[PCT Mile 1,019-1,104] Weekend at the Lake

As we enter Northern California, I have decided to begin a new segment called Man vs. Mosquito. Each day, man will face off against mosquito in a fight to submission, striving to answer the question: who is the dominant lifeform? 

If mosquitos prevent us from doing basic things like swimming in lakes, eating lunch, or hanging out at camp, they get a point. If we go through day mostly unaffected, we get a point. Let the battle for species superiority begin!

6/25 – Day 67

21.4 miles from Sonora Pass to Wolf Creek

Waking up in the tenting area of Kennedy Meadows North, we wrapped up some chores and ate breakfast at the restaurant before heading out. There was a shuttle we could have paid to take us back to the trail, but Spout was confident we could score a ride. On a quiet Wednesday morning with virtually no traffic on Highway 108, we waited less than a minute for a car to stop. A nice gentleman on his way to Reno to buy a radio drove us to the trailhead.

Back at it like two crack addicts, we began a climb out of Sonora Pass. The snow cover on the mountain was nearly as much as some of the major Sierra passes. Out of nowhere, we had to do some creative scrambling to clear one particularly treacherous block of ice. The few miles from the road consumed most of our morning hours. 

Afterwards, the terrain lightened up with a series of snow-free hills. The grade was still suspiciously steep, but we made solid time from here onward. 

At the top of one of the hills, I came across a large bear walking directly towards me, some twenty yards away. When I saw it approaching, my heart sank and I instinctively began to turn around. I had to forcibly stop myself, then handle it properly. Shouting, “hey bear!”, and waving my poles overhead sent it running. Unfortunately, this meant I squandered my photo opportunity. This was our third black bear sighting so far. All three have been cinnamon brown in color and were absolute units.

Nothing else too exciting happened for the remainder of the day. We hiked for eight hours. It was nice and sunny. The mountains looked big. It was a typical day in the beautiful state of California. After a crossing of Wolf Creek, we made camp in a site surrounded by blowdowns, checking the dead trees to make sure there were no widow makers in their midst.

Man 1 – 0 Mosquito

Man draws first blood. The wind kept the bugs at bay throughout the day and despite camping near water, mosquito never posed a threat.

6/26 – Day 68

24.6 miles from Wolf Creek to Lily Pad Lake

We snoozed past 7:00am and began hiking closer to 8:00am. The vice grip that the Sierra held on the terrain was weakening and we were finally able to crush some mad mi’s. The crux of the day was a moderate climb to the saddle above Noble Lake.

From here, we walked up and down hills of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness. Volcanic rock now dominates the geology of the mountains, but there are also sandstone rock formations scattered around, much like in the desert. 

For the first time in a while, it felt like hiking was automatic and it was easy to just keep moving. The rolling, obstacle-free terrain kept coming and we handled it with ease. We passed Lemon hiking a half mile in the opposite direction to pickup a Gatorade bottle she left behind, looking strangely determined.

Eventually, we encountered some rather dramatic cliffs near Raymond Peak and came upon a “steep traverse” with a hazardous snow patch. After some time and a scary slip or two, we both made it across. Lemon caught up to us and sent it across the snow without hesitation, but knocked her Gatorade bottle out once again. It slid down at least a hundred feet, then we watched in horror as she began climbing down to retrieve it. Like, down the chute of the mountain. It may have been the dumbest way to die imaginable: falling down a cliff while trying retrieve a piece of garbage. Fortunately, she wised up and left it behind.

After the interruption, we continued our hike into the evening. We ate dinner on trail (“trail bean”, we like to call it), then kept going. This is one of the most busted strategies to squeeze out a few more miles. We ran into Tripod and were vortexed in conversation for an hour. Then, as the sun was setting, reached Lily Pad Lake to camp for the night.

Man 1 – 1 Mosquito

Trail dinner was postponed multiple times trying to find a bug-free spot to eat. At camp, we would have liked to socialize with Uncle and Otis, but the mosquitos forced us into our tent.

