Month: May 2018

PCT 2018 Day 30, May 22, Tuesday.

Start Kennedy Meadows, mile 702.2, camp at Grumpy Bear resort and restaurant

End mile 705.3, campsite near south fork of Kern River

Miles walked: 3.1

The nearby Triple Crown Outfitter, a new store, had good prices and a decent selection of equipment and food. A pleasant day of studying the trail and trial ahead, doing laundry, restoring calories to the body, and other trip preparations as needed are completed. Milkshake (Missouri), from the day of angel treats, arrives and finds her friends, including Dirt and Applejack, and we all hold court at Grumpy’s bar. Much conversation and laughter occur. Although the free tent sites by the restaurant was fine for one night, once my 24 hours of paid wifi was finished, I decided to move to the quieter Kennedy Meadows Campground on trail, for a strong start in the morning. Sean (former police officer) and I take the shuttle to the trailhead. At the campground, we discover that Kennedy Meadows Store now runs the campground, and that we were supposed to have paid for our sites at the store, a couple of miles back. We hike a couple of miles further and set up camp near the sound of the river.

PCT 2018 Day 29, May 21, Monday.

Start mile 680.9, Chimney Creek Campground

End Kennedy Meadows, mile 702.2, camp at Grumpy Bear restaurant tent sites

Miles walked: 21.3

Climbing up from the campground, a storm is visible in the distance, that appears to be small and local.

Though it appears the trail will go around the storm, the last three miles is in rain, a rarity for this trip so far.

I arrive at the Kennedy Meadows general store, and take a shuttle 2.5 miles to Grumpy Bears Resort and Restaurant.

I slouch at the bar, buy wifi, get a burger, later an indoor shower, but do not get laundry done today because the dryer is a clothesline, and rain comes intermittently. We can pitch tents outside for free, so I do.

The Grumpy is quite rustic, off-grid, with a generator going out back.

Kennedy Meadows starts the High Sierra section of the trip, with snow hiking, high mountain passes, and stunning landscapes. Time to study, talk to people, seek advice, for a most challenging few weeks.

PCT 2018 Day 28, May 20, Sunday.

Start Walker Pass Campground, mile 651

End mile 680.9, Chimney Creek Campground

Miles walked: 29.9

Past the highway we climb from 5.2k to 6.5k elevation, where one can look over Walker Pass, pathway from the Great Basin to Interior of California.
The trail seems to go way up and way down several times during the day, as hikers grumble and are not totally convinced that the route requires such climbs. By afternoon I am dragging.
The BLM has another no-fee campsite just past a water source, where I am the only occupant, until some group arrives late and builds a fire.

Finished audiobook Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini