Slowing down for the Sierras

When I arrived at Kennedy Meadows, the official endpoint of the PCT Wilderness, I was greeted with cheers and the sound of a cowbell. It’s a popular place to take a lot of zeros, and I allowed myself one despite taking a whole week off. I was surrounded by new friends and familiar faces, all of whom were more than happy to sit on the front porch of the general store and chat.

The Sierras are a completely different beast, with the high altitude, stream crossings, and snowy passes. The snow was the most intimidating thing about the PCT, but I was hoping my fears would be in vain since everyone was saying it was a light snow year. I planned to carry microspikes, but not an ice axe. Luckily, Vivi and I were able to stay safe.

The day we left town, everything was going according to plan. There were trees! There were cool rock formations! There was a river deep enough for Vivi and I to swim naked! After a very relaxed day of hiking, Vivi and I camped with many other hikers, including my old friend UpDog, at Monache Meadow. We had dinner by the river and watched the sunset while hundreds of swallows passed under the bridge.

Reality came crashing down when the news came about the weather forecast. Within a few days, we were hit by a catastrophic snow storm. There was much debate about what to do: walk faster and try to reach the top of Mount Whitney before the storm hit, or take a triple zero to avoid the worst of the weather in the city? To me it was obvious: I was heading to the city.

While others rushed to Lone Pine, I decided to slow the pace even further and camp for a night with the Swedes. We arrived at camp ridiculously early and they shared all kinds of fun facts about their culture, from kidnappings at bachelor parties to Mosquitos 2.0. I would have liked to continue camping with them, but they were determined to continue through the storm.

Two blacks + two zeroes = three nights in Lone Pine

When I first came to Lone Pine, it was wonderful. I was able to drink 46 ounces of orange juice and eat a Subway club sandwich. I was able to text my friends, solve a puzzle at the library. But very soon we realized that we were stuck there, trapped for three whole days, with only one street to walk on and a motel room packed with four people. It started with group dinners, Frisbee, and one in the parking lot. It ended with me crying, demanding that the “Florida Boys” get out of my room and give me some space. The best part was the end of the day, Manifest fast asleep while UpDog, Vivi and I watched. the office on Vivi’s phone. Well, that and the daily Subway sandwiches.

In the back of everyone’s minds was the fact that we would return to a very different landscape than the one we had left. There would be freezing temperatures and fresh snow on the ground. I bought an ice ax and snow pants at a thrift store; others came forward. I really didn’t know if I could do it.

There was only one way to find out.

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.