PCT SOBO DAY 87 – Back in Yosemite!

Day 87

Start: West Fork Walker River, mile 1652.3

End: Campground, mile 1678.0

Miles driven: 25.7 miles

Last night’s rain was shorter and lighter than I expected. At least where I was camped. However, as I got up and walked, I noticed hail covering the ground just a couple of miles from where I had slept. Funny how the weather can miss you like that.

The morning was calm. It was strange; No birds were singing and only a couple of squirrels were running to and fro. I guess the animals were preparing (or already gone) for winter. As I was thinking about how eerily quiet the forest was, I stumbled upon something I wasn’t expecting at all. The 1000 mile marker!

Naturally, this marker was for NOBO, but it put me in the 3-digit club. I had less than 1000 miles left on this trip. There was still a long way to go, but I was one step closer to Mexico.

Shortly after, I met my first ranger on the trail. She was the first person to check my permit in over 1655 miles. Although we weren’t in Yosemite yet, she was a Yosemite ranger headed to Hetch Hetchy. I had a lot of questions to ask her, so we walked together for a couple of miles while she answered my questions about life as a ranger and what inspired her to take on this role. I couldn’t comment on government funding issues, but I enjoyed hearing your story.

We soon arrived at Yosemite National Park. The atmosphere changed instantly. I don’t know what it was, but when I passed the park sign and saw Lake Dorothy, the brilliant blue of the lake felt brighter, the air fresher, and my mood more jubilant. I was back in my happy place!

Dorothy Lake completely took my breath away. I had never been to this part of the park before, but it was on my list of areas to return to. I was so tempted to get on! Of course I didn’t, but the idea remained in my mind.

I walked through the flat, golden valley along a stream and finally stopped for lunch in the shade. Despite yesterday’s storm, it was surprisingly warm today. Just as I was getting ready to eat lunch, Zee and John showed up. I haven’t seen them in a long time! We chatted for a while before continuing down the trail.

After lunch I continued through the valley, admiring the fall colors that appeared everywhere I looked. I passed more attractive lakes and promised myself to swim in at least one Sierra lake before I left. That’s the frustrating thing about going SOBO. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have the luxury of sitting back and enjoying an afternoon by the lake. I try to take advantage of opportunities when I can, but I often feel like time pressure pushes me forward.

I had a steep climb and a steep descent that seemed like a grueling challenge, but it turned out not to be that bad. After going down, of course it was time to go back up. Luckily, this time the note was pleasant. I wanted to hit a certain mileage goal so I could get to Tuolumne Meadows and take the YARTS bus to Yosemite Valley in a couple of days. Tonight, that meant doing some night walking.

The sun set and cast a rosy glow on the great mountain walls around me. As the light grew dimmer, my eyes adjusted to the growing darkness. It was actually a really nice walk, with a temperature that wasn’t cold at all.

Finally, I gathered water and found my camp. While I was eating dinner, John and Zee walked by. After a brief greeting and farewell, they continued moving well into the night and along the trail. I laid back in my tent, happy and content to be back in Yosemite.

And that’s a day in the life of a PCT SOBO hiker!

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