This morning I took a bit to move. I still got up and made my coffee at the same time. But instead of leaving the camp closer to 5:30 am, I was going to leave around 5:45 am. Which is not bad at all! But that is just what I try lately when it comes to having an early or late beginning.
Face was packing just when I left, so I said goodbye. There is a good possibility that you will not see it advance again. It was nice to see a familiar face a couple of times in the last two days. Then, once I packed, I kept going up to Muir Pass.
The views that Muir Pass went up this morning were incredible.
I hoped to climb the mountain quite fast. But surprisingly, it really slowed me a little. I was approaching 2 miles per hour that 3 miles per hour, at least during the first 4 miles of the day. Much of the climb was quite gradual, but part of that was a bit steep. And sometimes it was quite rocky. There were a couple of snowfields for all, but nothing too discouraging. Only maybe one of them was at an angle that could have been a bit incomplete if you slipped and fell. But I never felt that I needed to put my spikes.
It may sound surprising, but somehow this rise of more than 2000 feet was quite gradual.
I spent spending a group of hikers during the morning. Then, just before reaching the top of the pass, I had to spend a little more snow. In 2017, when it came here, it was all a snowfield during the last miles. I remember having physically walking directly and on the pass, nowhere near where the real path is going.
I saw two dollars this morning right next to the path.
This nice child was eating flowers!
This time there was still a little snow at the top, but it was very easy to turn around. Then, just towards the end, I had to walk through about 20 feet of snow. After that, I could see the shelter at the top of the pass. Muir Pass is a bit different from everyone else because he has a beautiful stone shelter at the top. You are supposed to sleep in the shelter, but it would be a pretty sweet place to sleep. At least I thought about it yesterday. But I thought I would get there late and that someone else had the same idea. In retrospect, I am very happy not to have gone much further. Because these last 4 miles took almost 2 hours for some reason.
After exploring inside the shelter for a few minutes, I began to descend. And the descent was really pleasant and gradual. So much so that I could really do some writing work while walking. I try to express to send text messages to my daily blogs. It simply saves me a lot of time and energy. And that way all I have to do is pass and make smaller editions later. I managed to do two or three during the next hour while walking. My goal is to do this when I can to save me some time in the city.
One of the snowfields you had to cross while you went up to Muir Pass.
While in the descent of Muir, pass the tissues of the path through beautiful ponds and lakes for a while. It was really impressive and those next hours were fantastic. In general, the descent continued for 15 miles. Most of the time it was quite gradual, which was great. I passed tons of hikers and I could ask some hikers to the south like Evolution Creek.
The incredible shelter at the top of the mountain pass.
A final snowfield before reaching the shelter.
Evolution Creek changes dramatically at its water level depending on the fusion of snow. In 2017, the alternative crossing, which is supposed to be the safe crossing, was above my waist. Which meant that the crossing of the red line was completely impassive. Then, in 2022, I don’t even remember having wet my feet while crossing the crossing of the real red line. The boys I asked today said they crossed on the path and that it was well below their knees. Which is great news and meant that he would not take the alternative around him. You are going to wet your feet in any way. Fortunately, it was the perfect moment of the day to cross a river crossing.
Looking back in the pass after I began to descend.
While he was making the great descent of Muir Pass, he really began to warm up. I knew that once my feet were wet, they were going to dry out ridiculously fast. I briefly pause my audiobook and decided to listen to music for the descent. From time to time I only need something different to motivate me. Then I crossed the river and dropped my backpack to the other side to grab some water.
A beautiful marmot!
Every day I wonder again and again, is this real life?
There was a hiker there that recognized me from my videos called Rhonda. She is doing the JMT and was very excited to meet. While leaked my water, we talked a little, which was really pleasant. She was super sweet. Then I continued to finish the last little decent. Once I arrived at the bottom, Selden Pass would begin to climb. Which seems much easier compared to the highest mountain passes. Although it would still have to do around 2500–3000 feet of elevation gain.
This waterfall springs is one of the last things you spend before a very steep section of the path.
When I got to the bottom, I went through the crossing for Muir Trail Ranch. A location that many JMT hikers also send refueling boxes. In 2017 I was very low in food, so we went there to try to get some calories from the hiker box. This time I really don’t need anything, so I didn’t want to lose a couple of hundreds of feet going up and down the path. Instead, I sat down the crossing and decided to have my marathon lunch. When I went there, I would stay between 8 and 10 miles per day. And it was mainly all uphill.
As a sign for the John Muir Wilderness.
I’ve really been enjoying stopping between 3 and 4 pm every day for a final break. I think my body has needed that breakdown more than a break for lunch. You really just have to find what works for you. Then, after eating myself, I continued slowly but surely I started the pass silden. Initially, the climb was super sleep. I think most of the elevation gain happened in the first two miles. But I felt quite well after my rest and I could enter the area.
Going to the next pass, Selden Pass.
Then, finally, the path was leveled a bit and was easier for the next two miles. When you approach the top of Selden Pass in the north direction, you pass a beautiful lake. I spent a couple of people who loaded in incredible places overlooking the lake. It was then that I decided that I was definitely going to get water quite early before the top of the pass. That way I could camp in a great place just about the pass if I found one.
The incredible lake on the south side of Selden Pass.
The last mile was more or less much more slow and exhausting than I expected. I think it was because you could see the passage in the distance, and it didn’t look so far. He cheated on me a little and made the whole process seem much slower. I stopped and obtained water to be prepared to camp anywhere. Then he went up and on the pass and was treated by the beautiful lake on the other side. Both sides of Seldon Pass have huge and beautiful lakes.
Views once I arrived at Selden Pass. I camped somewhere on the left side of the lake.
By the time I got up and about Seldon Pass, He came out about 32 miles for the day. Originally, I just expected to go to about 30 miles. I wasn’t sure how long I would take the other pass earlier in the day. And I didn’t want to feel pressed or hurried to complete muir and then Seldon Pass later at night. But time worked perfect for getting up and over and camping along the other side.
Approaching my camp for the night.
When I started descending, there were infinite opportunities to establish the camp. I walked a little more and found a really pleasant place with a view to the lake. I didn’t even realize at the beginning that they were also a couple of tents established at 20 or 30 feet for me. Then I stopped and I placed myself and lifted the store. The mistakes were quite bad, so I put my wind layers and my network. But I don’t really care about the end of the day. Anyway, I will be in my store all the time.
Home Sweet Home.
Once I was located, I did dinner and then I did a little writing and video work. Then I had to lie in my store and see the sunset on the lake. It was a really beautiful way to end the day. And I think it will be a really beautiful way to start the day tomorrow! Tomorrow is also my last full day of hiking before arriving at Red’s Meadow. Which is quite exciting because I will have left for six full days in the morning. That it is not the longest section that I have been in my life, but it is definitely the longest that I have passed between the cities for this triple crown of the calendar year.
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