Today was a big day of housework. In addition to the usual to-do list there was a list of additional things I needed to do to prepare for the saws. Breakfast at the general store was chaos. There was a group of about 50 hikers and the duo working here were producing large quantities of eggs, bacon, hash browns and pancakes. I’m not really sure how they do it, but they manage to quickly make plates for everyone and shout out everyone’s trail names to deliver them to them. It is truly a spectacle.
Immediately after breakfast I queued to go to the laundry. With the midday heat we have been air drying everything quickly. Then it was time to talk logistics. This next stretch will be a stark contrast to the easy resupply trail we are used to. I had to think strategically about my resupply. We have some serious climbs and the pinnacle of Mount Whitney to tackle. We estimate 6 days to reach Kearsarge Pass and head to the town of Bishop. I made sure to stock up on some cozy meals and snacks to keep me warm. Hot chocolate was a must.
We went to Grumpy’s and Triple Crown Outfitters further down the road. We packed too many hikers into a van that was too small to transport us. At Triple Crown, I decided to rent a bear can to make logistics easier and buy a pair of microspikes and an ice axe. We headed back to the general store to do a few more things.
I needed to organize my pack better with the new snow gear setup. I think I’ll put a bag of food in the bottom of my backpack every day and carry the empty bear can on top. Then when I get to camp I’ll have to pack it up and unpack it again in the morning. We’ll see how long I can continue with this system.
For dinner I had a chicken sandwich from the supermarket. A large group of hikers were out on the porch hanging out and playing late into the night until Jug, Rascal, Turtle, a couple of other people and I decided to cowboy camp on the porch.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
