Total Miles 211.4

What a crazy week!

After leaving Mammoth the snow continued. Losing the trail constantly became normal and the snow melt made the river crossings very hard. My feet have been wet for 7 straight days – LOL.

I met up with another guy in Yosemite named “Sloppy Joe” who is also doing the Loop and we hiked through that section together. We must have crossed 25 rivers on that day. At 10 pm, we crossed a river above our waistline and not knowing how deep it was going to be made it that much more sketchy.

After arriving at Kennedy Meadows North, pulling a 30 by 4pm we were wiped out. I had run out of food, AGAIN. Luckily Joe had some extra. I stayed the night there, ditched the bear canister and was back on the trail at 10:30 the next morning.

The snow pack continued all week. I slipped and fell 30 feet into lava rocks and scratched myself up pretty good. I post-holed while “skiing” down the backside of Dick’s Pass and started flying down the hill on my stomach. I was able to self-arrest with my trekking pole, which got bent in the process. I kept stepping through snow bridges and falling all throughout Desolation Wilderness.

I have almost now made it to Donner Pass and hopefully, out of the bigger snow. Such a tough week, but I was able to keep a 30 mile average and aside from some scrapes, cuts, and bruises, I’m feeling pretty damn good!✌🥾🥾

Total Miles 217.5

After arriving at Kennedy Meadows, I took 3 hours to prepare for the Sierra section. I Charged my stuff, ate a bunch, got my ice axe and bear canister, and reorganized my pack. I took off up the trail at 4pm.

I wanted to do the 201.1 miles to Mammoth Lakes Pass faster than I did it last year–under 6 days.

I did 11.5 miles out that evening from Kennedy Meadows. The following day 38 miles, about 2 miles before the entrance to Sequoia National Park.

The next day I entered into the high mountains and started dealing with the snow pack which was significant. There had been a recent storm so any part of the trail above 10,500 feet was covered. I topped out on Forester Pass (13,200) at 6pm. Getting down was tough but I pushed hard and made camp 35.5 miles in for the day.

Looking at what was ahead I saw that I was only 4.1 miles from the top of Glen pass and 16 miles from Pinchot Pass and another 9.7 from Mather Pass. I decided to do all three in one day. This was one of my greatest hiking days. I felt so strong, I just fuckin sent it! Pushing hard nonstop for 16 hours. Had to bring out the ice axe for a sketchy, steep section. Post-holed a lot, but did all 3 passes and finished with a 32.4.

The following day I went over Muir Pass with 3 miles of snow on each side and camped 37.2 miles in for the day.

On Sunday I was running really low on food, so I had no choice but to pull a 48 miler and get as close to Mammoth as I could. Went up and over Seldon and Silver Pass, ate my last BOBO’S oat bite at 7:30 pm and still had 15 miles to go to make it to Mammoth Lakes Pass. I finished at 12:45 am and camped on the side trail leading to Mammoth.

7 mountain passes, 201.1 miles, 5 days, 9 hours, and 45 minutes. A 37.5 mile overall average. By far the greatest hiking achievement of my career. The conditions were tough and I still have 2-300 miles of snow pack to deal with.

Took a rest day in Mammoth, ate my face off and now I’m going back for more pain😄. Going to see if I can reach Tahoe in 5 days, it’s about 185 miles.✌🥾🥾

Total Miles 225.1

What a crazy week.

Met more incredible people, didn’t receive my resupply box and my knee started to bother me. So I…. hung out with incredible people, bought a resupply and took my only rest day of the trail in Mojave, CA.

Ate a ton of food, had my knee worked on and took 3 showers. Definitely a zero day I wont soon forget.

My mileage was up to my average at 225.1 for the week but overall in 3 weeks, just a shade under 750. Right where I wanted to be.

Adapting to situations on the trail is something I thrive on, and this week threw some things at me, but I’m on pace. It was earlier than my rest day last year, but I couldn’t go into the Sierra with my knee that way.

At Kennedy Meadows now, leaving after this post and hoping to arrive in Mammoth in 6 days.✌🥾🥾

Total Miles 266.3

Back on the PCT!

After the grueling I-10 stretch and big water carries along powerline dirt roads and desert, reaching the single track trail of the PCT has been such a welcome change! So many more hikers from last year and a ton of internationals (a lot of Germans.)

Last year the hiker bubble was somewhere around Tehachapi. However, this year it seems to be never ending from Cajon Pass to Hikertown and north. It’s been a real enjoyable experience to meet so many people from different walks of life doing this incredible trek, most notably “Cheese” from Maine and “Catmandu” from the Cascades.

I would really like to keep my pace up until Kennedy Meadows, sometimes it’s hard though, I do miss the camaraderie the trail provides. The forced pace of the Loop doesn’t allow for that, so until I decide to do a less demanding trail, it looks like I’ll be on my own for quite sometime. I guess to sum up this post, this is what I signed up for and I’m going to send it as hard as I can for as long as I can!

I’m pushing a good pace and everything feels good considering 40 mile days without stretching😬.

I’ll be in Kennedy Meadows a week from today. I’m pushing hard through this easy section because I’m really not sure what to expect for snow. Bringing my Ice Axe this time.

Sorry for the lack of pics, I don’t stop much on big mile days but I’ll try and do better for next week.✌🥾🥾