Day 62
South Fork of the Kings River was raging, and the fallen log upstream from previous years has washed away. We walked upstream for several miles until we found a safe place to cross. Luckily the trail on the other side parallels the river as well so we did not lose a lot of miles. However we lost a good amount of time as we were off-trail and had to check a few times if a particular section of the river was safe to cross.
We also crossed a ver, very sketchy snow bridge not long after, with raging, freezing water below. We crossed one at a time, hoping it would hold our body weight and pack. And thankfully, we made it safely because falling into the water would be a major catastrophe, to say the least.
Indigo and Mather Pass in the distance
By the time we reached the base of Mather Pass, it has been 4 hours since we left camp and we've only hiked 6 miles. It is very slow going to say the least. We were 100 percent focused on safety that I was not able to take any photo during those times.
We found dry ground at the base to take a break and planed how to do the approach. The pass was still completely covered with snow and the snow trail just took a direct and steep path to it (opposite of the summer trail).
The rocks on the way up were a mixed blessing, as it provided a sturdy ground to rest, but also created gaps between it and the snow that is prone to postholing. Then scrambling up the rocks with a full pack to gain some elevation was also difficult.
Catching a little break as we slowly made our way up.
A sigh of relief as each one of us reached the top of Mather Pass
Indigo and Airplane Mode on the last stretch of the ascent
Which gets to almost vertical near the top
Blis providing some guidance and encouragement to Indigo and Airplane Mode.
Almost to the top of Mather Pass
And we all made it to the top of Mather Pass!!! Wooop woop!!! Behind me is where we came from.
Mather Pass was without a doubt the sketchiest pass on the trail as it traversed on the steep side of the mountain alongside big granite rocks, that are potentials for post holing and sliding down the mountain. We all expressed relief when we all reached the top safely where we enjoyed the northern view of what's ahead of us.
As we were having lunch on the top, more people came in, with tears and joy. This is more than just thru-hiking, the Sierra for us has become a mountaineering adventure.
Resting on Mather Pass
Looking North from Mather Pass towards the Palisade Lakes
Heading down to the Palisade Lakes
We made our way down Palisade Lakes, where we found on our way down vertical granite slabs, with water flowing everywhere, making them slippery.
Taking a little break just above Palisade Lakes
Going down by Palisade Creek
Just above the Golden Staircase
The Golden Staircase was surprisingly snow free, but it became a stream bed for all the snow melt.
More than 12 hrs later, we tirelessly set up camp at Deer Meadow. It was a very long day, a big day. We finally set camp where there was no one around us. We poorly attempted to start our first campfire in the Sierra, but everything was damped and we were just exhausted. During dinner, we planned our itinerary for the next day and we were off to bed.