Mile 906

It seems like it's been a very long time since I've had access to the Internet. I've been up in the high Sierras for a while now. It's been eventful and beautiful. I took a side trip up Mt. Whitney (14,490 ft), the highest point in the 48. The following day I went over Forester Pass at 13,000+ feet which is the highest point on the actual PCT. I've crossed at least one mountain pass each day, and sometimes more. There has been snow I've had to cross - sometimes miles at a time and sometimes just a hundred yards. There's been many water crossings - sometimes I can rock hop and keep the feet dry; other times I've waded across and soaked the feet. And at last it seems that the mosquitoes are here. They have been not so bad in some spots and truly frightening in others. I think they will be worst of all in Yosemite which I'll face in a few days. I don't know that I'll have the chance to slow down enough to take any photos in Yosemite because I'll be running for my sanity from the mosquitoes but I hope for a break here and there. I've been getting some good photos of the spectacular scenery in the Sierras so far.

The trip is going well, and I'm in good spirits. I'm traveling with small group of hikers that are a lot of fun. At the moment I'm in Mammoth, CA. It's good sized town with everything I might need for resupply.

Mile 702 Kennedy Meadows

I'm not dead yet. I'm at mile 702 at a remote place called Kennedy Meadows. The only thing here (besides a meadow) is a small general store. However, it has a special significance to hikers. It marks the end of the southern desert section and the beginning of the high mountains. Everything changes at this point. We go from being always concerned about where to find the next water to being concerned about how do we cross the rivers safely without being swept away. Before any of you panic, I've crossed every one of them before and haven't been swept away yet. Starting now we also will have to face steep snow fields and and high altitude. The highest place on the PCT at 13,000+ feet is a few days away.

The immediate concern is yet another forest fire. This on is only a few miles from here. There's no danger of it coming this way, but it has closed another section of trail that we have to get around.

My feet are doing well. In fact I feel pretty good over all. I'm traveling with a small group of people and we're having a good time. They are all entertaining in their own ways.

I'm taking a zero mile day today and another tomorrow. After that I'll be on the move again. I look forward to taking lots of great photos. This next section is going to be spectacular.