June 13th
The weather has warmed slightly; nothing froze last night, which helped us to get up early and start our hike “out” to town in time for a late lunch. If only we had the promise of cheeseburgers every day to persuade the Carrot into an early start.
We followed Bubbs creek down to the trail junction, knowing that every step down was one more step up, but having no way to avoid this situation, a frequent dilemma on the PCT. We startled 2 snowshoe hares out of hiding and then a short while later flushed 2 grouse out of the bushes. Turning a corner we began the climb up to Kearsage Basin.
Once up on the basin and in a more open area we stop in the warm sun for breakfast, lounging like marmots on the warm rocks.
Crazy John and Jimbo catch up to us as we take our leave of the PCT and climb Kearsage pass, our exit from the high Sierra for resupply. As we are hiking up we pass two deer who are feeding and frolicking in a high meadow.
At the top of the nearly 12,000 ft pass we locate the two beers left by our friend Bruce the day before and “toast” to another crossing with John and Jimbo. While we are celebrating, Radar and True are coming up from the “town” side to re-enter the Sierra and resume hiking north. We get the “low down” on who is in which town and from what pass. Trail gossip often travels faster than the hikers themselves.
At the trailhead we get a ride from 2 “weekenders” from LA, up for an overnight backpack trip and some fishing. John, Jimbo, the Carrot and I all cram into the backseat of their small car. The Carrot and I skip the town of Independance and continue south with the fishermen to the town of Lone Pine, a much nicer trail town.
Adam, Supertramp and Halftrack are in town along with “buck twenty”, time for a reunion over pizza and beer.
