PCT SOBO DAY 93 – A great decision

Day 93

Departure: Stealthsite, outside mile marker 1865.7

End: Onion Valley/Mammoth Trailhead

Miles Traveled: 5.9 miles, 0 miles trail

I had one of the best nights sleep on the trail last night. The temperature was perfect, the air was calm, and my mat wasn’t tilted. I didn’t want to leave my cozy place in the morning, but the attraction of the city forced me to leave early. I only had a couple of miles to the top of Kearsarge Pass, then it was downhill from there.

Even though it was only a couple of miles, they were a little difficult. Kearsarge Pass isn’t difficult in the slightest, but the elevation was still overwhelming me. I took several breaks along the way and followed the meandering clouds that guided me. The air was a little chilly, but it was also the perfect temperature for an uphill climb.

As I approached the top, I began to see hikers and backpackers gathering at the top, finishing their climb from the other side of the pass. The nice thing about Kearsarge Pass is that it is very popular with day hikers and runners, meaning you would have an excellent chance of getting a problem once you reached the parking lot.

After huffing and puffing, I finally reached the top of the pass. The clouds he had been following flowed over the abrupt rocky divide and descended to the lake and the tree-dotted land below. I stayed for a while, admiring the rugged peaks on either side of the pass, soaking in the beauty of the place. However, soon the cold wind pushed me to start the descent.

The trail was filled with hikers, some of whom had already completed their training for the day. After the long walk down, I finally reached the parking lot and found a place to hitchhike. On the way down, I had been thinking about my options. I could continue my jump and continue hiking to Yosemite or I could return to Mammoth and take the bus to Yosemite tomorrow. I realized that the YARTS bus in and out of Yosemite would stop running before I could walk back to Tuolumne Meadow. This meant I would have to hitchhike from Tuolumne to get back on track at Cottonwood Pass. Plus, if I continued with my flip, I would have to spend 6 days away. Bad weather was forecast and I didn’t want to get soaked and cold on my first day of a long stay. I had a lot to think about.

It didn’t take long for a problem to arise. A couple who were search and rescue volunteers who were out on a day hike picked me up and took me down the mountain to Independence. During the descent, I weighed my options and made a decision: I would return to Tuolumne Meadow. I had done what I wanted to do: summit Whitney and climb Forester Pass while the weather was clear. Now he could be a SOBO again.

After eating 5 delicious street tacos at the taco truck, I sat and waited for the bus to take me back to Mammoth. When I noticed that the bus was late, I slapped my forehead: I had looked at the timetable for the wrong day! The bus didn’t come. At least not in the short term.

With a sigh, I stuck out my thumb, hoping I could catch a ride in time to catch a different bus to Mammoth. Many cars passed me on this busy weekend afternoon, but finally a guy picked me up. He had just dropped off some hikers and was heading back in the direction I was going. Perfect!

We chatted about many things: life changes, leaving bad habits behind, the process of becoming a better person. If I had seen him in the store in my daily life, I probably wouldn’t have thought we would have much in common, but you can be surprised when you start an open and honest conversation with someone. I mentioned I wanted to take the bus to Mammoth and it turned out he wanted to go there too. He was from the area and wanted to skate at the skate park for a while. Sweet!

After the long drive, he dropped me off on Main Street and we said goodbye. There were dark, ominous clouds in the sky, but I was happy to have the rest of the afternoon to eat and relax. Tomorrow I would have to board the bus very early to return to Tuolumne Meadow.

I checked into the same hotel I had stayed at a few days earlier and the receptionist said, «You’re back!»

“You’ll probably see me again in a couple of days too!” I responded.

Once I arrived in Tuolumne tomorrow, I had about 45 miles or so left until the exit to Mammoth. That meant I only needed to bring food for two days. Easy.

After resupplying and eating, I spent as much time as I could lying down. I met up with my family and before I knew it, it was time to turn off the lights.

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

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