Dave’s PCT & Other Adventures: 08/28/23

Monday, August 28, 2023

Day 165 Pinchot Pass and a 3 mile mistake

August 28

I got myself packed up walked out of camp at 6:40 AM ready for another day. Rae lake is in a bowl surrounded completely by mountains as the sun comes up it’s beginning to light the top of the mountains. I am still in shade and a little chilly.

Ray lakes has a ranger station that is staffed. As I walked by, I could smell a fire and saw the open door so I took a quick side trail up and met the Ranger named Rob. He has an absolutely beautiful office view

My views this morning are amazing as I continue down Trail. One of my bigger challenges today is water, not being able to get enough to drink, but navigating around it. There are many small streams, crossing the trail and areas where the trail itself is wet. Part of me wants to just say forget it and walk through it just getting my feet wet, but I have had such poor luck and blisters with wet shoes that I am still dancing around all the water.

The trail has opened up and is going through this beautiful meadow as I leave Rae lakes

Well, it is only a small creek , but the wet crossings have started. I’ve changed into my water shoes to get across this.

The trail has me descending this valley with a river off to my right. Eventually, I will transition back to an ascent and cross over Pinchot pass today.

Once again, I am treated to an expansive valley view with two waterfalls one just in front of me to the right and one straight ahead

I have reached another small stream crossing this one has a good pile of logs across it and I believe that is where I am going to cross it. This one again was super easy and I still have dry feet.

Immediately following the Stream, I need to navigate through a number of blow downs and find my way to the trail.

Bridges. A source of frustration and conflicting information. I have arrived at the Woods Creek suspension bridge. It was damaged and unusable earlier in the season however, has since been repaired.

The bridge over the San Joaquin River is another story. It is adding a lot of frustration and stress as I get closer. The bridge has been deemed unusable, there are five possible options for getting around that area as the river is in a gorge and not passable at that location without the bridge

Many hikers have actually been crossing the “unusable“ closed bridge they state it is risky but very doable. Although there are multiple reports of the bridge was destroyed by Rangers on the 23rd and no longer there.
Up and over. There is a route that goes cross country bushwhacking on no established trail. In fact, I don’t think there is any trail to follow. It is all done by GPS and looking at contour lines. It’s about a four hour detour that climbs high, and involves rock, scrambles and direction finding.
Walk down stream to the meadow, and attempt to cross the river. Not advised, as the water is said to be high and moving fast.
Bypass the bridge completely. Hike out Bishop Pass do a 12 mile road walk or hitch and hike back in Piute pass. This bypasses 23 miles a Trail that is considered some of the most beautiful, over Muir pass and through evolution Valley.
Hike to the bridge hoping to do options 1, 2, or 3. Find out none of those are within the comfort level. Turn around and hike back to Bishop Pass. That would be a 40 mile round-trip adding two days to the hike.

At this point I have no idea what I am going to do. I am inclined to go to the bridge. I am pretty certain it was destroyed by the park service on the 23rd however, nobody has shown any pictures of that if the bridge is intact. I will cross it if still there. If the bridge is not intact, I will need to decide if I want to go to the meadow and risk a dangerous river crossing or do the up and over that I do not know if I have the experience for. I am praying I will bump in to a couple more hikers going northbound that I can team up with for whichever decision I do.

The trail now goes along side, the Woods creek water slide. after crossing the bridge, I began my uphill ascent that will go 7 miles over the top of Pinchot Pass.

I stop for a second breakfast in a green area with beautiful views

I hiked alongside the river for a bit, and then I needed to cross it. A somewhat challenging creek crossing. I did boulder hopping to three rocks, and then took a big step across to a knob of dirt on the shore, after which I had to climb over some branches, but was successful again and still have dry feet. After crossing, I followed the river now on my way left.

I have experienced one of my more frustrating moments on Trail. If not the most frustrating moment I have had. Somehow I got turned around 180° I am estimating I went back down trail about a mile and a half before I realized it, once I did I turned around and headed back up. I’ve gotten to a new spot with a waterfall that I don’t remember from before and I’m hoping I have not gone any further than this point all in all it was about a 3 mile mistake

I saw this guy hanging out I log watch him. He walked by on the trail. He did not run away so I took a picture.

I stopped for a very late lunch with amazing news. I am hiking at about half the speed I would like to today. I should be getting into my selected camp about now, but instead I am just over half way. I am frustrated because I am afraid I am not going to make my minimum 20 miles that I had set as my daily goal.

I’ve made it to the top of Pinchot pass, phenomenal views from the top. I did my best to capture them in this series of eight photos.

I arrived at lower Lake Marjorie, which is going to be my campsite for tonight. Although it is less miles than I wanted to go it is a beautiful site. I set up camp, ate my dinner, got in my tent just as the moon was coming out.