PCT 49 - Tuolumne Meadows - Long Distance Hiker

Daily miles :18
Total miles : 943

Got rolling today before 6am, and really enjoyed the early morning light. I walked for for about 5 miles before seeing another hiker. The section nearing Donahue Pass from the south is one of my favorites as it has small pothole ponds and the morning light accentuates their beauty.

Walking alone, I made it to the pass before 8am. I lost the trail for a bit and found myself going cross country through the snow cups. At the top, I waited to see if anyone else from our group was within sight for 20 minutes and then continued on when I didn’t see them.

I was looking for a nice last glissade in the high Sierra, but the slope was too shallow. Being there so early in the day, the snow was pretty hard and a bit slippery. After walking for another 45 minutes, I was out of the snow and began my descent to the Tuolumne Meadows Canyon.

Once down the pass, there were a lot of hikers. Probably 40 people just in the hours from 8 till noon. Also, once I made the descent, the walking was really easy and the miles came fast. Since I was walking alone, my breaks were shorter and I was excited to see SweetPea again so I moved at a good pace.

Around 12:30, I made it to the backpacker’s campground and found SweetPea. We headed over to the store and grabbed lunch, and then returned to the campsite where I set up my hammock and took a two hour nap… It was good.

The others from our group rolled in to the store mid afternoon and we caught up on their day… Including XC, who had spent the day down in Yosemite Valley, and will now hike out with us on to Kennedy Meadows North.

At the campground, there are a lot of backpackers. Seems to be a lot of JMT hikers and some PCT hikers, but we do not know them yet. I think we have caught up to a new group of people.