Leaving the tentsite around 6.30am, we quickly reached the 900 miles marker. That’s 1448 kilometers. It’s unreal. It’s starts to feel possible to really make it to Canada. Even though this is just 33.9% of the complete 2650 miles.
Driven by the expectation to make it to Reds Meadows with it’s restaurant Mule Cafe and by shuttle to Mammoth lakes, we were pushing to make it early enough for a second thorough breakfast… 😉
Burnt forest short before Reds Meadows
Breakfast at the Mule Cafe at Reds Meadows – a bit small but tasty
Will spend two zero days in Mammoth to relax, eat, shower, do laundry and sleep…
Got started on trail around 6.30am heading over Silver pass with about 10800 feet.
The last snow report was unclear, but I expected no major snow issues on Silver pass. The ascend was beautiful and gave me once again a lot of dejavues.
Coming up over the pass, I remembered the specialty of the pass – right after the official pass, there is actually a higher peak that needs to be crossed to continue.
We enjoyed to highest point for a while and celebrated with an energy bar – this being the last pass before Reds Meadows/Mammoth Lakes and with that before our town time.
The descent had a few short snowfields, but provided no challenges.
We came by several beautiful lakes before finding a place to pitch our tents, short before the 900 miles marker.
Started at 6am walking, making it to the ferry terminal at 8.45am, a good hour before scheduled departure.
Got on the ferry and enjoyed the ride in the beautiful weather…
Starving from 7 days on trail, a decent breakfast was the top priority at VVR…
Soon we met up with everyone else from our about 10 people big bubble – the others had hiked in via the Bear Crest trail and hitchhiked a bit along the road leading to VVR on that side.
Bought resupplies for the required two days to get to Reds Meadows and Mammoth Lakes, got on the ferry back to trail at 4pm.
We had mobile data reception around Edison lake, so everyone was busy online. Cactass got some IT security consulting due to issues with some of her accounts.
We hiked back to the PCT and did some more miles to a tentsite with fire ring at mile 880.
With our food running low, we decided to walk the extra 1.5 miles off trail to check out the Muir Trail Ranch (MTR). MTR has neither a restaurant nor a shop with food for hikers, but they receive resupply packages and have famous hiker boxes for surplus food from the packages. Two years ago when I was hiking the JMT, I had a resupply box sent there – at that time also the hiker boxes were well filled and the Starburst team benefited from that. This time, the hiker boxes were disappointing – no food. Cactass bought a new gas canister, then we moved on. Now it was clear that we would need to stop at VVR to resupply.
Ran into Sea Bass and Queso, later the complete bunch at lunch break at 2pm at Heart lake just below Seldon pass.
Continued walking at 3pm. We had heard all kinds of news about VVR. There appliances might be broken, so no cool drinks and limited offers in the kitchen. Others said only the small 4 people boat is running. We spoke to some Southbound hikers coming from VVR – they said the restaurant and shop is functional and the big ferry is running 9.45am and 4pm.
We will find out soon enough. Pitched our tents at mile 873, so just 7 miles to the VVR ferry. We need to be there before 9.45am, so am early start is planned. Most of the tentsites are on rocks – couldn’t stake my tent where I planned to. Decided on cowboy camping but only for a while… The mosquitoes were quite active during dinner. Tinkle was so kind to offer her spot since her MSR is freestanding. I managed to squeeze my tent in – it will not withstand much wind but at least the mosquitoes…
Woke up at 5.15am when the light came over the horizon. In didn’t sleep too well being excited about the next day and waking up early enough. Alarm clocks don’t work with my ear plugs. 😂
The climb was beautiful, just as I remembered, the Muir pass is one of if not the most beautiful passes in the Sierra.
The early start allowed an easy climb over the frozen snow – we made it to the top short before 8am.
Coming down was as easy with the same snow conditions. We crossed the last major snow field around 10am coming down. Some of us had still too much energy…
Lunch break right next to a creek on a flat rock at 11am.
After lunch I felt super motivated. I recognized the next lake as Saphire lake – I had camped here two years ago. The next nearly 20 miles would be a gentle downhill.
As I was walking through a forest, a heard something like a bear grunting. I stopped and looked around worried. Then I saw two hikers just ahead and relaxed… Obviously I must have heard them and misinterpreted the sound. But they pointed towards a tree maybe 10 meters away…
First bear encounter – a brown bear just about 10m/30feet off trail
The world is big 