This—altitude sickness—caught us by surprise.
Yesterday it was an easy, flat nine miles out of Tuolumne Meadows. We started at the store and walked back to the trail, then on.
We had a saddleback (Donahue Pass) to cross over at a little over 11,000 feet. Then down to our planned tent site. Altitude training is as effective when you are asleep as when you are working out.
It was at this point Win started to get really sick. She took took a half tab of Diamox. By morning she wasn’t doing well. I had a slight headache that faded. As much from glare and rain as altitude.
On this trip Win has done better with altitude than I have. By the time we left at Tuolumne Meadows we were both solid with it.
But we needed off trail. Red Meadows was 20 miles, 17 by the shortcut. We did our first five miles in three hours.
As we dropped altitude we did better, and after second breakfast we did very well.
Surprise. There is a drive up campsite on the trail (as in you walk through the parking lot).
We met a trail Angel who was leaving early due to health issues and he gave us a ride to Mammoth. I am very grateful.
We will go home. Recover. Spend time with grand grandchildren and regain our altitude acclimation.
The trail will be there next year.
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