PCT: CA Section J - Sonora Pass to Echo Lake
Day 82 - 7/27/25 - leaving Kennedy Meadows North
Day 82 - 7/27/25 - leaving Kennedy Meadows North
Distance: 12 miles
Weather: Sunny
End Location: just off trail somewhere
Lessons Learned:
Woke up around 9:30 a.m.
My buff slid down my forehead and covered my eyes, so I was able to sleep in. New method unlocked.
Packed up.
Got breakfast, coffee, chicken fried steak, eggs, toast, and a side order of French toast.
The French toast, completed with powdered sugar, reminded me of my grandpa.
He used to make the best French toast.
Went to the hiker canopy after and got a Gatorade and a beer.
Hung out as a new group arrived.
Gave Spider-Man my old shirt now that I had a new one.
It looked good on him, and I was happy to see it going to a good home 😂
A fellow camper came back and told me about the mushroom strain Natalensis, native to South Africa.
Got a mint ice cream sandwich and ate it before getting on the 2:30 p.m. bus.
Started hiking at 3:15 p.m.
Wonderful hiking even though it was uphill.
Great views and weather.
A slight breeze cooled me as I climbed.
Reached the top around 4:15 p.m.
Made cold matcha (found in the hiker box) and drank it as I hiked, so good 🤌
Hiked down with Aimal (WA) and chatted with him. I had first met him towards the end of the desert at a water cache.
The wildflowers were marvelous and in full bloom.
He continued on as I filled up water at a creek.
As I was packing up, a cute PCT gal named Claire passed me.
She told me that due to her affinity for swimming in alpine lakes, her trail name was “Mermaid.”
So naturally I asked, “What color is your tail?”
“I don’t know… no one has asked me that yet,” she replied.
She hiked ahead, and I went at a leisurely pace as not to encroach.
Hiked up the ridge hoping for a good sunset spot.
Stumbled upon a nice spot with a little clearing but no great view around 8 p.m.
Bugs weren’t bad, so I decided to cowboy camp.
Boiled water for lasagna mountain house meal and set up the blow pad and sleeping bag.
Listened to the rest of John Greene’s podcast about a ginkgo tree.
Went to bed around 9:30 p.m.
Day 83 - 7/28/25 - Upper Kinney Lake
Distance: 21 miles
Weather: Sunny
End Location: Upper Kinney Lake
Lessons Learned: just gotta keep moving
Woke up around 6:30 a.m.
Ate honeybun and coffee while listening to Bill Evans’ “I’m All Smiles” as the sun rose over the mountains to the east.
Left around 8 a.m.
PCT SOBO section hiker Roses passed me and asked about water by Sonora.
“Time is like a leaf in the wind.”
Around 8:30 a.m. passed a few spots that certainly would’ve had a better view of the sunset.
But might not have made it here in time last night, oh whale 🤷🏼♂️
Great view of Stanislaus Peak too 🥲
Like Jungle, just gotta keep moving, lesson learned.
Claire passed by and I hiked with her for a little.
Filled up water together and got to know each other a bit. She’s from FL as well but Jax.
She said her tail would be a greenish sea foam color like her hat.
Top of climb, cool rock formation and meadow around 10 a.m.
Met Gilmore (because he watched Gilmore Girls) and a Big Beer.
Top of unnamed pass at 11 a.m.
The hiking has been incredible, light breeze and just below ridge lines hovering around 8500ft
The alpine is also in full bloom.
A cornucopia of color emerges the closer I get to a tributary.
The white paisley cluster flower of wild carrots and water hemlock, the yellow flowers of balsam root and posies, the purple shine of lupine, and of course the Indian paintbrush, red with a slight orange hue, here represented all colors of a rainbow in the meadow.
Wolf Creek in 4 miles, I want to swim.
New variation of lupine: white, more tangent than the purple.
Passed Wolf Creek around 12:30 p.m., didn’t look great for swimming.
There’s another creek in 2 miles with a waterfall that might be good for showering.
The waterfall and creek were dry…
Pushed on another 1.5 miles to the creek just below Asa Lakes.
The lake / pond that feeds the creek tempted me but after reading comments about leeches I decided the creek would be good enough.
Washed shirt, buff, and body.
Filled up water and had lunch.
Tuna packet and carrot quinoa bowl with guacamole chips and peanut butter crackers.
Saved Swedish fish for break at top of saddle above Noble Lake in 1.6 miles.
The flies were bad by the creek so didn’t want to hang too long.
Left 2:30 p.m.
Fear is just a lack of understanding.
Top of saddle 3:15 p.m.
Views spectacular and landscape vast.
Went down a bit because of wind.
Chilled heavily.
Ate Swedish fish.
