Bushcamp to Tuolumne Meadows
20 miles
Mile 941.7
I slept well and remained dry despite the heavy rain throughout the night. Crawling from my tent around 6am, I surveyed the sky, pleased to find it looking partially blue, with just a few lingering clouds. After packing my wet shelter I set off into the snow after Spikes just before 7am.
About an hour later while taking care of some business off trail I heard something approaching through the brush. I quickly finished my project to scramble back to my pack, expecting to find a bear eating my trail mix, but instead I saw a dude standing there. Relieved that my trail mix was safe, we exchanged pleasantries and I came to know the dude as Hot Sauce.
He was the first thru hiker I’d encountered while in the Sierras, so it was nice chatting with him for a bit as we trudged through the snow together. The partnership was short lived however, as I just couldn’t compete with his mach 9 pace.
I continued through the snowy field alone, following Hot Sauces footsteps. As I crested a hill I was smacked in the face with awesome views of a frozen lake surrounded fog covered mountains.
From there the climb continued. Before long I passed Spikes and continued my ascent of Island Pass. Honestly, it was more of a lump than a pass, as I was descending before I’d realized I had reached the top.
The descent didn’t last long however. Within a mile I was trucking my way back up the snow towards the much larger Donohue Pass.
The clouds had retreated even further since morning as I made my final ascent towards the summit, but a thick haze stuck to the surrounding mountaintops.
I was sweating balls as the sun beat down on me, each step made burdensome by the deep snow.
When I reached the top I found Hot Sauce chilling on a rock soaking in the incredible views of Yosemite Valley bellow. The glacially formed valley looked spooky as dark clouds filled the sky above it.
I chatted with Hot Sauce for a bit before beginning my descent. He showed me a video of the bear he saw the day before at Devils Postpile. I was bummed I’d missed it, as Hot Sauce must have been there only an hour or so after I.
Hoping to reach the snowless valley floor before the inevitable rain began to fall, I said goodbye before heading down the mountain.
I moved down the mountain quick, taking a direct route through deep snow rather than attempt to follow the hidden trail.
Just as I reached the valley floor the rain began to fall. I traded deep snow for rain, oh well…I’ll take rain over snow any day!
Despite the rain, Yosemite Valley was incredibly beautiful. The green meadow had a impressive river snaking through it as I walked.
Every tenth of a mile I encountered a stream plowing towards the river, so I resigned myself to having wet feet for the remaining 9 miles.
Most of the trail was a muddy bog, but at least I could see the trail! Wet feet became muddy feet as I trudged on, too preoccupied by the fantastic waterfalls to bother dodging mud and water.
The trail was covered with strange little birds scavenging for worms that surfaced to escape their flooded tunnels.
Just as I reached Tuolumne Meadows Campground, where our food box had been stashed, the rain picked up again harder than ever. I found the bear box labeled DL3 and opened it anxiously, nervous that our box would be gone. Sure enough, there it was. Relieved, I grabbed it before quickly setting up my shelter near the trail so Spikes could find me.
After changing into warm dry clothes I feasted inside my tent. The main course was a taco salad flavored rice side with dehydrated veggie chips and Sriracha flavored tuna all mixed together in my Talenti jar.
It was delicious. I even had an IPA to drink along with it that I’d stashed in the food box…good thinking Austin! The tasty dinner and beer almost made up for the lousy weather.
Exhausted, just as I began to slip into sleep I heard Spikes walked up. Relieved she’d made it, I applauded her, but had to apologized for not wishing to socialize. The weather and miles had taken it out of me, sleep was the only thing on my mind. So sleep I did.
P.s. Shout to Yi for hooking Spikes and I up with ice cream during our next zero day!
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing Austin. My son and I will be on the trail about three weeks after you so hopefully the conditions will improve a little. We’re bringing micro spikes just in case, but hopefully they won’t be necessary. Be safe:)
Hi David,
I expect that you will have much better conditions than we’ve experienced. It’s warming up quick, so the snows melting more each day. Good luck and have a blast!
Cheers!
Austin, I’m loving your trail posts. You have a great writing style, and you take some great pictures. I plan on doing the PCT at some point (probably when I retire), and your posts are inspiring me. Have fun out there.
Hey Scott, thanks for the feedback! Glad you’re enjoying the blog. Definitely get out here when you can, it’s incredible! Cheers!