Day 85,    30 miles!

Today I hiked 30 miles and went over two major passes.  Mather, 12,047 feet, and Pinchot, 12,090 feet.    Mather is the highest pass I’ve ever climbed.  Not really.  It just felt like it.  Up, up, it just kept going.  Many times I thought I was at the top, only to go around another switchback and be faced with a wall of rock mountains. Where is this pass?  For the last few hours there were exposed switchbacks.  Going up I could see hikers ahead for miles and behind for miles.  And finally at the top I could see the trail down the other side for miles below.  Make sure you go to the bathroom before you ascend.  There is no discreet spot on the way up or down.  Don’t ask me how I know that.

There are many different critters in these mountains.  Little striped chipmunks,  small squirrels with furry, pointed ears and cute faces,  grey hamster looking ones with no tails, I think they’re pikas,  squirrels with grey raccoon like stripes on there necks, and of course marmots.  Today I jumped when a juvenile marmot leaped from the bushes at my feet, then ran down the trail.  Maybe he was playing truth or dare with the other young marmots.

Tomorrow is my last day in the Sierras.