Independence to Rae Lakes via Kearsage Pass and Glenn Pass!!
| Thursday, August 19th 2021 Days on the trail: 8 | Total miles: 88.1 Miles: 13 | Time: 8.75 hours | Ascent: 3,937 ft | Descent: 2,742 ft |
Jim dropped us at the trailhead at 7:30 am so we could get an early start hiking over Kearsarge Pass.
Mule Train, Kearsarge Pass
We made great time on the trail, especially considering our packs had 8 days of food and are the heaviest they will be for the whole hike.
Yes, the pack IS heavy! 
Bull Frog Lake
We made such good progress we decided to push on to Rae Lakes rather than stopping early afternoon at Charlotte Lake. Mixed feelings as to whether this was a wise move or not. It was great to get to Rae Lakes and spend an evening and morning there rather than just passing through tomorrow but the Pass to get there, Glenn Pass, was brutal. It was a steep climb on a really poorly graded trail with high granite steps which constantly stressed the knees and hips and that was just getting to the top, going down the other side was even more punishing on the body with more high steps and lots of loose gravel you could easily loose your footing on so you had to concentrate on every single step. Mentally and physically taxing.
I don’t know who Glenn is but I am sure he would be very sad to know that almost everyone we met on the Pass was cursing his name.
We got to camp at 4:30 pm completely spent and grabbed the first available spot we could find at Middle Rae Lake. We were last here in 2008 on one of our first multi day backpacks. I remember thinking how hardcore we were at the time yet a 4 day backpack seems quite pedestrian now. The area is as stunning as we remembered. Busier, but still stunning.
We had a nice long soak in the lake hoping it would ease our sore bones and muscles but for good measure we had a couple of ibruprofen too.
Considering how many people were camped at the lake it was surprisingly quiet and most people were in bed by 7:30 pm. I guess if the majority had also come over Glenn Pass, they were as knackered as us! We were the late night party people tonight, staying up until 8 pm.
Rae Lakes to Woods Creek
| Friday, August 20th 2021 Days on the trail: 9 | Total miles: 98.4 Miles: 10.3 | Time: 6.5 hours | Ascent: 1,525 ft | Descent: 2,260 ft |
Bliss, we slept for 11.5 hours. By the time we got out of the tent at 7:30 am most of the other campers had packed up and moved on so we had a slow start and enjoyed the majesty that is Rae Lakes.
We took some stunning photos of the morning reflection in the lake, there’s a good reason this is such a popular place.
Southbound hikers told us that there was a bear on the trail ahead of us so we were on high alert. We didn’t see the bear but we saw some scat it had deposited, a pile of such impressive size I quickly decided I’d be happy not to see him (or her).
We rolled downhill most of the way this morning meeting many people who are doing the Rae Lakes Loop but not so many JMTers.
Looking north we had clear blue skies but looking back to the south the skies were hazy with smoke. I feel bad for the southbound JMTers who are finishing with smokey skies and I hope that our clear sky luck continues.
Arriving at the Woods Creek suspension bridge at 1:30 pm we decided to push on further up the creek to knock some mileage and elevation off of tomorrow’s hike.
There really was no need to use the suspension bridge, what is usually a deep fast flowing creek was a gentle stream which was easy to walk across – another sign of the drought in California.
By 4 pm we were running out of campsite options with accessible water. If we continued further on the next good spot would be an hour away and since we were hot and running out of steam we started to look for somewhere for the night.
The Southern Yosemite Mountain guide who’d given us gummy sweets on Forester Pass had recommended a spot and as usual Mike had been paying attention while all I had remembered was “mmm gummy bears”. We soon found his recommendation alongside the creek. It was shaded and breezy so we were happily tucked up cosy in our tent soon after dinner.
It was the right decision to call this home for the night, as it turns out the next campsite was actually 90 minutes further on with considerable elevation gain and while it was a gorgeous spot, if we’d pushed on we would have got there late and tired and probably very grumpy.
The moon was a big orange ball in the sky tonight. It looked amazing but is a sign of smoke in the air which is not so good.
Woods Creek to South Fork Kings River Crossing via Pinchot Pass
| Saturday, August 21st 2021 Days on the trail: 10 | Total miles: 108.2 Miles: 9.8 | Time: 7 hours | Ascent: 2,362 ft | Descent: 2,079 ft |
It was cold this morning. We packed our backpacks and delayed switching our thermals for our hiking gear until the last possible moment and were very happy to get moving and warm up a little.
