Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - June 24th
Day 69: Monday 24th June Sonora Pass – near Golden Lake
When packing in the morning I couldn’t find the exposed films I had taken since
Tuolumne Meadows. In desperation I emptied out the dustbin at the picnic area and
found the films in my rubbish bag at the bottom of the bin!
The 1,000ft ascent out of the Sonora Pass was easy with just a few snow patches on
the south-facing slope. Red-brown volcanic outcrops dominated the scene approaching
the pass at over 10,000ft. I was surprised just how much snow there was in the Wolf
Creek Basin. The Trail was obliterated for the first 800ft of the descent and it was hard
work traversing snowfields, crags and boulder fields on the east-facing slopes, high
above Wolf Creek Lake. On the descent I crossed the 10,000ft contour for the last
time. Once below the snowline, there was a long gentle descent down the East Fork of
the Carson River, before a steep climb up the west wall of the Canyon. This climb was
steeper than normal on the PCT; steeper than would be comfortable for horse-riders.
By now it was getting very hot and I had a very cold shower in a little waterfall on a
snowmelt creek dropping down the hillside.
I stopped on an outcropping granite knoll for a late lunch and I was able to strip off
in the sun. Fortunately, there was just enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
There was a lot of up and down in the afternoon before I stopped near the outlet
from Golden Lake at about 7pm. My hips were rather sore again from the bruising they
were getting from the weight of the rucksack, but otherwise I was in good condition. I
went to sleep accompanied by the croaking of frogs, which sounded more like geese.
I hadn’t seen anyone all day.
Day 69: 16.5 miles 8.29 hours Camp: near Golden Lake
When packing in the morning I couldn’t find the exposed films I had taken since
Tuolumne Meadows. In desperation I emptied out the dustbin at the picnic area and
found the films in my rubbish bag at the bottom of the bin!
The 1,000ft ascent out of the Sonora Pass was easy with just a few snow patches on
the south-facing slope. Red-brown volcanic outcrops dominated the scene approaching
the pass at over 10,000ft. I was surprised just how much snow there was in the Wolf
Creek Basin. The Trail was obliterated for the first 800ft of the descent and it was hard
work traversing snowfields, crags and boulder fields on the east-facing slopes, high
above Wolf Creek Lake. On the descent I crossed the 10,000ft contour for the last
time. Once below the snowline, there was a long gentle descent down the East Fork of
the Carson River, before a steep climb up the west wall of the Canyon. This climb was
steeper than normal on the PCT; steeper than would be comfortable for horse-riders.
By now it was getting very hot and I had a very cold shower in a little waterfall on a
snowmelt creek dropping down the hillside.
I stopped on an outcropping granite knoll for a late lunch and I was able to strip off
in the sun. Fortunately, there was just enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
There was a lot of up and down in the afternoon before I stopped near the outlet
from Golden Lake at about 7pm. My hips were rather sore again from the bruising they
were getting from the weight of the rucksack, but otherwise I was in good condition. I
went to sleep accompanied by the croaking of frogs, which sounded more like geese.
I hadn’t seen anyone all day.
Day 69: 16.5 miles 8.29 hours Camp: near Golden Lake
Volcanic outcrops
above Sonora Pass
above Sonora Pass
Nuttall
Desert Paintbrush
Stanislaus Peak
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