October 6

Distance: 20.9 miles | Ascent: 5240′ | Descent: 2900′

Mile marker: 1845.0

Lunch: J – sausage stuffing (A+), A – mac n cheese (B)

Dinner: J – spaghetti mac (B-), A – Thai red curry (A)

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We didn’t see a single person all day. For the 20.9 miles we walked, we only had each other.

The morning was difficult. We hit snooze several times. With great effort, we summoned the courage to get out of our warm tent and press on. It was cold, but tomorrow promises to be far colder since we’ll be camping at a higher elevation.

The trail leading to Mather Pass wound through dense pine forests occasionally gave way to aspen (?) trees turning yellow and orange. We saw several small waterfalls in the river flowing to where we came from.

Above the treeline, we came across a long black lizard. We don’t know what it is, but it better find a safe place for winter. And soon!

Near the top, a few small lakes glistened. One was teeming with small trout. It must be deep enough to not fully freeze over winter. A waterfall fed the lake from above the trail.

The trail got rockier as we neared the pass. Fortunately, the snow on the trail was minimal, with only some small icy patches remaining. The mountainsides around us also kept just a hint of last week’s storm.

On the other side, the trail flattened out a bit. It was a little cruisier, but our legs were ready to be finished. The heavy packs are certainly weighing us down. As we eat more, they’ll get lighter and make these ascents just a tad bit easier.

It’s a full moon tonight. The moonlight lit up the mountain face above the lake where we camped.

Two passes tomorrow! Slightly less ascent, but much more descent. It’ll be another challenge, but the scenery is so spectacular that it’ll be totally worthwhile.