PCT 2007 Day 90 – Sonora Pass – Asa Lake outlet creek

PCT 2007 Day 90

Day 90/ 6-23-07 Tarp Tent
Sonora Pass – Asa Lake outlet creek
24.9 miles; 1043.2 (48.4) total miles; 2933.2 trip miles
70’s, sunny windy

Deer count is 61
Marmot count is 47
Pika count is 2
Bear count is 1

Last night I didn’t sleep well. I woke up really tired. The first climb came right away and I felt like crap. I tried not to worry about the miles I had done or had to do. This is the first time I’ve done four 25’s in a row. I knew as I trooped upwards, I had two more 25’s to go after today.

The wind from yesterday was still here and chilled us as we climbed. Once over the climb, we found a nice sunny spot to have breakfast. Path Finder came by while we ate.

We climbed to the top of the Sierra Crest once more and it was also the last time in my trip I will be over 10,000′. We caught Path Finder and the four of us hiked on together. We descended into a valley where we passed the East Carson River Trail. Just up ahead we got water at Boulder Creek then had lunch. The wind made lunch a cold affair. Path Finder finished first and took off to do a 30.

We had to climb right after lunch but it wasn’t too bad. We passed the oddest mountain top. It was just a big pile of dark rocks. Some parts of it were fused together. It was odd because we stood on soil and rocks of a completely different color and there was vegetation, where as the mountain top didn’t.

We proceeded onto a junction just before Murray Canyon. We took a snack break then moved on. I saw a deer, my third of the day not too far down into the canyon. Soon we had to descend some useless switchbacks until we got to the East Fork of the Wolf Creek. We also crossed the Middle Fork of the Wolf Creek and the multi-branched West Branch, too.

From there it was on a few short miles to camp. We climbed for .8 and gained 400′ to gain the Sierra Crest yet once again. Next came a descent to Wolf Creek Pass. The pass was very green and beautiful. We climbed out of the green into the dry rocks and dirt. Just a half mile north, I came to camp first. I quickly started to setup so I could cook. I was super hungry. While preparing dinner, my water bladder fell over losing some water and also knocking over my aquamira. (Aquamira is the chemical I used to treat my water. You have to mix the part A with part B, and then wait 5 minutes. In this case the 5 minutes was almost up.) The bladder fell over again losing more water but this time it was away from the aquamira.

We all cooked and while doing dishes, Thirsty Boots came by. Silver, Back Track and I were all in our tents by 7:25. Around 8:15 they yelled over to me that a blonde black bear was just within 100′ of our camp. They made some noise while trying to get their cameras and it took off running. That makes two bears in three days.