I’m so glad we did some of the ascent to Pinchot Pass yesterday. We still had 4 hours of up to do this morning before we hit the Pass at noon.
Approaching Pinchot Pass from the south
People we have met on the trail the last few days haven’t been as jovial as earlier in the trip. Maybe it’s because it’s almost the half way point so the excitement of starting or ending has been replaced by a sense of just plodding on every day. We are happy and in good spirits but there have been occasions over the last couple of days when we’ve felt like we’re just grinding through the miles.
Today was our last opportunity to see bighorn sheep. Despite scouring the rocks as we hiked we weren’t lucky enough to see any. Plenty of big fat fluffy marmots though and that always makes me happy.
We decided to make camp at the more civilized hour of 3 pm today. This gave us time to relax for a while rather than just setting up our gear, cooking, eating and sleeping.
We set up along a section of the South Fork of the Kings River on sun warmed granite rocks with the river close enough to provide a relaxing babbling soundtrack to the evening. Our neighbor across the water was a friendly guy from Sydney.
I’m happy to report that we had a gorgeous clear bright moon tonight rather than a big orange ball, hopefully that means the smoke is clearing.
South Fork Kings River Crossing to Lower Palisades Lake via Mather Pass
| Sunday, August 22nd 2021 Days on the trail: 11 | Total miles: 118.2 Miles: 10 | Time: 6.3 hours | Ascent: 2,050 ft | Descent: 1,591 ft |
Another cold start to the day so we had a repeat of yesterday in our attempt to keep warm layers on until the last possible moment.
We were on the trail before 8 am and I can only think that Mike was trying to warm up because we almost ran for the first 30 minutes and anyone who knows Mike knows that he doesn’t run, ever!
To reach the summit of Mather Pass at 12,100 ft was 6 miles and a 1,900 ft climb. What was at first a gentle trail through rock strewn meadows became steep talus switchbacks for the last couple of miles. The views from the top were magnificent and a golden eagle circled above us…the great American West.
Mather Pass looking North
Mather Pass looking South
As with everyday, a hike to the top of the Pass also means a hike down the other side and so we began the grueling descent down to Palisades Lakes. Despite the gorgeous scenery it felt like we were just plodding downhill, carefully placing every footstep so as not to twist an ankle or knee and stopping only occasionally to enjoy the views.
On the plus side, today was Pika day, I saw 6 of the cute little rodents. They have bodies like rabbits and ears like Mickey Mouse and they got our attention by “cheep cheeping” at us from the rocks as we passed by. Pika’s are very vulnerable to climate change and although they’re not currently on the endangered list their numbers are plummeting at a fast rate.
We stopped for the day at Lower Palisades Lake and got a primo spot with the best view in the valley. It was warm and breezy so we rinsed our hiking gear in the lake, had a very quick swim in the frigid water and sat back and enjoyed the scenery. This is by far the best camp spot we’ve had on the JMT, just stunning.
When we swam there were a number of people around so out of courtesy we wore our swimsuits but weirdly as the afternoon progressed almost everyone that swam went in butt naked, which is unusual. I’m guessing that most people by this point on the JMT have either lost their inhibitions or become somewhat feral. Mike would no doubt weigh in here that I have never had any inhibitions and have always been borderline feral. I can’t disagree.
Lower Palisades Lake to Big Pete Meadow
| Monday, August 23rd 2021 Days on the trail: 12 | Total miles: 131.5 Miles: 13.3 | Time: 8 hours | Ascent: 1,417 ft | Descent: 2,739 ft |
Between 3 am and 6 am the smell of smoke kept waking me up and when we got up we were greeted by a hazy smoke filled sky. Word on the hiker network via the rangers is that there are no fires in our path or in any areas close by and the smoke is from a big fire up north near Tahoe and another south near Sequoia. It’s just unfortunate that the wind is blowing the smoke into these valleys and has settled here making the air quality poor and the scenery like something out of a dystopian film. We’re hoping the wind clears it out soon otherwise we might have to consider leaving the trail.
A change of routine today, we headed straight down instead of up. Down the Golden Staircase, a major feat of engineering; granite steps and switchbacks blasted and built into the side of a steep almost vertical canyon.
