Outpost - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2011

Forester pass

June 22... Today was forester pass... Which meant walking at 5:30. All I wanted was SOME trail. It was 100% snow. Bitter cold in camp but I made sure to have oatmeal and coffee before the climb. There was one spot before the actual switchbacks that was very difficult. Far outside my skill or comfort level. I was glad to have viper there he gave lots of good tips and encouragement. It was about 450 vertical foot of ice climb and then about a 45 foot rock scramble to get to the trail. The trail was super easy... Stone reps basically. There was of course the famous snowshoot near the top but it was too easy. By the time we got to the actual trail we were home free. On the other side was a snowfeild traverse about half a mile and then a sled trail over 1,000 feet down. Talk about exciting... Sit on your ass and slide from 12,900 feet to 11,700. There were a few walks between glissade tracks but it was 90% glissading all the way to the valley. Then came the daily trudge... The "X miles I have to make before camping" in solid snow or trail with strips of 15 foot tall drifts. The day was warm and anything you didn't posthole on, was a stream. One river crossing today which was easy.

Entry 68 of 68
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