6/27 – Day 69

23.2 miles from Lily Pad Lake to Dispersed Campsite

I felt lethargic in the morning, but managed to perk up by chugging a bottle of water, eating a bag of cashews, taking an electrolyte pill, and… making a “business call”. It really is a skill to learn to listen to your body and provide what it needs. At least twice a day, Spout or I will be grumpy and we must remind each other to eat a Snickers.

On trail, we passed Tamarack Lake, then made the climb towards The Nipple. As far as peak bagging is concerned, The Nipple must surely be the holy grail, but we did not make the side trip. The trail took us along a ridge, then made a gradual ascent over Carson Pass.

On the way down the pass, we passed a small crowd of day hikers. Highway 88 at the bottom was a major trailhead that had an information center with volunteers handing out trail magic. The offerings were pretty picked over, but it made for a nice lunch break and the people working were friendly.

After lunch, we hiked up a small hill then strolled through a beautiful field of wildflowers. Yellow, red, orange, and purple abounded. Spout came up with a poem:

Pollen paints my pants as I ponder down the path

We reached Meiss Meadow and came to the junction where the PCT joins the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT). This was an exciting moment for us, because less than one year ago, we traveled the 50 miles that these two trails share during our thru-hike of the TRT. I remember being at the junction, staring at the footpath leading 1,100 miles to Mexico, knowing that one day I would be back. 

We continued north on the TRT, the only section of trail that we were familiar with. Despite this, it looked entirely different in June compared to September. The hills were decorated with flowers among lush, green grass. We caught a brief glimpse of Lake Tahoe, but the best views of the massive lake are on the eastern rim, where the PCT does not travel. After a few more miles of moseying, we decided that we were close enough to the road for a quick nearo into South Lake Tahoe tomorrow morning.

Man 1 – 2 Mosquito

Mosquito takes the lead with a devastating blow while we made camp. As a power move, they perched on the mesh of our tent as we cowered in fear.

6/28 – Day 70

4.6 miles from Dispersed Campsite to South Lake Tahoe (Mellow Mountain Hostel)

We have been fantasizing about reaching Lake Tahoe for over a week, dominating our thoughts and conversations. We have not taken a true zero day since entering the Sierras and the mountains had taken their toll. Today was finally the day we would reach town and we practically ran to Highway 80.

Our hitch driver nearly got us killed while honking to support some Ukrainian protesters, but we eventually made it safely to South Lake Tahoe. We spent our morning doing a half-assed resupply at Grocery Outlet and moping around Mellow Mountain Hostel. Our accomodations were a bunk bed in a shared room of four, though no one else showed up.

South Lake Tahoe, CA and, more specifically, Stateline CA/NV on the border, is a righteous little town. There is something for everyone there. Whether you enjoy laying on the beach, hiking in the mountains, cruising on the lake, eating at unique restaurants, or throwing your money away at casinos, it has you covered.

We wanted to groove tonight, so we caught Earth, Wind, & Fire performing at the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena. The group only has a few of the original members, but they still sounded awesome. Spout and I were the youngest people in attendance by at least a decade. One thing we had in common with the crowd was an early bedtime, so it was nice that the show ended at 9:45pm after an electric performance of “September”.

Man 2 – 2 Mosquito

There is a reason the song is not called, “Buggy Wonderland”. Mosquitos have no power here, man takes a point.

6/29 – Day 71

0 miles at South Lake Tahoe (Base Camp Hotel)

After a slow morning drinking coffee, we hopped on a pair of Lime scooters and rolled to Nevada Beach. This beach on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe has a wonderful, wooded setting, as well as one of the best views of the mountains across the water. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and it was so nice to sit down and relax on the warm sand.

We ubered back to Heavenly Village, the part of town that feels like a bougie ski resort. Lunch was at Base Camp Pizza, where I single-handedly ate a large thai curry chicken pizza. This was a serious contender for the best pizza I have ever eaten. It was such a unique style that had a sweet, curry sauce, fresh veggies, and a solid kick. I knew I would be daydreaming about this for weeks on trail.

