The trail crosses the Purple Lake outlet at 10,078 feet: Chris consulted with passing hikers who said they were heading for an exit a couple of hours north on the Duck Pass Trail. More than one party we met had resolved to get off the trail, away from the smoke.
You couldn’t blame them, but the trail ascended gradually to pleasantly scenic Lake Virginia, and the haze in the air in the early morning wasn’t terrible.
Heading south the trail dives nearly 1000 feet in less than a mile or so into a little-known stream and valley paradise called Tully Hole. The trail’s not dangerous, but it’s consistently steep. Behind this veteran European thru hiker named Laurent, you can see the trail zig-zagging down the hill. Didn’t seem to both him or his party.
After a long hour of descent with a pack that wasn’t quite right, and clothes that were a little too warm, and socks that had some grit in them, I stopped to reoutfit, repack, get some water, etc — even though I know Chris was ahead of me and would get a lot further ahead of me because I stopped. But I felt like I had no choice. I couldn’t turn this into a race — not even against smoke.
And when I got to Tully Hole, I wished I was going yet slower, and that I could simply stop because it was so darn paradisiacal.
Eventually I caught Chris just past the Fish Creek Footbridge. He was frustrated because he had been there for an hour, even as the air began to worsen, and he couldn’t even move because he had to wait for me. We had a good talk: when he fully explained the obstacles, I understood why he had to turn around now — he couldn’t stand 200 miles of smoke, so it only made sense really to go back. Even though it was a big ol’ climb back to Purple Lake and past it to Duck Pass.
To the smoke that spoiled the trip for him he gave a hearty salute:
But he couldn’t stay mad for long:
We parted: Tugboat headed back to Mammoth by way of Duck Pass: I headed south for Horseshoe Meadows, first by way of Silver Pass.
Kit Stolz 