We decided to hike up and spend the night to get some more time above 9,000 feet for altitude training.
The trail starts at 7,100 feet or so in the trees.
Much of it is very steep.
We passed deer and got to our campsite and set up by 9:00—with cell service at the end. Most of the road and hike up had no service.
Across the lake a young hammock user camped with her huge (but well behaved) dog.
We arose early and started down to try and make the parking lot before it was hot.
It was around sixty as we dropped down. The car was 92 degrees.
It was a great overnight. We had hiked up there before but had not camped. I was glad of it.
We are getting ready to start at Agnew Meadows and hike south/downhill. Treating gear with permethrin, packing three days of food to get us to VVR and double checking everything.
Sierra section—here we come.
Topped out all our batteries.
We will probably only take two bottles each for water. There is water everywhere. It is hard not to horde water capacity but we are going to exercise control.
It was Happy6’s idea to go SOBO. That will really make it easier as it nets downhill. Our end point is 5,403 feet and our start is 9,497.
Lots of up and downs with the passes (up to 13,120 feet) but we will still have a four thousand foot net descent instead of four thousand foot net climb. Especially since we have to carry bear canisters.