Spout and I got some ice cream for dessert then walked around the shops selling cool stuff that we could not buy since we could not carry it with us. Instead, we went to the theater to see the movie, “28 Years Later”. The zombie flick scratched an itch that nothing in the great outdoors can.

Memento mori: Remember we must die

Momento amoris: Remember love

We checked into Base Camp Hotel later in the afternoon. South of North brewery had a beer garden on site. We enjoyed happy hour with some live music (it seems everywhere in South Lake Tahoe has live music). Then, we made a pit stop at CVS before beginning the most important activity of our zero day.

Spout calls it “bed rot”. In essence, we buy a bunch of junk food and lay in bed watching TV and scrolling on our phones simultaneously. The longer the better. It is a rejuvenating experience and one of the only activities that provides a mental reset after the otherwise incessant grind of everyday hiking.

Man 3 – 2 Mosquito

Another day in a town where mosquitos fear to tread. This one goes to man.

6/30 – Day 72

12.5 miles from Highway 50 to Lake Gilmore

It is impossible to wake up from a hotel and hit the trail early in the morning. Especially when you procrastinate finishing your resupply until the day you plan on leaving. Spending a full day without hiking or preparing to hike results in a backlog of to-do items. We went to four different stores in the morning to replace the food we ate or the gear we lost. Then, we rode the bus back to the “Y” in South Lake Tahoe and grabbed stellar eggs benedict and french toast at Bert’s diner.

We made it back to the PCT around 12:30pm and hiked a quick mile and a half to Echo Chalet. The boat dock was bustling with people. We hiked the familiar stretch of trail that runs along the coast of Echo Lake, passing cabins only accessible by boat or trail.

Further along, we officially entered the Desolation Wilderness, defined by its barren, alpine lakes. The first of many was Lake Aloha, perhaps the most memorable. The setting is the base of a blank mountain that looks like it encountered a rendering error. We waded into the water and enjoyed a long break on the rocky shore.

As the day wore on, we passed the equally stunning, Lake Susie. The trail rose to Lake Gilmore a few miles later. This was the lake we camped at during our loop of the TRT and we coincidentally found ourselves squatting there once again. As lovely as the water looked during sunset, the bugs were ferocious and we spent our evening within the safe space that was our tent.

Man 3 – 3 Mosquito

While we were relaxing in town, the mosquitos were bolstering their numbers. They win convincingly.

What’s Next?

We will hike through the Lake Tahoe Basin and enter the Tahoe National Forest, progressing into NorCal.

How’s It Going?

When we were hiking the AT, I remember a random interaction we had with a woman who, when finding out that Spout and I shared a tent, told us, “if you can do this together and still like each other, then you might as well get married.” We informed her that was plan.

Hiking with my wife has been an incredible experience. I feel so blessed to share this journey with her. She gives everything color and makes me feel happy and loved. Thru-hiking, on the other hand, can be grueling and ugly at times. Handling your own internal conflicts is hard enough, without having to balance another’s needs. Most days are a dream, but others can be difficult and discouraging. After two months on the PCT, morale is still strong and we feel confident we are making it to Canada together.

Gear Changes

• Spout and I both sent home our ice axes, expecting the most treacherous snow to be behind us
• I sent home my MICROspikes, Spout kept her pair
• I threw out the Lixada solar panel. The solar experiment was not as successful as I would have liked. The setup was finicky and never provided enough of a charge to be worth it. It is possible that the Nitecore NB10000 batteries are not compatible with the low charging output of the panel and I just needed to try a different battery. Either way, now that we are out of the Sierra, there should be towns more regularly, so I do not need to wait as long between recharges.
• Spout and I both added a pair of EarFun Pro 4 earbuds after we each had a single, wireless ear bud fail on us.
• Spout lost her DCF food bag, titanium spork, and cold-soaking Talenti jar with a Shaw’s Hostel sticker on it.

Notes

• The Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe Basin are the last areas we need to carry a bear can (exceptions further north are short enough that we can hike through them in one day)