Noble Lake is not that noble but the view of it is.
Gone are the steep granite slopes of Yosemite.
This land is volcanic and pointy with pine trees that decorate the dark red rocks as they scrape the clouds and taunt them for rain.
Ground squirrels posed for me as I passed through their meadow.
While walking a cliffside, the volcanic formation looked similar to the statues of Easter Island.
The Juniper trees are giant here, some of the biggest I’ve seen yet.
Crossed Ebbetts Pass and Highway around 6:15 p.m.
Nice pond 6:30 p.m. was excited for the lake now that I understood the scale.
I like this volcanic desert, there are fewer lakes but also fewer bugs.
Dinosaur tracks.
Arrived at Upper Kinney Lake around 6:30 p.m.
Amazing lake with boulders all around.
Read on FarOut to take a right at the sign for a good sunset camp spot.
Found the path after walking on boulders.
Continued along the lake until I reached a west-facing campsite with a beach, and still an hour or 2 of sunlight left.
What a spot, one of the best spots I’ve had in a while.
And the bugs weren’t bad, which was surprising for a lake.
Filled up water then set up camp.
Brought stuff down to the beach.
Went swimming and washed off.
The water was cold but felt good after a long day.
Changed into warm clothes.
Made dinner. I had ramen but added some peanut butter to it. I’ve heard about this from a few other hikers, but I don’t usually carry peanut butter.
It was good, but I think I’ll just keep them separate. I like peanut too much as is.
Chilled for a bit and watched the colors of the clouds ripple pink and orange along the water.
Made some kava tea and drank some whiskey (just trying to get my pack weight down😆).
Bats flew across the lake quietly.
This bat country.
Retreated to the tent around 9 p.m.
Listened to music and edited photos.
Went to bed around 10 p.m.
I like this new bi(home) I have crossed into.
Day 84 - 7/29/25 - Lost Lakes Found
Distance: 20 miles
Mile Start / End: 1051.2, 1070.9
Weather: Sunny, looming clouds
End Location: Lost Lakes
Lessons Learned: if you don’t like your mindset, change it
Woke up around 6:40 a.m. with a headache of doubt
Thought about eating breakfast in bed, but with such a beautiful lake and minimal bugs, decided to pack up and eat out there.
It was too nice not to linger.
I drank my hot coffee as the reflection of the mountains shimmered along the calm lake.
My body was sore, so I did some light yoga.
Tom Misch made me reminisce as “Cinnamon Curls” played.
The birds chirped in the background.
I wondered how they were able to fly so effortlessly without coffee and felt envious.
Decided to be bold and start cold, wetting my shirt and buff in the lake.
What a lovely morning.
Good things come to those that look.
Left the latest I have in a while around 9:50 a.m.
12 miles to Sunset Lake, where I planned to have lunch.
Resumed trail at 10 a.m.
Looked like easy hiking, mostly downhill with a few small uphills.
Nice view of Lower Kinney Lake.
Hit left shin crossing over log, ouch.
Bleeding a little, I pulled my sock over, will address and dress it later.
Climbed around spires and up a ridgeline.
Top of hill 1 around 12:15 p.m.
Have already gone 6 miles.
Will hike 4 more miles and have lunch.
Then another 4 and swim at Tamarack Lake.
Downhill.
Then up.
Top of hill 2, 12:50 p.m.
Down.
Nice ridgeline.
Dark clouds rumbled behind me.
Got to a creek around 2 p.m.
Met cute PCT gals, Powder and Stormy.
Stormy is getting off trail at Tahoe.
Tuna, cucumber salad, chips, and matcha.
Tiger ball massage
Ate some Almond Joy.
Left around 3:30 p.m.
Passed Upper Sunset Lake at 4:20 p.m.
“Bees” by Ballroom Theives
Made it to Tamarack Lake around 5 p.m.
Filled up water and chilled for a little.
The storm behind me had become a massive front and gathered energy by luring clouds in.
I decided to swim camp at Lost Lakes, 3.5 miles away.
I wondered when the storm would expel its energy.
“Love isn’t green; it’s a neat ambrosia.”
Greta van Fleet
I wonder why people were so afraid of being unsure.
Surely that’s where the most opportunity is?
Crossed Blue Lakes Road at 6:15 p.m.
Beautiful view of the past few days.
It would rain somewhere, but it was sunny up ahead.
Met SOBO section hikers Serpent and Anew (PCT Class of ‘23) finishing up this section they had to skip.
Amazing hiking into the sunset.
The Nipple, aptly named, stood perky in the cool evening breeze.
Naturally, I wanted to touch it, but as in most cases where this urge comes, I decided it would be too much effort.
