PCT 2018 Day 48, June 9, Saturday.
Start mile 1005.9 at campsite
End mile 1016.9, Sonora Pass (9.6k) and Highway 108, and accept ride to North Kennedy Meadows resort 10 miles away Miles walked: 11 Start climbing over snow, icy and slick in the morning. Is this how the day goes?
The trail goes high on the side of a ridge with a series of peaks. No more granite, the rock is dark, and crumbles like shale.
The snow fields are now perhaps 10 or 20% covering the trail, but so high and steep as to be more exciting than I want. The trail gusts suddenly in any direction, strong enough to move me and my backpack. The extreme conditions feel like 13k elevation, not 11k.
The path goes over the ridge summit and goes along the other side, repeating several times. The views are extraordinary.
Abruptly the path plunges down to the road and Sonora Pass.
Waiting at the highway is trail angel Chipmunk, who is giving rides to hikers in either direction, North Kennedy Resort or Bridgeport. He picked up 11 hikers today, and says we are early and the big surge will come in a couple of weeks. The resort has a nice package deal for hikers, but unfortunately does not have wifi. Chipmunk, who is also at the resort, says this year most hikers go to Bridgeport, but last year most went to Kennedy.
I am tickled by the bear looming over check-in. I am alone in my room of five beds.
Hiker roommates could share valuable intelligence, but alas… The resort caters mostly to trail rides, and dogs are in abundance.
Chipmunk and I share dinner and trade stories. He has hiked several sections of the PCT, and gives me some idea of what is to come.
Then for several miles the path parallels a river with steady uphill, passing by several lakes.
The day has several fords, and much water on the trail from snow melt.
All afternoon the way climbs, to snow near lakes, and we leave Yosemite.
Late in the day is some gentle downhill, to prepare for a big steady climb tomorrow. I meet no PCT hikers, and only see one other person in the afternoon, a backpacker out for a week, as we ford a stream in opposite directions at the same time.
Though the trail seems extra rugged today, the vistas are inspiring.
The trail climbs up again to 9k elevation, so more hide-and-seek with snow and trail.
I break a trekking bole on the steep way down, but do a field repair to get me a few more days of use, perhaps until a replacement arrives. Usually by this point in a long hike, I have already broken a pole. Sigh. Down to Benson Lake and old growth forest
And small lake 
Yet again to 9k and snow.
At Kerrick Canyon is a particularly challenging spot, where the trail is buried underneath steep slanted crusty snow, between rock cliff and whitewater, and no footprints.
I met no PCT hikers today, but did see three backpackers where I camped.