Chapter 1

 June 2nd, Mile 647: "I have just finished opening and reading all my lovely packages & letters here in Onyx. It was so nice to enjoy a wide variety of goodies & hear from everyone. I left Mojave on Thursday evening hiking until 11PM that night as the moon rose. The following day was overcast and humid as a late afternoon thunder storm rolled into the desert mountains. On Saturday night I spent the night with Heavy and Caboose hidden behind some rocks atop a windswept mountain overlooking the desert. A beautiful sunset was shared as we hid out of the wind. On Sunday I finished my stretch to Onyx, and spent the night on the lawn behind the Post Office with Chris and U-bomb awaiting the Monday morning mail. Only 2 days until the Sierra's begin!"

Chapter 2

June 14th, Mile 871, Vermillion Valley Ranch: "It has been over 220 miles since my last entry; due to the vast expanse of wilderness that comprise the Sierras.  Upon leaving Onyx, I ascended from Walker Pass with the company of Sailor. I strolled thru the last section of Joshua tree-lined trail as I neared the beginning of the Sierras. I caught Heavy, Caboose, and T as the sun set, and spent the next day walking with them 27 miles to Kennedy Meadows. A General Store exists at this point on the trail that serves as the staging point for the 170-mile stretch thru the mountains to VVR. Thanks to the helpful detective work of my fiancée Jennifer, who found my supply box, which was being held hostage by the USPS, I received my warmer clothes and ice axe and departed Kennedy Meadows with 9 days of food and a 38-pound pack.
I walked for the first day by myself, hoping to catch up to some fellow PCT thru hikers with whom to traverse the mountains. I met up with Heavy and Caboose that evening, and we spent the second day pushing up our first 10,000-foot mountains. My third day out of Kennedy Meadow I departed company with Heavy and Caboose as they staged an ascent of Mt. Whitney. I met up with Little Ewok and Sundance, an engaged couple who were getting married in Yosemite Valley.

The following day we set out to begin the John Muir Trail section of the PCT. As a preview we forded three streams before slugging thru snowfields as we ascended Forester Pass, the highest point on the PCT at over 13,000 feet. As the sun set we descended miles of steep snow and cliffs, and finally forded a hip-high stream before setting camp. A sub 20 degree night caused my sneakers to turn to complete ice, which made for an interesting few hours in the morning as I tried to walk in ice clogs!  I spent the next few days with Little Ewok and Sundance conquering an almost vertical descent of Glen Pass; getting mildly lost on Pinchot Pass; climbing up rock and scree covered cliffs on Mather Pass, and slugging thru more than 7 miles of snow on Muir Pass.

The following day we began walking with Cupcake and Yogi, and together we traversed Seldan Pass; forded waist-high Evolution Creek and raging Bear Creek; and hiked until 11 pm that evening to come within 6 miles of Vermillion Valley Ranch. The next morning we were on the trail by 5:30am and whisked down to Edison Lake to await the boat that shuttles hikers to this lovely resort. Hot showers, great food, and great company made for a very relaxing stay here, as I prepare to finish off the last two passes between here and Yosemite."

Chapter 3

June20th, Yosemite National Park, Mile 935: "I write to you as the morning light dances on the massive granite cliffs surrounding Yosemite Valley. I left Vermillion Valley Ranch five days ago with Little Ewok, Sundance, Cupcake, Yogi and Gottago. We began an evening ascent up Silver Pass, having to ford the rushing Mono Creek. The strong current almost swept Gottago away as Sundance and I pulled her across!
The next day we moved 25 miles north by 5pm so as to catch dinner at Red's Meadows, followed by a hot-spring fed shower. We then set out and gained Donohue Pass before arriving at Tuolomne Meadows.   Our group then split up as Little Ewok, Sundance and I took a bus to Yosemite Valley for a day off; only my third "zero-mile" day of the trip. I will be taking the bus back this morning and resuming my trek north, as Little Ewok and Sundance will remain in the Valley to be married on this upcoming Saturday.

I received many goodies and letters in the mail at Tuolomne and thank everyone for thinking of me as I walk along the Crest. I'm now over 1/3 of the way done! Onward to Lake Tahoe."

Chapter 4

June 25th, Carson Pass, Mile 1074: “After my relaxing day in Yosemite Valley, I departed Tuolomne Meadows around noon, walking along the rushing Tuolomne River beneath massive granite dome peaks. I caught and walked with Cupcake after 10 miles, and ended our day with a freezing ford of Matterhorn Creek.  The following day I set off to enjoy a full day on the longest day of the year. A couple snow fields, several waist-high rushing fords, and a few thousand mosquitoes later saw me pulling into Dorothy Lakes by 8:30pm, a full 35 mile day.
On Saturday I followed the PCT along a volcanic crest sprinkled with steep snow fields to Sonora Pass. I had caught up with Megan and Yogi as they prepared to glissade a several hundred-foot snowfield. Together we all sat back on our packs, and let gravity pull us screaming down the snow.

At the Pass I was picked up and whisked away by Jamie & Beth, a couple I had met in Tuolomne that had hiked the PCT in ’99. They took me to Bridgeport to stay the night with Steve and Mollie, a family that owns the town bakery! They treated me to a shower, some laundry, lovely home-cooked meals, and I even had the opportunity to scoop my own ice cream from behind the counter at the bakery! On Sunday we all were off to a church in Nevada, and then they dropped me off back at Sonora Pass. There I met back up with Cupcake, and spent the next two days traveling past the impressive volcanic peaks and cones. As I approached Carson Pass, I caught up with Megan and Lady Leaper, who was meeting her husband at the Pass. She offered me a ride down to her condo for the evening, so off I went to South Lake Tahoe. Now to zip back up to the Pass and continue on.”

Chapter 5

 June 28th, Pooh’s Corner, mile 1,150: “After a restful eve in Lady Leaper’s condo in Tahoe, I was back on the trail at Carson pass by late morning. I hiked with Megan thru high mountain passes covered with wild flowers on my way to Echo Lake. There Megan left to return to South Lake Tahoe, and I headed off north once again. I met up with Luke, and together we strolled till 9pm. In the morning I was off, skirting the shore of Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness. The trail then led me over the snow-covered Dicks Pass, and sown to Verma Lakes, where I caught up with Tom and Josh. We walked together the rest of the day, making camp at the edge of a cliff overlooking snow covered ridges around us and Lake Tahoe below us.
The following day found me on a mission to walk my 26 miles to the road and the Soda Springs P.O. by it’s 4pm closing time. I was scampering along ice-covered ridges as the sun rose over the Lake. Much of the trail that day was magnificent crest walking, with unlimited views from high on the mountains. By 3pm I had reached my destination and retrieved some maps from the P.O. I was then whisked away to Pooh’s Corner, a wonderful cabin on Donner Lake owned by an A-T thru hiker. Together Tom, Josh, and hikers we had caught up to, SamIam, Sailor, Grasshopper & Gravedigger enjoyed the generous hospitality at Pooh’s Corner.”

Chapter 6

June 30th, Sierra City, Mile 1,192:  “After a short stay at the wonderful cabin, Tom Josh and I strolled together until we struck upon a wonderful ridge overlooking Bear Valley. The next day we finished a hot and rather dry section to Sierra City. After a lovely dinner, we spent a night, along with SamIam, at a free hiker spot in the RV park in town. On the way here we saw our first Cascade Mountain off in the distance, hinting to the fact that the Sierras are indeed coming to an end.”
 

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