Hi Everyone! I know it’s been awhile, so I figured the one year anniversary of my completion of the Pacific Crest Trail deserved some recognition. In my next post, I’ll update everyone on my post hike life and future plans. For now, I want to share my photos from my return to the John Muir Trail at the end of this summer. Those of you not familiar with the details of where things are, the JMT and PCT overlap for about 160mi in the area where PCTers in 2011 experienced the highest snow pack in history. With every slow and strenuous step through the snow last year, I vowed to return to the JMT to see what was under that blanket.

Fellow PCT 2011 hikers, I know your mind will not be able to comprehend any of this. I still don’t believe it. I felt like a trauma victim being brought back to the scene with bouts of PTSD (Post Traumatic SNOW Disorder). Had I taken more photos last year, I’d have more to compare. As with many of us, I was too tired/scared to take more pictures last year. The crossings especially! Here is what I came up with. Enjoy!
 

Guitar Lake
Guitar Lake from higher up on Mt. Whitney.
Tyndell Creek Crossing…I couldn’t even find the spot where we crossed, but here is the real crossing.
Wow, that’s how deep the snow was on level ground with full sunlight on it.
The south approach to Forester Pass. Notice the hiker on the left for perspective of how massive this is!

The frightening snow chute we traversed on Forester Pass.
Looking south from the top of Forester Pass. There are switchbacks there! Notice me on the switchback and the hikers coming up on the left. Sheesh!
Looking north from Glen Pass.
The south approach of Silver Pass.
The south side of Mather Pass. Since the switchbacks didn’t exist, we just used ice axes and micros to climb the left side and traverse across.
One of my favs. The south side of Muir Pass. We apparently approached way west of the trail, so the picture isn’t exact.
Many hikers remember this traverse along Wanda Lake after Muir Pass.We didn’t know where the water ended and land began. With the space we had some chose to hike on the thin ice, ah!
A branch of Bear Creek where I crawled over this angled log in fear. Not fun!
Another
angle of the log I hated. I wouldn’t even stand on it with no hands
dry. The actual crossing is the rock hop on the bottom.
The Bear Creek crossing was my most frightening! It was higher than my waist and swift. I couldn’t keep my feet down with the current. I was too scared to take a picture, so here is one from my friend Drop-N-Roll who was hiking near me.

Hikers, yes, this is the “waterfall” we hiked through after VVR. That’s Balls & Sunshine on the left. I just have no words for this!
The south approach to Donahue Pass.
Looking north from Donahue Pass. We were so happy to see dry land at the top of that Pass!

Lyell Fork from the footbridge below Donahue Pass. Notice the snow and deeper rapids last year.

Lyell Canyon on the way to Tuolumne Meadows. Notice, the trail was full of water last year.

Looking up toward Donahue Pass from Lyell Canyon.
The backside of Cathedral Peak.

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