July 2nd
It’s another hard morning to get up, having hiked until nearly dark the night before. Finally the urge to pee overcame the cold outside and the legs inside that feel lethargic.
At 9:30, our latest start yet, we are on the trail hiking into and out of Noble Canyon. We cross Ebbetts Pass into landscape dominated by volcanic domes, spires and plugs, the earth heaved up inside out. Not panoramic as much as dramatic. Its scenic beauty does not get its fair due from thru hikers because it follows the stunning high Sierras. Overshadowed for sure.
Wildflowers wallpaper the canyons and slopes, lupine and paintbrush in a variety of shades. We have re-entered springtime after hiking through the edge of winter which still enveloped the high sierras. The landscape is in full bloom.
There are lots of day hikers and weekenders out to celebrate the fourth. We are seeing larger numbers of people, in part, because of the ease of access to this area and they congregate close to the roads.
Today the left foot joined the right in fretting about the walk. It started when I rolled onto the left small toe a bit too hard and it cried out. Then slowly the other toes joined in a sympathy strike and eventually all where vocal in wanting a work stoppage. Management had other ideas about mileage and prevailed.
During lunch we were once again pounded by a rain/hail storm and took out the tyvek to shelter ourselves. The rain and hail came down hard, again, and soon the ground was white and the nearby creek, which had been a trickle of clear fresh snowmelt, turned into a torrent of mud. Shortly after the storm passed, we resumed hiking and approached Pennsylvania Creek expecting an easy step across. Its brown churning waters looked too swift and deep to safely cross. It had jumped its banks and below the crossing was churning up below some thick brush. We waited about 45 minutes for it to subside enough to be safe. In that time, we met Tremor and Supergirl as they came by.
Just when we thought the worst was over, Wet Meadows was full of mosquitoes. And they continuned to be bad, following us even as we climbed 3/4 of a mile up the next slope hoping to camp above them.
With our delayed start and rain delays we did not make the mileage we had hoped for, leaving us a lot of work tomorrow, 11 miles and three good climbs to make Carson Pass by 10am to met the Carrot’s friend. So it will be an early start tomorrow.
Still the now completely full moon, rising above the serrated ridge of volcanic rock domes and pinnacles is too compelling not to stay up and watch.
