Day 98
Start: Bear Creek Campground, mile 1785.5
Finish: Tentsite/Evolution Creek, mile 1807.3
Miles driven: 21.8 miles
Last night it rained and thundered. At one point, it sounded like thunder was right above us. However, with my earplugs in properly, I slept soundly all night.
When I woke up, I looked under the doors of my tent to see what the storm had brought. Snow! It wasn’t much, but it was there. As I looked at the sky, I could see the blue interspersed with thick clouds. It seemed like the storm was behind us and the only thing we had to deal with was the snow on the ground.
After packing up and eating breakfast, Goldie and I headed out while the kids finished their camp chores. It wasn’t long before we realized we had gone the wrong way! I thought it was strange that the trail wasn’t well defined, but we were also walking through rocky areas where you couldn’t really build a path. Also, it didn’t help that we had camped at a junction right after our turn. We had to turn around, but soon joined the boys with a shy smile.
Back on the PCT, we crossed Bear Creek with almost dry shoes and continued on. Today I was wearing waterproof socks because I knew I didn’t want to suffer in the snow that awaited me. As we climbed Selden Pass, we entered more of a winter wonderland. We were the first to walk this trail in the morning, so we could see all the animal tracks crossing from one side to the other. It was fun trying to figure out which clues belonged to who.
We passed a hiker who hadn’t had as good a night as we had. The storm hit him very hard and his tent was flooded! Since it was still cold outside, he wasn’t having fun at all. We left him to sort out his equipment and continued climbing.
At Selden Pass, I was absolutely impressed! The snow transformed the landscape into a mythical white fairyland. The lake clearly reflected the deep blue sky while green trees dotted the snow-covered ground here and there. Despite wanting to avoid the snow, I felt very happy and more than happy to see the Sierra with snow. I was glad we didn’t get snowed on while hiking, so I was more than happy with an overnight storm. Walking through the snow revealed a whole new side to the Sierra.
The other side of Selden Pass didn’t even seem to belong to the same day. There was very little snow on the ground, but a quickly moving cloud managed to scatter a few flakes for about 10 minutes. For a while I was a little cold, but as we descended, the sun came out more and things warmed up.
Goldie, Three Bucks, and Shotput had been hiking with a fourth hiker, but had somehow lost him two days earlier. While we were figuring out where we wanted to stop for lunch, someone appeared on the side of the trail. It was Marshall, the guy they had been looking for! We found a perfect spot in the sun and the crew gathered. It turns out that Marshall had somehow missed the campsite two nights earlier and walked further than the rest. They had left messages along the way, but it took until now to find each other.
We all sat and enjoyed the unfiltered sun, drying our wet tents and soaking up the heat while we still could. Clouds loomed in both directions, but for now we had the sun.
After our leisurely lunch, we continued descending into the valley and following the flat path. It was nice for a while, but soon, thick flakes fell from the sky. My raincoat, umbrella, and waterproof socks did an amazing job keeping me warm. I even enjoyed my brief time in the snowball. 
It wasn’t long before the snow stopped and the sky cleared. However, it was cold! The sun was behind the mountain and was going down the horizon, lowering the temperature noticeably. After one last climb, we found ourselves walking along Evolution Creek. We reached the infamous water crossing, but this time there was no way to cross without getting wet.
Tired and hungry, Hotshot and I walked further, keeping an eye out for any logs that might help us get over it. I almost passed him when I heard him say my name. He had found a way to cross! Personally, I’m not a fan of log crossings, but I didn’t have much of a choice today. As I climbed the log, I focused on taking steady steps and breathing deeply. If I focused too much on the water under the log, I would start to feel dizzy and wobble. Don’t lose sight of the prize!
Right at the end, I wasn’t sure I could make it. It was a tricky jump to another log and then to the shore. With doubtful thoughts running around in my head, I felt unstable and like I was going to fall. But once I regained control, I knew I had no choice but to make it. And I did it! Oh! Almost everyone else crossed dry-footed. All except Three Bucks. The last step got him!
As we walked the last few miles to our campsite, all I could think about was food and staying warm. We passed a group with a bonfire going and I watched enviously as they passed. If only! Almost getting dark, we finally reached our place and settled in. My fingers froze! I had two pairs of gloves on and they weren’t enough. I accelerated my camp tasks and had dinner with the team before retiring early. It was so nice to be on my quilt again!
And that’s a day in the life of a PCT SOBO hiker!
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