Skip to main content
Emily On The Trail

Trail updates for weeks 7-9

By September 18, 2024October 1st, 2024No Comments

Day 43-48: mile 789.7-833.7

Kearsarage Pass to bellow Muir Pass

Week 7 doesn’t have as many photos as some of the other weeks because I took some time off trail to attend a friends bachelor party. The party was conveniently located just north of the town of Independence, where I had exited the trail via Kearsarage Pass.

    1. When I got back on trail I rejoined my friends Popeye, Freebie, and Cinderella at Rae Lakes. Some interesting weather over Glen Pass made for some beautiful sunset clouds over the lakes.
    2. I picked up my backpacking rod in independence and Rae Lakes was the first lake I caught some Brook trout in. Photo of my friend Pandora trying out my fishing rod on what started as a beautiful day…
    3. By noon some serious clouds rolled in over the lakes and I experienced my first hail storm in the sierras. We managed to find a rock shelf to take cover under from the worst of it.
    4. Camping at elevation with smoke from a fire to the south creating some intense sunset colors. I cowboy camped without setting up my tent for most of the Desert and Sierras, until the mosquitoes got too bad.
    5. Rainbow trout on the line.
    6. Another cowboy camp set up below another epic Sierra sunset view.

Day 49-55: mile 833.7-904.5

Muir Pass to Reds Meadow

    1. Rock monster below Muir Pass! Some fun trail art makes hiking feel like a scavenger hunt.
    2. The hut at Muir Pass…
    3. … and it’s impressive roof. Signs warn hikers not to climb on top of the shelter. Muir pass was my favorite pass of the Sierras.
    4. Muir pass had some of the most alien landscapes and impressive views and even had snowfields to cross.
    5. Ice in the lakes below Muir Pass
    6. Evolution Valley
    7. Ranger hiking with giant saw outside of Mammoth Lakes
    8. Great success trout fishing at Sallie Keys Lakes. I would highly recommend bringing a fishing rod when in the Sierras. We ate trout for dinner multiple nights on trail. Many thanks to my trail friend Popeye a fishing boat captain who shared his expertise with us on the trail. Photo credit to Freebie.
    9. Rainbow falls side quest near Reds Meadow.

Day 56-62: mile 904.5-1044.3

Reds Meadow-Kennedy Meadows North

    1. Sunrise at Garnet Lakes. Took the JMT alternate out of Mammoth in order to pass by more lakes for fishing.
    2. Thousand Island Lakes where the JMT rejoins the PCT.
    3. The granite at water of Yosemite National Park. Not pictured are the insane hoards of mosquitoes.
    4. I hit 1000 miles just outside of Yosemite National Park! Photo credit to Popeye.
    5. Rock formations south of Sonora Pass.
    6. Lab puppies at Kennedy Meadows North. This one almost came with for the rest of the trail.
    7. Sunrise at Sonora Pass.