From Tully Hole and the Fish Creek Trail junction at 9,091 feet, the trail ascends almost seventeen hundred feet in 3.3 miles, so it’s a fairly hard climb to Silver Pass.
On the other hand, it’s a good trail and footpath too, and this time going over the nearly 11k pass I didn’t bonk or have to nap. I had adjusted to the altitude I guess.
On the southern side of Silver Pass (above) the trail fell moderately but persistently — as often happens on the JMT heading south, over a tough pass you find yourself sauntering down a broad valley — despite the lousy air, a lovely landscape. Everything was great except for the tainting of the smoke.
Now — away from Yosemite — I was meeting a different kind of hiker; experienced, athletic, often testing themselves against the famously difficult High Sierra trail.
I ran into this charming fellow named Chris, who spoke with an Australian accent. He was planning to finish the trail and then head home. He said he had been hiking from Horseshoe Meadows (and had covered most of the trail in six days) with a friend but his “mate” had injured his knee badly at Bubbs Creek and had already been evacuated and then flown home to Australia.
A few short miles over the pass I found a flat place not far from the trail, and not far from a little creek — ideal camping, obscure, pleasant, safe from prying eyes, even sheltered. I went to bed early, resolved to get up early, to wake at 5:00 to pack up, gulp down a cold-soaked oatmeal and protein powder concoction left to me by Chris and hit the trail at first light. At 6:15. These are cheesy old guy tricks, maybe.
I don’t care. I packed carefully.
Because sometimes these cheesy old tricks work — in fact the dawn air was clear as clear could be, if a little extra colorful in the far distances.
Kit Stolz 