Trail Day 76: Glen Alpine Trail Junction (mile 1102.2) to tentsite by Gilmore Lake (mile 1103.3)

1.1 PCT miles plus about 4 miles side trail

Today was the day I was determined to get back on the trail. My wound looked like it was healing pretty well and I was losing a lot of time. Each day that I was off trail, the more the probability increased that I would not finish the whole trail this season. Unless the first storms come late to Washington this year,  I already need to “crush” miles, something that doesn't seem likely with sutures in your knee.

My Trail Angel and I took a flight from Los Angeles to Reno, then rented a car.  Soon after we landed, we took in a breakfast stop at a nearby Dennys.

After that,  we drive to our first stop, Sierra City.  This was going to my next resupply stop. It is a long story as to why, but I had microspikes waiting for me there.  What I needed those for was the very next part of the trail, Dicks Pass. This pass still has snow and is steep on the descent. Extra traction is preferable to kicking steps into the snow with sutures in the knee.

We arrived at Sierra City, which is a cute, old fashioned mountain town, something that I don't think most people get to see anymore. We stopped at the Red Moose Cafe where the package was sent, which seems to be a bar and restaurant.  I was able to pick my microspikes package up from the bar.

Then we headed back towards South Lake Tahoe. South Lake Tahoe and Sierra City are further apart than I imagined, about 2.5 hrs by car. After a brief stop at a CVS in Truckee, we arrived in South Lake Tahoe  where we decided to stop for lunch. Actually, we ended up passing South Lake Tahoe and ate at a pizza place near Stateline.

Finally, we headed towards the Glen Alpine Trailhead. It was after 2 pm by the time we left the restaurant and probably well after 3 pm by the time I repacked my bag, chatted with the ranger about my adventures further south in the Sierra, and actually started down the trail, saying goodbye to my Trail Angel.

I originally wanted to get over Dicks Pass today, but with the knee, the snow, the daylight, and the late start, I didn't think that was a good idea. Instead,  my new plan was to get to the last campsite before the pass listed in the Guthook app, with was about a mile past the PCT junction.

I headed past the waterfall, the remnant buildings from Glen Alpine Resort, trying to keep my knee bending to a minimum. It was slow going.

Remnant buildings from Glen Alpine Resort. 

Then I headed uphill and up some switchbacks. I heard thunder. It had been really grey and overcast since I had started hiking, but now I saw dark clouds behind me and heard thunder. My new goal was just to get back to the PCT junction. If the storm hit before the junction I knew I could just set up on the Glen Alpine Trail and shelter from the storm, but I had been itching to set foot on the actual PCT for a couple days now.

View from the trail.

I think this is another rubber boa on the trail. The last one I saw was during a thunderstorm too.

Luckily, the storm held out and I was able to make it to Gilmore Lake which had absolutely lovely campsites. Several people were already there but the sites were nicely spread out so we all had our privacy. And, that meanacing thunderstorm? It only provided a few raindrops, then blew over. 

Canpsite by Glimore Lake.