Selfie at the trail entrance, North Lake

I had planned to play this summer, as well as work, and I had brought my backpacking gear. As we have been waiting for the PV hardware to arrive, Jeremiah suggested that this would be a good time to take a week off. I asked him for a suggestion of a good backpacking route, and he simply suggested that I head east from Bishop to nearby trailheads, going in at North Lake and coming out at South Lake. So OK, I took that advice, and picked up a wilderness permit, bear canister and map and packed my (new) backpack.

I had no idea that the route he had suggested was the Big Kahuna, the creme de la creme of high Sierra backpacking routes, that would climb three major passes, that would include part of the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails, and that would travel through the fabled Evolution Valley and LeConte Canyons. I was in for a real treat!

Just a gorgeous day to be in the high country. Behind me is the lake where I camped first night.

The whole route was right about 60 miles, and I took six days to do it. Day one was short, about 8 miles that included a 2,000′ climb over Piute Pass and adjusting to a full pack that wasn’t yet broken in or adjusted to really fit comfortably. I hit the trail about midday, too, as I had waited for the day’s mail, hoping that my new camera would be in it, but no such luck, so all of these are iPhone pix.

These are well-traveled trails. Much work has been done over many years to build these trails, including steps.

First night’s camp, at 10,800′. The black cylinder in lower left is a bear canister, rented for $2.50 a day from the Forest Service, and required on some of my route. It’s big, heavy and hard to pack, and I never saw a bear. But above tree line there’s nowhere to string a cord to hang food out of reach, so this is it.

I spent some camp time with a young Bay Area couple, both 26 and both of whomacknowledged a disability – he with a form of autism, she having recently discovered she was epileptic, but both obviously happy to be sharing this time together. We talked of disabilities and of sharing passions, particularly backpacking, and I found myself wanting to offer mentoring from my life and marriage perspective. I encouraged them to become friends first, something I had not done with my wife-to-be 25 years ago… and to find common passions. I was wishing that I had found a partner who wanted as much as I to experience this, to see what could only be earned by foot travel with a pack, who found sleeping on the ground and shitting in a carefully-prepared cathole worth the effort for the reward of this incredible beauty. I didn’t find that in my partner, and now I’m experiencing this alone – and still absolutely worth it.

First night’s camp, with Upper Golden Trout Lake in the background.