Stats

Start: Mammoth Lakes- Mile 906.6
End: Johnston Lake – Mile 910.5
Elevation Max: 9,177
Elevation Min: 7,617
Elevation Change: 1,382 up & 2,237 down
Average Heart Rate: 105
Walking Time: 3 hrs 12 minutes
Date: 6/4/2022

The Walk

The motel bed was nice to wake up in. There was plenty of food around. I had Frosted Flakes. Then headed to the coffee shop to hang out use the internet for awhile.

Yesterday was a relaxing zero. I left the room twice. Once for laundry and once for resupply. I felt good this morning and we weren’t in a hurry. We could pick up our Yosemite permits near Tullome Meadows in 2 days.

It was only 35ish Miles away. So we didn’t even need to get very far today. Maybe 5-10 trail miles. But we did have to get back on the trail. That takes two bus rides and a 5 mile side trail.

I had a relaxing morning until 11 at the hotel and went to a juice shop for a few hours. Around 1 we left to catch the first bus. It runs every 30 minutes. As we walked out of the parking lot I saw the bus coming on the other side of the street. It was stopping almost directly across from us.

We ran and waved our hands. Almost touching the end of the bus when it took off and left us. Crap! Now we’d have to wait 30 minutes for a ride.

Before we could say anything a white suv pulled up and asked if we needed a ride to trail. Sure! We hoped in with a lady who had hiked the JMT 10 years ago. She said she would take us up to Reds Meadows. Couldn’t be better. That would save us 5 miles of hiking back to the PCT.

We arrived at the mammoth mountain ski resort and she said the shuttle stop is here. And she needed to get back to town. But we all realized the shuttle wasn’t running, she didn’t have time to take us anywhere else, so we were stuck.

We pulled out maps checking for trails down to the PCT. One ski worker came over and offered to take us to the closed road. It’s our best option and about a 7 mile mix of trail and road walking.

He dropped us off and we took a 2 mile wooded trail down to a few miles of road walk. Then to Reds Meadows. All in all it wasn’t too much longer than our other plan of 2 busses and a 5 mile trail.

We got back on the PCT at Devils Postpile National Monument. Climbed to the top and then walked in front of it. It’s a rock structure crated by glaciers and lava. It was an awesome welcome back to the PCT.

We hiked for a few more miles and we’re both tired. At about 10 for the day we decided to camp and call it. The map had a Johnston lake, which was more of a mosquito pond. But we found close spots nearby.

As I set up my tent I counted 7 of them buzzing around my legs. I made it in with only a few bites. I ate dinner in my tent away from the mosquitos and called it a night. Tomorrow would be a longer day of hiking.