PCT Day 181

by

Bushcamp to Bushcamp

38.1 miles

Sobo mile 1708.4

Total mileage 4361.0

I woke at 3am and thirty minutes later I was on my way up towards Seavey Pass. I reached the top of the pass just as the sun began to peak over the mountains.

From Seavey Pass the trail led me down into a valley before bringing me back up towards Benson Pass.

By noon I’d reached the top of Benson Pass, but the descent down the other side was short lived. The trail continued to roller coaster up and down for the next few hours.

I reached Miller Lake around 3pm, where finally the trail flattened out as I made my way to Tuolumne Meadows.

When I reached Tuolumne Falls, I took a short break to enjoy the cascading water before hiking a few more miles to where I camped for the evening.

P.s. It’s crazy to think that the miles I covered today took me nearly three days to hike on my way north! Things are much easier now that the snow has melted.

Cheers!

3 thoughts on “PCT Day 181”

  1. Great photos Austin (as usual),
    Wow I was pretty close by to you, I was in Yosemite Sunday to Tuesday (9/23-9/25), as you said some of the best hiking trails in the world. I was by Glacier Pt overlooking the valley below and the high country beyond where you would be.
    Every time I go to Yosemite, my breath is taken away by the sheer magnificence and beauty of the place – I now understand why you do the PCT, even though you may re-visit the same places, the time of day / light is different, the season has changed, the people you meet on the trail are different. There is such a beautiful, life fulfilling energy about the place.

    The highlight for me was on the Taft Pt. trail – On Taft Pt. I had just missed a wedding ceremony (people in suits and ties on the trail) and a hang gliding launch. However not to be totally amiss, when I reached the actual Taft Pt overlook, I did witness a bunch of crazy guys doing slack rope walking from crag to crag with a 3,500 ft drop below. As I said, it takes your breath away.

    Later down in the valley, I met 2 identical Asian twins – they were heading for Tulmunae Meadows to complete the southbound PCT. I mentioned your name and web-site. You may meet up with them, they say they average 25 miles a day, and your 35 miles a day is at Superman level.

    Have fun in Phoenix….

    John Smithies

  2. Wow. You are crushing the miles on the way back. Have you seen any wildlife on your way back. Bears, mountain lions, deer?

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