Mile 969.5 to 981 – 11.5 miles total hiked on PCT

The hike from Smedberg Lake was interesting because it climbed up first to get to some other Yosemite trail junctions and then descend it down to Benson Lake. I did find this odd and maybe a little irritating, but by the looks of it, there was like a solid wall of granite underneath Smedberg Lake that would’ve made a more direct trail hard if not impossible.

I thought about going down to Benson Lake just to see it, but the extra hour it would add to my day wasn’t worth it.

After passing the lake, I climbed up to SEAVEY PASS 9,129 feet! Yes, the passes are getting shorter, but it still takes time to climb up and down them.

And then then the 87 day streak of no rain while I was on the trail ended. The afternoon of day 88 brought some sprinkles and some short light showers. Ah well, the dry skies had to end at some point.

I made the decision not to climb up another pass in the late afternoon in case it started really pouring. So I found a nice campsite, set up my tent, and waited for the rain.

It did rain harder, but it wasn’t that bad. Kinda makes me wish I had continued up and reached the next valley.