Day 63 to 65 - Yosemite

June 27-29
Day 63-65
Miles:  7+20+20
Total Miles:  989

Yosemite - A Rock Climbers Heaven

I took my time leaving Tuolumne Meadows.  I ate breakfast and lunch at the grill near the store and then hand-washed my clothes and set them out to dry on the picnic table at camp.  I wanted to hike out with others that I knew but it wasn't to be - many hikers I knew hiked in at 4 o'clock on the day I was leaving and they were staying the night.  Looks like another solo journey for me.  I finally hiked on at 5:30 and walked the seven miles to the Glen Aulin camp - a high sierra backcountry camp next to the beautiful Glen Aulin waterfall.

Yesterday, June 28th, I hiked over Benson Pass at only 10,150 feet.  the high passes are over!  I passed Rapunzel, Quest, Kristo and two others on this day and joined them at camp at Smedberg Lake.  It's an amazing thing about the trail - you never have to be alone for long.  Just yesterday I was lonely and hoping for a hiking partner.  Today, I meet a new group of hikers just one day after leaving Tuolumne!

Today I crossed over Seavey Pass at just over 9000 feet from Benson Lake at 7700 feet.  I then had two more passes to climb:  an 800 foot climb and a 1200 foot climb.  I camped by myself tonight after passing on a campsite at Wilma Lake where Kristo was setting up.  At Wilma the mosquitos were fierce!  Even where I was camped, a mile farther, mosquitos were hard to ignore.  For the first time on my PCT hike I donned my mosquito net.  I also ate dinner in my tent after stealthily cooking through my bug net with my arms outside operating the the stove.

Taking shelter from mosquitos in my tent