Trail Day 52: Onion Valley Trailhead to tentsite (788.8)

0.3 PCT miles, plus 7 miles Bullfrog Lake Trail detour over Kearsarge Pass.

I still had a lot of packing and prep work to do before I got back on the trail today,  so I tried to get up early after only 4 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, my head turned against me. Every anxiety I had about the trail came into my head at once and it was overwhelming.

I was especially worried that I wouldn't be able to hike with the group that I teamed up with for the fords and Forester Pass. I imagined that the rifts forming in the “family” were because of me and having to accommodate my slow pace. I imagined that, since they were closer to the trail than I was, that they would get there first and that I would not be able to catch them,  leaving me by myself for the first challenge, which would be Glen Pass.

I finally got everything packed and my Trail Angel and I headed north for the long drive to drop me off. I was in contact with Songbeard so I was able to check what the status of the group was. He insisted that they hadn't left Bishop yet, but I was still convinced that they would get there at least an hour before me. I told him to text me when they got to the trailhead, so that I would know how far ahead of me they were.

I kept waiting but never got the text. When we got to Independence,  we turned onto the road that would take us to the trailhead, we saw some PCT hikers trying to hitch.  My Trail Angel asked if they were part of the group I had bern hiking with and they were.

It was Boulder and Dragonfly. I was really excited to see them because it meant that not only would I be around faces I knew for Glen Pass, but I would also have partners to watch out for me as I went over Kearsarge Pass, which also had some snow traverses. They said they were the first hitch from the group,  which meant that I had time to get a head start on the group.

We drove up to the trailhead and I got started on the long uphill climb while the guys waited for others to show up. We were all getting a late start as it was after 2:30.

I slowly climbed up the trail and was eventually caught by Stranger Danger and Spice Merchant who asked how my day off was.  The most exciting thing that happened was that I had to correct an older man I was sharing the hot tub with at the gym when he spouted out misinformation about sharks, so I told them about that.

Looking back towards the valley while climbing the switchbacks.

Seen near the trailhead.

I eventually passed Stranger Danger and Spice Merchant as they took a break, figuring that they would catch me again soon. I continued climbing until I hit snow. I sat on some dry boulders and waited for others to show up but they never did.

One of the beautiful lakes as you head towards Kearsarge Pass. 

I was able to text Songbeard and ask him if he was on the trail. He said that he and Phoenix had a hard time hitching to the trail and had just gotten there. Because it was so late in the day, they were going to have to camp at the snowline. Figuring the others had taken an alternate route and passed me by, I said I would wait for them by the snowline.  Soon after, the others showed up. They had been fishing.

Having buddies to do the snow traverse with,  I started towards Kearsarge Pass. All of those guys were way faster than I was so I asked Boulder and Stranger Danger to turn around every so often to make sure I was there.  Thankfully,  they obliged.

The snow ended up being not too difficult to walk on. It was soft, but also kind of solid in the shade.  I felt like it was easier to walk on than when we had left the trail. 

It was late in the day and the sun was lighting up the granite beautifully. The rest of the group took off to get to the campsite on the PCT, but I took my time getting around Bullfrog Lake. It was just as beautiful when the sun was setting as when the sun was rising the other day.

The mountains late in the day.

Kearsarge Pass.

Bullfrog Lake in the setting sun.

As I hit the junction with the PCT  (also the JMT at this point) I was losing visual light. I immediately had to go up some steep switchbacks, but I could hear the guys ahead of me. I ended up having to navigate some snow patches on the trail but eventually saw their headlamps where they had found a sandy spot to pitch their tents.

Twilight back on the PCT.