Day 8:The Second but Not The Last End…

9/1/18 794.27 to 789.09 +7.6 miles out Kearsarge for 13.4 miles total

A year ago we made it to the Canadian Border, a defining moment filled with excitement and accomplishment. Today would be marked by another departure as we left the PCT once again out Kearsarge Pass just as we had done June 2017 but without the snow.

Food was low but spirits were high as the prospect of some good food occupied our minds. We woke up next to Middle Rae Lake. We finally got to camp next to a beautiful lake. It was chilly next to the lake so we ate and packed up quickly and got moving.

Middle Rae Lake

Matt enjoying his food view

After making our way around Rae Lakes we started the last climb of the 6 passes we had traversed over in the past week. Glen Pass was steep but short. I saved my last bar to eat at the top while I waited for Matt.

Sliver of a moon

Top of Glen Pass

I started talking to a friendly JMT’er about doing the PCT and how he would like to do it someday. Matt showed up and asked this guy if he knew what the straitions in the rocks were that we have been seeing for the past week. He quickly replied yes I do know. He happened to be a geologist! What are the odds? He explained that they are called Dikes. We agreed as we remembered the many dikes we saw while rafting in the Grand Canyon a mere year ago. We hiked with this guy until the turnoff for Kearsarge Pass and we said our goodbyes.

What a cool dude

Bullfrog Lake

We stopped for a quick break overlooking Bullfrog Lake below. We ate the last few morsels of Jerky while our stomachs groaned. The last time we saw this lake it was frozen solid and surrounded in snow. Eventually we emerged at the top of Kearsarge Pass to find many day hikers celebrating their accomplishment with Brownies and Beer. I angirly glared at them while secretly plotting to steal their brownies that I felt they hadn’t really earned. Alas we took a photo and started our descent to the parking lot which we had no car at. Our car was 160 miles north and we had no real plans to get to it.

Matt is not impressed

While in the parking lot instead of despising the people I once did at the top of the pass I tried to befriend them as they had a car and I didn’t. I asked everyone who came through the parking lot for a ride. Matt of course to shy to speak to strangers quitely sat while I worked the parking lot crowd. I asked a woman where she was headed and if she could give us a ride to town. She looked me up and down and said, “I don’t know.” She said she would have to ask her boyfriend who was in the bathroom. She also said they were heading to Mammoth Lakes and I said “oh perfect that’s where we are heading.” She seemed entirely skeptical of me, noticing this I tried to explain that we had just finished hiking 140 miles, we were regular people with 401k’s, CD’s, and Roth IRAs. As I was explaining this she walked into the bathroom and closed the door while I was still yapping, I soon realized we would not be getting a ride from this woman. I was right, after she came out the bathroom she basically ran to her boyfriend whispering how these two weirdos had the nerve to ask her for a ride. I don’t want to be judgy but she seemed kinda bitchy. Anyways I asked a few more people and then finally a nice young couple from Ridgecrest gave us a ride to the tiny town of Independence. Having passed through this town several times last year you would think I would have remembered this Town is a literal shithole. Not one restaurant, just some shitty Gas stations. I needed an IV of Ben and Jerry’s STAT but the gas station only a measly selection of individual ice cream bars. We each bought one and then walked to side of the hwy to try our thumbs at hitching. Our backup plan was to take the bus, this was a no go as the bus does not run on the weekend. We stood on the corner for what felt like forever with our thumbs out. This was a painful process for me as it was very hot out and my hand were so chapped and splitting that I could barely keep my thumb extended while car after car drove by. Some waved at us. Not sure why I wasn’t out here trying to get waves I just wanted a ride!! Matt and I began to bicker as we were hangry and just wanted to shower and eat some food. We started to walk back to the gas station when two older gentleman in a Subaru pulled up and asked where we were headed. They said they could get us there!! Yess we climbed in and off we went. They had been out for the last couple of days climbing mountains so they were not offended by our stench. An hour and a half later they dropped us off in Mammoth Lakes around 6pm. Our vehicle was still about 6 miles away at the ski lodge. We took the free trolley to the town center and then looked for the bus to the ski resort. Of course it stopped running at 5 so we had to pay an overpriced taxi to go 3 miles. It cost $25 because it’s Labor Day and why not jack up the prices. At this point we were so hungry and tired we didn’t care. I had read that the ski resort had a place to shower but I think we went to the wrong building as the only thing we found was a children’s birthday party. So I had a mini shower in the bathroom sink and then we went to town to get pizza. Around 8:30 we headed out of town, I drove and Matt tried to find us a hotel. Turns out Labor Day is kind of a big deal and EVERY hotel in the area was booked. Even Circus Circus in Reno was sold out. Matt found one hotel I believe a Best Western for $350 a night. I really wanted to shower but $350 was just too much. After 9 days without a shower what’s one more day? So we began to look for roadside accommodations along the dark highway. We ended up turning down a road with a sign that claimed there was a campground. After driving a mile or 2 and seeing no “campground” I saw a pullout on the side of this dirt road pulled in a said this looks like a great campsite. We set up our sleeping bags and pads in the back of the truck in the chilly desert night. Matt visibly annoyed and upset that we were once again sleeping in the truck grumpily crawled into his sleeping bag. The stars were amazing tonight. It was so clear and we were far enough from a major city that we could see the Milky Way. As I started to drift off I couldn’t help but think that we will hopefully return next summer to finish up the last 220 miles of the PCT that we missed in 2017 from Truckee to Mammoth Lakes. My dad always said I was a gradual learner, turns out I’m also a gradual hiker 😆. Thanks for following. Until next time

-Sarah

Matt on the bridge he blabbed on about the other day

Angirly sleeping

Rae Lake