Instead, I sat on the trail, looking down at Upper Blue Lake and the sunset.
1.3 miles to camp.
Ran into Powder and Stormy on the ridge line and hiked down with them - it was nice to have company after being alone all day.
They joined me in my lake camp.
I went swimming in the cotton candy skies.
Ate dinner, minestrone (hiker box) with buffalo chicken.
Chatted with them.
Cowboy camped, saw a shooting star.
Went to bed around 10 p.m.
Started the day with doubt but felt like my mindset had been reset and my goals were now clearer than ever.
Day 85 - 7/30/25 - Carson Pass and South Lake Tahoe
Distance: 20 miles
Mile Start / End: 1070.9, 1093.4
Weather: cloudy, rainy, then sunny
End Location: South Lake Tahoe
Lessons Learned:
Stormy and Powder’s alarm went off at 5:00am and woke me up
Snoozed until 5:30am
When I caught a glimpse of the sunrise, I got active
Turned around my sleeping bag to face East, heated up my coffee, and ate a honeybun while I watched the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen
The girls left but I lingered
I stayed and packed up while the sun warmed me up
Left 7:40am
Dark clouds already
20 miles to road where I can hitch to Tahoe
Descended along alpine ponds and creeks
Then uphill
The sun poked out from behind the grey clouds but the wind kept me cool as I climbed
Top of Carson Pass 9:45am
Dark rain clouds over the path ahead
Pass day hikers Julie and Sarah, asked me where I camped last night
Told them about Lost Lakes and the amazing sunrise
She wanted to take her friend on a back packing trip, I told her to set up camp at Lost Lakes and hike The Nipple at sunset, would only be a 10 mile trip from the trailhead they parked at
Break at Frog Lake 10am
Trail magic at Carson Pass trail head, break around 11am
Brownies, nectarine, and Dr Pepper
Rain lightly pattered the tarp above the picnic table I sat at
Two elderly ladies, seeking refuge from the rain, joined me at the table and ate snacks while we chatted
While I waited out the rain, I debated trying to get a hitch, but caffeinated and fueled up, I decided to hike
13.5 miles to Tahoe, figured I’d be in town in time for dinner
The sun came out shortly after I started hiking, which felt like a reward for not hitching
First view of Lake Tahoe 12:20pm, was shocked by its size
Joined the Tahoe Rim Trail around 12:30pm
Passed an old ranch cabin
Walked along lovely meadows and tall cliffs
Lunch at shower lake around 1:30pm, left 2:30pm
8 miles to Tahoe
Steep descent starting break my spirits
2.5 miles down
Thought about my last honeybun in my bear can and then remembered I had sour patch kids in the top pocket of my backpack
Ate those
Made it down to Echo Summit around 5:30pm and ate my last honeybun
Sat by Highway and tried to get a hitch
I put the Leonard in my bag, didn’t think it would help with getting a hitch😂
A worker leaving Echo Summit, asked if I needed a ride
His name was Ventura, I could tell he liked fishing from all the poles in his trunk
He was just going to a store in Myers and dropped me off by a gas station
Grabbed a Gatorade and beer
Drank Gatorade while I stood on the side of the road by the grocery store and got another hitch
She said she couldn’t take me all the way to where I needed to go either, great 😅
She had to deal with a personal issue so dropped me off at a different store
Saw Bird and Lime scooters and decided to take matters into my own hands
Rode the Bird 20 minutes with my backpack on, little sketch😂
Made it to Mellow Mountain Hostel around 7pm
Alex and Yotom were out by the slack line, dapped them up, hell ya
Drank and beer and debriefed with Alex, he recently got a fresh cut in town
It was good to see him
I showered and when I came back outside, Tea Cup, Yaya, and Ellie were there
I was happy to see them and gave them all a big hug
We walked over to a burger joint on the NV side of Tahoe
Got a 25 oz beer and a big burger with Swiss cheese and ghost pepper blue cheese crumbles
Scarfed down
After dinner, we went outside and hung out
I felt green and ended up returning some of my meal to the trash can, nice😂
A mixture of exhaustion and too much food and fun
Yaya also got a little sick but discreetly went to the bathroom, a pro move
Walked back to the hostel with Tea Cup and Yaya
Decided to get ice cream so went a little further to the gas station
We ate our ice creams outside the gas station and I gave them one last hug
They were only doing the Sierra section so this was the end of the trail for them
I knew I would miss them, their antics, and tea ceremonies
They had truly brighten up the Sierras and loved joking around with them
But with every hello comes a goodbye
Something told me I would see them again though, not on trail, but in life
We said our goodbyes and I walked back to the hostel alone
I ate a honeybun before bed and drank some root-beer to console my aching heart
