Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - June 15th
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Day 60: Saturday 15th June Mono Creek – Cascade Valley
There was no frost overnight and I made an early start on the 3,000ft climb towards
Silver Pass. The first obstacle was N. Fork, Mono Creek, with water coming above my
knees at the ford. Melt water feels very cold at 7am in the morning. The water was
deeper and faster where I had to ford the creek again higher up. At the ford of the
Silver Pass Creek I managed to keep my feet dry by clambering across boulders, but
that meant I had to go into the spray from the waterfall above the trail. Again there
were plenty of mosquitoes in the woods. They weren’t too bad if you kept on the move,
but they waited to ambush hikers when they were most vulnerable at creek crossings.
As I approached Silver Pass, snowfields largely obliterated the trail and there was even
more snow in the basin over the pass. The snow was badly “sun cupped” which made the
descent hard work. I kept going until I was below the snowline before stopping for a
late lunch.
I now left the PCT on an alternative route down Cascade Valley and Fish Creek to
Red’s Meadow. The PCT takes a high traversing line, which was likely to be covered in
snow for long stretches. The Fish Creek route had the major advantage that it passed
by the Ira Bell Hot Springs. In Cascade Valley, Fish Creek cascades down a succession
of granite slabs. I had hoped to get to the hot springs tonight but I had miscalculated
the distance and time required, so when I got myself wet at the ford over Fish Creek, I
decided to call it a day and get to the springs in the morning. Again the mosquitoes
were out in force and I had to shut myself up in my tent.
Day 60: 13.0 miles 7.26 hours Camp: Cascade Valley
There was no frost overnight and I made an early start on the 3,000ft climb towards
Silver Pass. The first obstacle was N. Fork, Mono Creek, with water coming above my
knees at the ford. Melt water feels very cold at 7am in the morning. The water was
deeper and faster where I had to ford the creek again higher up. At the ford of the
Silver Pass Creek I managed to keep my feet dry by clambering across boulders, but
that meant I had to go into the spray from the waterfall above the trail. Again there
were plenty of mosquitoes in the woods. They weren’t too bad if you kept on the move,
but they waited to ambush hikers when they were most vulnerable at creek crossings.
As I approached Silver Pass, snowfields largely obliterated the trail and there was even
more snow in the basin over the pass. The snow was badly “sun cupped” which made the
descent hard work. I kept going until I was below the snowline before stopping for a
late lunch.
I now left the PCT on an alternative route down Cascade Valley and Fish Creek to
Red’s Meadow. The PCT takes a high traversing line, which was likely to be covered in
snow for long stretches. The Fish Creek route had the major advantage that it passed
by the Ira Bell Hot Springs. In Cascade Valley, Fish Creek cascades down a succession
of granite slabs. I had hoped to get to the hot springs tonight but I had miscalculated
the distance and time required, so when I got myself wet at the ford over Fish Creek, I
decided to call it a day and get to the springs in the morning. Again the mosquitoes
were out in force and I had to shut myself up in my tent.
Day 60: 13.0 miles 7.26 hours Camp: Cascade Valley
Silver Pass Creek
Waterfall
Waterfall
Large Meadow
Peak 11,428 from
Silver Pass
Silver Pass