Week 8: Kennedy Meadows - Horseshoe Meadow
- scarlson51
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Approximately Mile 703 through Mile 747
Note: This was a short week on the trail as Gabe met his friend Porter on Tuesday the 10th to roadtrip up to Ellensburg and attend CWU graduation.
Sunday, June 8th - PCT Day 49
Woke up to a lovely sunrise. Joe walked by and him and I talked for ~½ hour. He really has had the most extreme run of bad luck the past two years, but he's also dummy rich from Bitcoin so it must not be so bad. Very pretty climb out of the South Fork Kern River valley. Walked along said river for the first ~3.5 miles. Came over the saddle at the top of the climb and was greeted by the grandest meadow I have yet seen. It stretched away for miles to the north, green and lovely with the well-watered grass and sagebrush. Forested mountains with their bald white brothers showing behind their backs completed this unexpected but majestic view. Walked over a low forested ridge and saw even more of the aforementioned verdant valley. Stopped for a swim at the bridge that crosses the South Fork Kern River, now near its headwaters. Talked with a good number of fellow hikers, one knew Brent from Cerro Gordo, had been there many times. Walked uphill some more until I reached 9,100 feet. Pretty campsite. Bear shit ~0.3 miles back which isn’t great but oh well, goodnight
Monday, June 9th - PCT Day 50
Nice climb and traverse this morning. Got a fantastic view of the bald and snowy mountains to the north from a ~30 foot pile of rocks. On the climb down into “Death” Canyon I was surrounded by pinnacles of granite rising out of the forest like monuments to some long-forgotten Pantheon of the mountains. At Death Creek I washed my shirt for the first time in 19 days — not going to wait that long again. Chatted with Verbatim, Rattlesnake, Baja, and Pick-me dude. Climbed out of Death among some very ancient Junipers. Some ~7 feet at the base must have been thousands of years old, though none exceeded ~50 feet in height. At the top of the climb there was a 50 foot granite spire, like a white crest atop a green helm. I climbed to the top of this pinnacle and had a spectacular 360° view. The Owens Valley, with its green and red chemical ponds, and the southern tip of the Inyo-White Range was my view to the east, the bottom of this valley was more than 6,000 feet below me. To my south was the bald grey peak of Olancha Mountain, its northern flank dotted with snow fields, with its 12,000 foot peak blanketed in white. To the west there were rolling green mountains. The view to the north, however, was the most impressive; the whole horizon was arrayed with the very highest peaks of the Sierra, white and grey against a pure blue sky. Made it to camp soon after this glorious view, an army could encamp here. Phad Thai for dinner. Goodnight.
Tuesday, June 10th - PCT Day 51
A little chilly this morning before the sun poked out over the ridge; makes sense since my camp was at ~10,300 feet. Very enjoyable walk out of camp this morning, just a slight incline. Beautiful views out to the west through pines. Green valleys amongst the low rolling evergreen-clad hills, with higher mountains at their backs marking the horizon. Climbed slightly down to cross a low saddle. Ran into Manzanita and Honeybee. Stopped to chat which was nice. Had a good climb up to Trail Pass through more ancient junipers and cedars. Came off Trail Pass into Round Valley to cross Horseshoe Meadow. This has to be one of the most wonderful places I have ever been. As I washed my shirt and took a bath in the creek that waters this green, yellow, and purple blanketed paradise, I gazed upon the mountains that encircle this valley. On all sides they tower above to heights of 12–13,000 feet, their white granite flanks shine in the midday sun. When people talk about heaven it must be a place like this. Got to the campground junction around 12:30, now to wait for Porter!
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