{"id":7305,"date":"2024-11-10T12:59:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-10T20:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wandering.earth\/?p=7305"},"modified":"2025-01-12T16:22:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T00:22:16","slug":"pct-2024-section-h-day-14-wheres-the-bear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wandering.earth\/index.php\/2024\/11\/10\/pct-2024-section-h-day-14-wheres-the-bear\/","title":{"rendered":"PCT 2024 Section H Day 14 – Where’s the Bear?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Goal for the day: Mono Creek<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maybe because it had been a long hike the previous day, I enjoyed the morning light much more than the Sunset colors the prior night when I was exhausted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the bright Moon, to the light from the Sun’s first appearance over the ridge line, to the light shining against the surrounding mountains and cliff sides. It was a nice way to wake up and enjoy breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even a re-hydrated breakfast scramble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sun hadn’t climbed above the ridges before I set off for the day. That did give me a chance to see the morning’s light from different vantage points and angles. Never ONE perfect spot to see the Sunrise for Sunset… there were always choices to be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once I left the rocky shore of Marie Lake, the trail descended into some nice open meadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As I hiked past the mountain called Seven Gables, I started to look for the large tree I had taken shelter from the rain during my JMT trek. I found it odd that the area was a lot more forested than I remembered it. Maybe it was searching for cover from the rain that made me misremember how many trees were in the area. Or my searching for a place to take shelter from the rain that ALSO had a good view of Seven Gables just jaded my view of the area. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I finally did find the large tree (below to the right of center) that I had taken shelter under. Twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had setup my tent in the first flat-ish area beyond the tree that had the most cover from the rain. As the rain had trailed off after a little bit, I had relocated my tent to a spot with some protection from the rain, but with a better view of Seven Gables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this hike, it was way too early to stop for the day, so I kept going North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The stroll through the meadow and forest was nice and I enjoyed it, even knowing I would have to climb up and over Bear Ridge. While not anywhere near as bad as climbing any of the passes I had in the past 8 days, I still grumbled about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With it not raining, the climb up to the high point of Bear Meadow wasn’t that bad and Ihad some nice views as I went. I even made pretty good time, all things considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once passing the high point I had a pretty smooth descend towards Mono Creek. I had wanted to reach the trail junction there that led to Thomas A Edison Lake that day and I had a pretty good chance at the pace I was going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That junction going to the lake would normally have had temptations for me to abort. There was a resort at the far West end of that lake and beyond that paved roads to civilization. But having had the Zero Day at Muir Trail Ranch, I had no reason to abort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I ended up a campsite near the bridge over Mono Creek. Not much of a view, but this was always going to be a easy casual day’s hike due to the terrain not being that bad and the weather still being pretty cool over-all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with my having covered almost 15 miles, it was a nice giant leap towards Reds Meadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never did see a Bear on Bear Ridge. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Goal for the day: Success!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 14 – 14.8 miles – 11 hours 40 minutes
PCT section H – 111.7 trail miles out of 175.5 total miles<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(mileage and time approximate and based on GPS tracks which may not be exact and include diversions from the trail)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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