Stats

Start: Sallie Keyes Lake – Mile 864
End: Vermilion Valley Resort – Mile 878.7
Elevation Max: 10,846
Elevation Min: 7,665
Elevation Change: 2,842 up & 5,321 down
Average Heart Rate: 110
Walking Time: 7 hrs 21 minutes
Date: 5/30/2022

The Walk

I woke up early and ready to go. Grabbed half a liter of water out of Sallie Keys Lakes and headed out. We had 23 miles to VVR. And I am out of dinners. So we need to get there by 5!

Quest was on the same page so we started off quick. I was thankful that we kept pushing until dark last night. We knocked out 2.5k feet. That only left 500 feet to climb over Seldon pass. The climb went quick and the snow was hard.

The pass went over top of one mountain. Different than the monstrous passes between two sheer rock faces we were used to. I enjoyed the change of pace. The pass was filled with moving water, trees, big rocks, and great views.

We got to the top of the pass and looked out over frozen lakes. What a beautiful valley to cross! I relaxed for a bit then pushed on. We needed to get to VVR for dinner!

The day was filled with great views and lots of river crossings. The snow melt was in full effect. The river crossings and snow are a fun challenge. They mix up the day and you have to hop around / choose your own path. Often the actual path is covered and you have to find a way without stepping on plants. Because we try to Leave No Trace!!

11 miles from VVR we caught up to a few friends who were taking a lunch break. They planned to skip VVR and go straight to mammoth (32 miles). But they were struggling and didn’t have enough food. I gave them everything I had to spare, a pack of tuna and two bars. That was my backup dinner, so now I really needed to get there.

Quest and I cruised down 2k feet of elevation over 4 miles. This was the longest, steepest descent of the trip. I’m thankful it wasn’t snowy. It would have been nice to have my trekking poles, but they were pretty much broken from getting stuck in the snow.

We left the PCT and hiked 6 miles around a lake to VVR. “Bonus miles” suck. Miles you walk that don’t get you any closer to Canada. We were doing 12 in total for the VVR pit stop. But it sounds like a cool place and we need food.

The lakes sandy banks were exposed. This must be the lowest level in years. It’s sad to see the bank where water once was. And there were raging rivers flowing into the lake. The decline in water levels is years in the making. And 2022 is another low snow year for the area.

We walked around the lake and into VVR. Just in time for dinner! We feasted on a homemade meal of mashed potatoes, baked beans, salad, and a pulled pork sandwich. It was just what I needed. Plus we saw 10 other familiar hikers, and met a few new faces.

I met my first JMT southbound hikers and they quickly got trail names, Dr. Pinky and Dr. Buckets. They had just finished their Doctorate degrees in physical therapy and we’re hiking 211 miles on the JMT to celebrate. How cool!

Quest and I chatted with them and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Tomorrow we planned to hike out and with a short resupply to Mammoth. I slept in my tent and didn’t get a shower. But the hot food and resupply was all I really needed.