Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 4/10

Miya

Because I am able.
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Messages
1,404
Days: 69 - 90
Miles: 789.1 - 1044.1
Zero Days: 3

Our last stretch, even with extra food, it quickly became evident that I would have to ration. At this point, I had always rolled into town with a day or 2 of extra food, but no longer. Even with my low appetite and struggling to eat, I was consuming more. The amount of energy you burn in the Sierras is extraordinary! This next stretch we planned to make it to town in 6 or 7 days, so we all packed what we thought would be 9 days of food, JUST TO BE SAFE. We still didn't pack enough...

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Happiest Pika ever?

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Glen Pass

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There were not a lot of flowers in the sierras, probably one of the reasons it wasn't one of my favorite sections. But I did LOVE these tiny little guys! Needed my macro for these and had to lay flat on the ground.

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Best ranger cabin ever?!

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We stopped and had lunch/nap here.

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Laughing at mile 800.

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Baby food and Noka would become my FAVORITE thing to eat. I would make sure to carry 1 for each trail day, near the end, I would carry 2 for each day and hell with the weight.

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Pinchot Pass was by far my favorite pass! The colors in the Sierras can get really monotonous. I get it...gray and blue...a little green. Boooooring. Pinchot Pass is gorgeously colored!

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Mosquitos had hatched. They annoyed the boys much more than me, but they were terrible. HONEST, any hiker walking by had a trail of them following. It was like something out of a cartoon! Or...a horror movie. I always told myself I would buy a head net, like the boys had, but I just never bothered. I wore all my rain gear, which was very stifling in the hot Sierra sun.

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Whale Rock

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Muir Pass would have the most snow on the ascent and descent. We definitely never followed the norm of getting up before the sun to avoid slushy snow, so we postholed the entire day and all fell through an ice bridge. We all took a different route to try and avoid it, but it was unavoidable and hilarious.

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He still hates the snow at this point, but he keeps his spirits up!

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"By this day, I could tell I was simultaneously becoming stronger and weaker. The hiking felt easier, but I wasn't giving my body enough food or sleep to actually recover. I was losing weight and could feel the effects." Our plan for 6-7 days, was going to turn into 8.5. I had already been rationing my food for 2 days and we were still 2 days out from town. My tramily had already been extremely concerned about my weight, and were always carrying extra food for me and making me take it (even though I protested and tried to refuse). My tramily and I took inventory of all our food. We were all low. We had 2 bail out points, but we wanted to push to Mammoth. Now we would ALL ration our food.

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Pretty sure this mile 900 is out of order with the photos, I just know it was only 3ish miles from our exit trail to Mammoth.

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I knew I had been losing weight and gaining muscle the entire trail, but I couldn't really tell. I didn't see much of a difference when I looked in a mirror. When I rolled into Mammoth, I could finally tell. The weight I lost in this 8.5 day stretch was shocking, but you could see it in a lot of hikers too. The Sierra Nevada was making us look emaciated and older.

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This next stretch was only for 2.5 days. I was NOT going to ration food like I had the last 2 stretches.

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Found Pho.

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More duct tape for my camera strap.

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Random change of scene nestled in the Sierras.

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Leaving Yosemite NP

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We started taking all breaks in NightRyder's tent to get some reprieve from the mosquitos

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I walked 1,000 Freakin' miles!!!

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I will forever remember these switchbacks.

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Anthony and Bobbie met us at Dardanelle campground. I love Kennedy Meadows North, it is a place I used to visit every year since I started backpacking, but I wanted to avoid all the other hikers. Plus, Bobbie and I also visited the campground every year and are friend's with the RV campground and store across the street.

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NightRyder, Tom Sawyer, and I were all thrashed. The Sierras definitely take their toll, many pounds of flesh.

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Heading into Northern CA! This would be my 2nd favorite section! Stunning and so many flowers!

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That first food photo, was that really for 9 days? Doesn't look remotely close enough to me :) For 9 days, I'd have about a pound of Peanut M&Ms and a pound of mixed nuts to go with what's in your photo. What is the chow mein in the upper right? I'm always looking for a new dinner.

That pika photo is great, how'd you get it to hold still? You weren't feeding it were you? :)

Can't believe you made it without a head net. Between that and Forester in the dark/snow, you are definitely better than me :)

keep the reports coming
 
Great section...... great pics.
I dont know but that food selection doesnt look that great...... How did yours compare with your other hikers?
 
That first food photo, was that really for 9 days? Doesn't look remotely close enough to me :) For 9 days, I'd have about a pound of Peanut M&Ms and a pound of mixed nuts to go with what's in your photo. What is the chow mein in the upper right? I'm always looking for a new dinner.

That pika photo is great, how'd you get it to hold still? You weren't feeding it were you? :)

Can't believe you made it without a head net. Between that and Forester in the dark/snow, you are definitely better than me :)

keep the reports coming
Yeah, that was supposed to be 9 days. Before The Sierras, it would have been plenty. I never got "hiker hunger", hence my struggle with weight loss on trail. But I should have packed 11 days worth for 8 days through that section haha I think the Chow Mein brand is Nissan, I have been eating it since high-school. I usually buy it at dollar stores, but you can get it at most grocery stores. It is not calorie rich, just comforting and yummy to me. I transfer it to a ziploc and cook it in my pot.

Out of the 100s of Pikas I heard and saw, I managed to capture 2 (amazing capture coming in Washington...or maybe it was Oregon). I promise I never fed animals on trail except myself.

Yeah, next thru hike during mosquito season, I am definitely buying one of those mosquito net body suits.
 
Great section...... great pics.
I dont know but that food selection doesnt look that great...... How did yours compare with your other hikers?

I definitely didn't eat as much as other hikers. I struggled to finish a plate when we ate at restaurants, while most other hikers were ordering 2 or 3 meals. I would usually give my leftover food to other hikers.

As far as content, about the same. CANDY. Whatever sounded good. The one thing my body did crave was sugar. I am sure there were more healthy eaters on trail, I just didn't resupply with any. Basically, everyone I knew just ate whatever they wanted during their hike and then stocked up on veggies and other real food when they made it town.

My tramily bought about the same things, just MORE, and their weight stayed healthy. I had another friend on trail and she equally struggled to eat and lost quite a bit more weight than I did. I knew a sweet woman and her husband ate a lot of healthy food on trail and she ended up quitting the trail in the Sierras because she lost too much weight.

Unless you send yourself resupply boxes, you are also victim to whatever food is available to you and most towns restock the junk we thru hikers love haha
 
Lol..... How did pika taste?
 
Thanks for all the time put into these and telling the story. Way to hang in there! 1k miles and more!

I am slowly catching up reading these. Mt Whitney, the Sierras, none of your pics make it look gray and boring at all.

I do agree, the Pho looks great, and with mushrooms even.
They probably don't have them in Bishop or the other resupply towns, but Pho ramen has been a backpacking staple. If you add some roast beef or the holy grail of hoisin and sriracha sauce packets, then it almost tastes real :)
 
I do agree, the Pho looks great, and with mushrooms even.
They probably don't have them in Bishop or the other resupply towns, but Pho ramen has been a backpacking staple. If you add some roast beef or the holy grail of hoisin and sriracha sauce packets, then it almost tastes real :)

I was so surprised to find the pho in Mammoth, CA! I had never had it served with so much stuff in it before, but it was great! I couldn't finish it.

I actually found a brand at the 99 cents store once that was AMAZING, but I never wrote it down or took a picture. I wished I had it on trail all the time haha I usually had sriracha packets to add into my Ramen though. I had my mom ship them in some of my resupply boxes :)
 
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