old food sack. Since I have the bear can I don’t need it. It saves me carrying half a pound for 400 miles.

Around noon we headed out for the day. I planned on 15 miles and was hiking with Spilly and Zoe. The first few miles were desert, but they had a different feel. The trees and mountains were looming in the distance. Zoe heard a rattlesnake in a bush right next to trail, so she sped past. Spilly and I took a detour far from the bush.

Then the landscape changed. Everything felt different. We were walking through meadows and I could see long winding rivers. Such a beautiful change.

No need to worry about water in this section. Every 2-3 miles was another small stream.

The campsite was next to a calm creek. A long bridge spanned the creek and hundreds of birds lived under the bridge. 10 —15 other hikers were at the site.

We had dinner and decided to camp right by the stream. All the other hikers camped on a sandy beach or the forested hill above.

I’m cowboy camping so I might get swamped with condensation tonight. Oh well, the water sounds nice.