The views should have been amazing but all we could see was haze. Fortunately this started to change by early afternoon as we began hiking up Le Conte Canyon, the sky cleared just enough to be able to enjoy the views of the distant peaks.
We are now retracing our steps from the South Lake > North Lake hike we did last month and will do so for a few days. We’re very happy to cover this ground again as it is considered by many to be the most stunning of all the JMT.
We rolled into camp at Big Pete Meadow at 4 pm. The timing couldn’t have been better, we were both exhausted but we were quickly rejuvenated when we found a pristine camp spot completely secluded alongside a stream deep enough to bathe in and magnificent 360 degree views.
A statuesque stag wandered around our campsite for a while this evening, he was not bothered by us at all, although with the rack he had, it was us that needed to be wary of him.
We enjoyed the last of the sun before it dipped behind the mountains and hoped for clear skies tomorrow as we will be heading over Muir Pass, our last 12,000ft Pass of the hike. That’s not to say the days will get any easier but at least we will be leaving the high elevation climbs behind.
Big Pete Meadow to Evolution Lake via Muir Pass
| Tuesday, August 24th 2021 Days on the trail: 13 | Total miles: 145.2 Miles: 13.7 | Time: 9.25 hours | Ascent: 3,129 ft | Descent: 1,643 ft |
We couldn’t believe our eyes when we got out of the tent, crystal clear skies and not a whiff of smoke, how can 24 hours be so different? After feeling a little disheartened yesterday, today was full of high spirits and new found awe at the scenery around us. It was so great to retrace our route over and beyond Muir Pass, this time with clear skies in stark contrast to the clouds and rain we experienced here last month. The air was so clear the scenery popped with clarity.
Part way up Muir Pass a girl said “you must be Toni and Mike”. It was so weird to be called out by a stranger in the wilderness – weird in a nice way. It turns out we’d met her and her Dad (Nicole and Dan) very briefly on Whitney and they have hiked on and off with Tami and Johnathon which is how they had come to know our names. Their exit date is the same as ours so it’s likely our paths will cross again over the next couple of weeks.
It was a mind blowing view from the top of Muir Pass today. It looked spectacular two weeks ago with the clouds but to see it in the bright clear light with the lakes below a gorgeous inky blue against the surrounding white granite mountains was simply stunning.
Dan and Nicole had beaten us to the summit and gave us a round of applause when we arrived. The Fine Young Cannibals were there too, I haven’t mentioned them yet; 3 guys from New York who hike at different speeds so are rarely together until they get to camp. One time we asked where Evan was the reply came that they were so hungry they had eaten him, hence we gave them the trail name The Fine Young Cannibals. We all had a nice sociable lunch stop whilst marveling at the view. A couple of guys we’ve seen occasionally also arrived, Jeff and Rich. Jeff said “I expected a bigger view” and he wasn’t joking. Mike asked him if he was from Texas which got a laugh out of everyone, except Jeff.
A pack train came up and over the Pass heading south. It’s always an impressive sight to see them out here but seeing them at the top of the Pass with the Muir Hut in the background was very very cool. One of the wranglers was really friendly and chatty and happy to answer everyone’s questions. Turns out the 10 strong pack train were transporting camping gear and food for a guided group doing a 15 day hike for the hefty price of $15,000 per person. Holy cow, I’m glad I’m happy to carry my own pack, it’s a lot cheaper!
Further down the trail Mike and I encountered a couple having a full on row. We politely said hello and moved on. I hope they quickly resolved their problems, it would be no fun being on bad terms with your hiking buddy out here.
While the view from the Pass was more impressive than last month, the chain of lakes and streams were less enchanting because so many had dried up over the recent weeks so there was no longer the rosary bead effect. A reminder that you can walk the same trail many times and get something different every time.
We had planned to camp at Sapphire Lake but it was blowing a hoolie and was completely exposed so we continued on to Evolution Lake which made for a long day but was totally worth it. We got the same primo spot we had last month but this time without the rain.
It was windy but not as windy as Sapphire so we just layered up with all the clothes we had and enjoyed the sunset.
