Stats

Start: Vermilion Valley Resort – Mile 878.7
End: Duck Creek – Mile 895.8
Elevation Max: 10,794
Elevation Min: 7,654
Elevation Change: 6,199 up & 3,443 down
Average Heart Rate: 128
Walking Time: 7 hrs 47 minutes
Date: 6/1/2022

The Walk

We planned to get an early start to the day since we took an extra zero day. There were about 35 miles to get from VVR into mammoth. This is great because it meant a light food carry. Only 1.5 days!

Most people planned to eat breakfast then head out. Quest and I were stuffed from yesterday to decided to head out early before breakfast. I downed a pack of oatmeal and breakfast essential then headed out.

Around 7 I was moving around and packed up. I wrapped up a few work items with the internet and headed out at 7:30. 10 minutes later I realized I left my hat on a table. Half a mile walk back… I did it. But it’s about as far back as I’ll back track for something!

I left my pack and jogged back to VVR. After the detour we were back on track. Putting a dent into the side trail back to the PCT. It followed a lake with a sadly low water level. There used to be a ferry from VVR to trail, but it stopped in 2021 because of low water levels.

We finished the 7 miles back to the PCT and took a break. Now we were heading up Silver pass, 6 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing away. We stayed up late around the campfire both nights. It was a fun time, but I felt tired.

Eventhough I was tired, I could tell my body was happy with the influx of town food. I was fueled up and walking came naturally. Even the 3,000 feet of climbing went by without a problem. It was a really pretty stretch. Maybe my favorite pass so far.

The towering, jagged mountain passes have turned into forested, snowy rolling mountains. It’s a really cool change to see over the last week. I don’t know which I like better.

A mile away from the pass I stopped by silver lake and look in a beautiful view. At the top of the pass we had a quick luck and relaxed. We could see the mountains around mammoth! 13 miles down and not too far away.

On the way down the snow was the perfect consisency. Not icy and not soft enough that your legs sink through when you walk. Often there were ski tracks where people in front of us shuffled their feet. This meant we could ski down small hills in our shoes. Trying to stay in control and not go too fast or hit a rock!

A mile later we stopped by a frozen lake between Warrior lake (above) and Squaw lake below. We named this place Squalo lake! We planned this the night before and even brought a beer to enjoy.

The lake was completely frozen over. I used my hand to dig out the icy slush. I got just enough out to fill up a water bottle. I didn’t filter the water from my own lake! And it tastes amazing!

After soaking up some sun at 10,400 feet, Quest and I kept moving. We were going much faster than we expected. We decided to push another 10 miles to Duck Pass trail. That would leave 15 miles for tomorrow. Which we could knock out before our 3:00 motel 6 check-in.

The forest became more dense and we saw some deer. I saw a buck running. The coolest animal sighting so far! A few hours later we passed a beautiful lake. Lake Virginia. I would have stopped here if we didn’t take a zero last night.

The area around the lake was flooded with all of the snowmelt. And made for a lot of curious rock hopping. I did great until I got to a spot with a log that didn’t hold my weight. I sunk both feet in calf deep water. I had done good today and had dry feet!

Normally this isn’t a problem because feet and shoes dry out quickly. But it was past 6:30 and I’ll probably have wet shoes tomorrow. Oh well.

With two miles to camp I kept cruising it was almost 7:00. I finished the final climb and head the creeks around duck lake. But the terrain suddenly became snowy! Snow everywhere. What the heck? We hadn’t seen this much snow since the pass.

The trail was covered. I skidded down steep switchbacks, following other hikers footsteps. I wasn’t sure if we would be able to find a camp spot out of the snow. I was hungry and ready to find a spot. Luckily a little while after I planned to stop a clearing with flat spots came into view.

I set up camp and made dinner, then quest rolled in. My broken trekking poles held up my tent well enough and it wasn’t a windy night.

Tomorrow we have a light pack and 15 miles into mammoth. We can’t pick up our Yosemite permits until the 6th, so we have a day or two to kill around Mammoth.