JMT Day 25- Bubbs Creek to Forester Pass to Shepherd Pass Trail Junction

August 9, 2014

Happy Birthday Rachel! We tried to call and text you from the top of Forester Pass but reception was no bueno. A couple other people at the top of the pass were able to get good enough reception to call out or text, but we didn't :( So, we wished you a happy from the pass and I'm wishing you a happy in my journal!

Center Peak in the morning light as we skirted near its base

On the approach to Forester Pass

We woke early to get up and over Forester before any afternoon storms might pop up. Our plan worked out well. We went UP for 5 straight hours, 3500+ feets! Right out of the gate we went the final mile and 500 feet of gain that we were planning to do last night but didn't. I'm really glad we stopped when we did. I was so tired to begin with that the gain would have really put me out of commission! We caught up with Taku early in the morning and leap frogged with him all day. It was good to see him again, he had camped just before where we camped, but we didn't see him from the trail.

Approaching the beginning of the climb

We had beautiful views all morning as we approached the highest pass on the JMT (and PCT). The pass was difficult and never ending- we stopped around 12,200 feet for a big snack break, this is the elevation that the highest of all the other passes topped out at! We stopped at a beautiful lake that was at the base of a perfect triangle peak. I needed fruit snacks, a candy bar and a big snack break to make it to the top!

Pretty little stream as we begin The Business

Hey wait for me! Can you spot the Daveed?

Break time!

The perfect triangle peak above the small tarn where we stopped for a break

Break time!

Going UP!

Merle was keeping pace with us

The views going up the pass were incredible. This is one of the most vivid memories I still have from our time on the trail. Thankfully Daveed thought to take this panoramic picture. This picture was taken about 3/4 of the way up the pass, just before the final set of switchbacks.

When we reached the top of the pass we were rewarded with, of course, INCREDIBLE views to the south!! Whitney is literally just "over yonder"!!! Taku was at the top of the pass when we arrived. He ate some lunch and then passed out, napping for at least an hour :)

Looking South

Looking back north from where we came

We took a loooong and leisurely lunch break at the top where Daveed had his favorite lunch on the trail, fresh from a resupply he had major luxury food: tortillas with tuna, cheese, mayo, mustard etc and another tortilla with peanut butter and jam. Merle had also made it to the top and was very interested in Daveed's lunch!

No zoom, Merle was practically on my feet!

Merle creepin on Daveed's lunch, with Cameron in the upper right about to reach the top!

As we were lounging at the top, we saw an orange jacket approaching FAST. The orange jacket was already headed up the switchbacks and holy crap!! He's almost up here already! And then, he was there, standing in front of us panting and triumphant, throwing his trekking poles down and saying "fuck yeah!!". Cameron from Oregon just entered our lives. And he looks exactly like my brother when he was 18. We were so impressed with how fast he trucked it up the pass that we gave him cookies and peanut M&M's to reward his effort. We could not believe how fast he was! AND he had come from RAE LAKES that morning! That means he went up and over Glen Pass and was now atop Forester Pass! He had covered more ground in half a day than we did in 2 days!!! That deserved more than cookies and M&M's but that's all we had. We chatted with Cameron for awhile and then the New York Boys (Jon and Travis) arrived at the top of the pass. We all sat and enjoyed the views and our lunches. The NY Boys were able to get reception on their phones and both made an adorable phone call home from "the highest pass on the JMT mom!"

Cameron. Lookin just like my brother did when he was 18

Forester Pass 13,118 ft

Lunch with an incredible view

We all headed down the pass together, including Taku, and as we approached the bottom, saw the llama people and then, a llama hanging out by itself. My trail journal reads "on the way down the pass, saw the llama people, can't wait to tell Jackie Ray" :)  Apparently the llama people left behind one of their llamas because it was "refusing to move for my people"....uhh, what? They left it with a bowl of water and a note saying its owner would be by the next day to retrieve it... We felt bad for the llama.

Looking down at the start of the south side of the pass

Starting down the switchbacks

Hello down there! On the switchbacks heading down

Llama

Note accompanying the llama

As we were headed down the pass, storm clouds started to roll in and threaten rain. We were really glad to be off the top of the pass! As we all continued on, we started to fall into line with our hiking paces. Cameron and the NY Boys were super fast and pulled out ahead of us. Taku was more our speed but he eventually went ahead of us too a mile or so before our planned camp and unfortunately, we didn't see him again on trail.

See that dark spot in the center, in the clouds??! That is the summit of Mt Whitney!! WOOOOT!

We almost made it all the way to camp without rain, then it started to sprinkle about 100 yards from camp. We rushed to get the tent up just before it started to storm. Then it HAILED for a long time, holy cow! And it stuck to the ground for awhile, the temps had dropped and it was cold! I was so glad we set up camp before the hail started! Lots of thunder and lightning!

Here is a short video of when the hail started, from inside the tent. Daveed and I love this video. I sound just like my brother when I say "It's hailing, ahhh! and I just laugh when the lightning and thunder booms loudly nearby.... I was more concerned with digging out my hat from the depths of my stuff sack.

http://youtu.be/eiFMxV6na8A

Considering the weather situation outside, we cooked dinner in the tent, this time with plenty of ventilation :) The llama people were camped nearby, in a huge tent! After seeing small backpacking tents for the past month, their tent looked like a circus tent to me! In reality it was probably a normal 3-4 person tent with enough head room to maybe, almost stand up. I suppose if you have llamas carrying all of your stuff, you can bring a big tent!

Tomorrow- Guitar Lake!! Then Whitney!! My knees need a rest...

I didn't get a picture of camp given the weather situation, but here are some pictures from inside the tent! Camp at Shepherd's Pass trail junction, elevation 10,937 ft

Loungin, taking up all the space in the tent!

Hail