Evolution Lake to McClure Meadow
| Wednesday, August 25th 2021 Days on the trail: 14 | Total miles: 150.3 Miles: 5 | Time: 2.75 hours | Ascent: 249 ft | Descent: 1,430 ft |
A gloriously easy 5 mile hike downhill this morning to McClure Meadow, we needed an easy day. We’d regretted not stopping at McClure last month and had vowed that we wouldn’t pass it by again no matter what time of day we were there, and so we found ourselves setting up camp at 12:30 pm with possibly the best view we have ever had in the backcountry. We did laundry, bathed in the river and settled down for a chilled afternoon soaking in the view and sunning our achy muscles.
Majestic McClure Meadow
A long thin river snake swam by with a small trout in its mouth. That’s a first for us, we had no idea there were river snakes out here.
Two Santa’s arrived mid afternoon and set up camp next to us. They came over and chatted; 2 brothers in their 60’s, Dana and Martin. They both had long white Santa beards and camping gear out of the 1970’s. Really cheery chaps, just as you’d expect Santa to be really.
They joined us again on our viewing rock for sunset which was beautiful but the icing on the cake was that we had lots of deer come close to us, crossing the river back and forth, just going about their business and not bothered by us at all. As twilight faded to dusk they frolicked in the meadow with a playfulness I have not seen before, it was magical to watch. Mike and I joked afterwards that maybe the deer were auditioning to pull Santa’s sleigh in 4 months.
We were up until after dark and skipped our evening hot chocolate, that’s how good the sunset view was!
McClure Meadow to Muir Trail Ranch
| Thursday, August 26th 2021 Days on the trail: 15 | Total miles: 162.3 Miles: 12 | Time: 6.3 hours | Ascent: 561 ft | Descent: 2,381 ft |
It was FREEZING this morning, really cold. The Santa’s got up to see us off. Actually, to be honest they got up to take sunrise photos and to nab our primo camping spot as soon as we’d vacated it. Dana was enquiring about our bear canister as he wanted to get the same make for his daughter and I innocently commented that it would soon be Christmas. But then he would know all about that, wouldn’t he?
It took us quite a while to warm up this morning but the cool temperature meant we covered a lot of miles quickly and before we knew it we were at the junction for Muir Trail Ranch (MTR) and back onto new trail. Ironically the day heated up a lot in the afternoon as we got to a lower elevation and we both found the last few miles into MTR a struggle.
MTR is a private backcountry resort. Pre-Covid you could rent a cabin for a night or two and enjoy a comfy bed and a hot shower but during Covid you have to rent the entire resort for a week which is great for groups of friends or families but not so great for JMTers looking for a mid-hike rest and clean up.
The resupply service MTR offers to through-hikers is a slick, well organized and essential operation. After mailing our bucket a month ago from our local post office it went on it’s own little adventure which included an off-road truck ride, a ferry ride across Florence Lake and was finally transported by pack horse to the ranch ready for our arrival.
We were happy to be reunited with our bucket of food for the next section and also happy to find that they sold a number of items you might need at this point in the trip; plasters, socks, sunscreen and lucky for us poop trowels since I broke ours in a frenzied digging incident earlier this week when I had an urgent bathroom need!
The tent was up, the bear canisters were refilled with enough food to see us through to Mammoth in 5 days and our drinking water was filtered so we decided to explore Blayney hot springs that are adjacent to MTR. After wading across a river and following use trails for a few minutes we came to a bubbling pond on the edge of a meadow and jumped straight in, it was like a bath, a muddy bath! We enjoyed it to ourselves for a while then some of the guests from MTR came along and un-subtly claimed it for themselves. Some of them wore swim suits, some did not, some should definitely have worn swim suits.
We made our way to the nearby lake for a cooling refreshing dip among the lily pads before heading over to a second hot spring further along the meadow which we shared with a couple of JMTers. It felt good to have a warm dip and our achy muscles definitely thanked us.
Back at camp, it stayed warm until sunset which was a pleasant change. After we went to bed someone was playing panpipes which was a nice way to be lulled to sleep, not that we needed lulling, sleep comes easy after a day on the trail.
Thank you for documenting your adventure. The photo of the playful deer brought a smile to my face. Again, I try to follow your route on a map and vicariously share in your wonder.
What an experience you two had. So well written and the photos looked like they were out of Sunset magazine! This really makes me miss California. Glad you two got to enjoy this adventure and no fires bothered you.