HST 2009 Part 2 Big Arroyo to Junction Meadow.

Day 5 August 24, 2009 Big Arroyo to Morraine Lake

We were a little slow to rise this morning and didn't begin on the trail until almost 9:00 am. The climb today was steady and relentless. It's positive gain was refreshing. Last year when we did the the beginning of this trail Marcelo was with us. I remember at the conclusion of that trail him cursing the very earth we walked upon because of it's obnoxious oscillation.

Skot took the jack-rabbit position today and rocketed ahead while Eric stayed behind with Brent and Kelly. This worked out well for me as I spent the majority of the day in virtual solitude. We saw no one on the trail today and the way our group had seperated I saw noone at all as I walked. The scenery I passed today was stunning and I know that no picture could do the views justice. I found myself stopping many times just to drink in the mountains and skies and verbally express my gratitude for the beauty of this earth. This journey has already been one of the most difficult things that I have ever done I'm grateful that I have had this opportunity to be here. Still I find myself wishing my family were here to share this with me. I know that when I return I will bore them to death with the details of this journey and will talk constantly of that until Katie smothers me to death in my sleep.

At the peak of the climb out of the Arroyo valley was a small lake fed only by snow. This late in the season it was completely dry. The trail followed around it's edge and the trees forming a circle around the algae blackened rocks was quite impressive. It was a nice way to end the climb and I began to descend the opposite side. I was still traveling alone and I knew Skot was well ahead of me. At the time I wanted to know that someone else was seeing what I was seeing. I wanted to share what I found to be the beauty of this place with someone else. It's funny that the desire to go to the backcountry is one to escape civilization and mankind. To be alone with yourself and nature and God. To find yourself while being lost but still within me is the want for companionship, to know that you're not alone in realizing the wonders of this world.

I countinued down the trail as it passed through foxtail pines. The trees were sparse and the ground on which I walked was decomposed granite and it seemed hardly possible that it could support life yet all around me were gnarly trees well above 10000 feet thriving and surviving. I was struck by one old fellow who had given up the ghost but left behind his shell to remind us of his existence. It was through this stretch of trail that I began to hear sound and noise. I wasn't sure how far ahead of me Skot was but I was confident that what I was hearing was not him. I would stop frequently and stand perfectly still and listen. Most time I would hear only the wind in the trees. Or the sound of my own labored breathing as I struggled with the thin air. I was looking for bears but saw none. A great dissapointment to me. I enjoy seeing the large wildlife. It's only now as I write that I have the fear that I was possible being stalked by a large cat intent upon making me it's dinner.

After descending for some time I met up with Skot at the junction between the HST and the side trail to Morraine lake. I removed my pack and found a nice cool rock to lay on. While hiking I was hot and sweaty but after a few minutes on the rock I was shivering and made my way to the sunshine near Skot. I opened the bear canister and had some lunch while using the cannister as a chair. There was a spectacular view from our break point. In front of us was a large open meadow and beyond that was Mt. Kaweah and Red Spur.

The rest of our party soon joined us. Brent a Kelly were looking a little worse for wear but still pushing valiantly on. I recommended that Brent use the rock I had selected earlier as it seemd to mold perfectly to a tired back. He did and it appeared that he was asleep in moments.

As we rested two gentlemen came down the trail and stopped to take some pictures of the mountain. They two had come through Kaweah Gap the previous day but had not made it all the way to Big Arroyo as we had. The were planning on pushing on all the way down to the Kern valley while we were planning on taking the side trail to Morraine Lake. They pushed on and a short time later we decided to do so as well. Kelly, Eric and I took off leaving Skot and Brent behind us. It was steady downgrade. Eric said there was a waypoint with a scenic overlook up ahead of us and we pushed on towards it. The trees broke on our right and we saw a boulder standing alone. We walked over to it and from where we stood we could see a great chasm opened before us and the mountains far in the distance. Eric was first to climb the rocks and stand on the edge of the abyss and I went up shortly after. Looking down the 2000 foot drop to the bottom I became a little unsure of myself and after briefly drinking the view in I hurried my way back to a more substantial position.

We made our way down the trail and soon came to Morraine Lake. We were there in late afternoon and it seemed that we would be blessed to have the lake to ourselves. After setting camp I took a moment to jump in the lake and remove the trail dust from my clothes and body. The water was warm and I thought about spending a little more time in the lake but I wanted to get my clothes set out to dry so they wouldn't be damp the next day. As I returned to camp I passed Eric and his clothesline. He was quite pleased with it stating that he had bought as an impulse at REI and he couldn't imagine what it would come in useful for. I have to admit I was a little jealous and felt silly just hanging my clothes on tree branches.

Having bathed we set out to gather firewood for the night. In a few days time we would be in the no fire zone of our journey and we were all looking forward to a night around the fire. There wasn't a large amount of wood available to us, what we did find was large and unruly so we had to find somewhere to prop the logs and branches up, make them feel good about themselves and then brutally assault them with a large rock until they were small and manageable. From what I've heard the military uses the same policy with it's new recruits.

As the sun set we gathered on the edge of the lake and enjoyed the view around us, told stories, made fun of each other and reveled in the fact that we were here in the middle of nowhere with no worries other than if we would have another cold night. Not long before sundown we were joined by another group of hikers who camped a little ways down from us. While it would have been nice to claim to lake to ourselves for the day the group was like us in that they were quiet and there only to enjoy the solitude.

As we ate our meals one of the gentlemen from the other group stopped to talk to us. After a short conversation we soon realized that this group was well out of our league as hikers. The were the type to do 10 to 15+ miles a day. I would be learning my limits the next day but even in my relaxed and rested state I knew that this would be more than I or many in my group could handle. We said goodnight and enjoyed a quite evening around the fire.

Day 6 August 25, 2009 Morraine Lake to Junction Meadow.

I woke looking forward to the hike today. We would be starting our journey on a steep decline to the Kern River. I was awake before everyone and took the opportunity to gather some fire wood. There was a slight chill still in the air and it would be nice to enjoy a fire when we could. We ate breakfast and broke camp and were on the trail again. Our neighbors who had come in late the night before weren't quite so swift.

It was exciting getting on the trail because the first five miles of the day we would be headed down hill from 9800 feet to 6700 feet. The thought of not struggling up and up at the beginning of today was a very appealing one. We stayed together as a group. Early in the trip we passed a meadow in which the whole of the Kaweahs were visible. We were out early and I was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of some deer grazing in a meadow that we passed. It was obvious that in some years past there had been a fire through this area. The trail wove it's way through dense growth of very young trees. We soon hit the switchbacks that marked the beginning of the steep drop to the Kern River and we began to pick up speed. I was in the lead with Skot and Eric behind and then Brent and Kelley. It was exhilirating going downhill and there were segments of the trail that we were jogging down as we descended. We made quick work of the five miles and found ourselves at another trail junction where we met up with one of our neighbors from the previous night.

We began talking about experience and gear. He unpacked his pack and showed us his Bearikade food cannister and his sleeping pad. Skot Eric and I oohed and awed with envy and I'm sure dreams of an ultralight load danced through all of our minds. Our new found friend related a story to us of how a few of his companions had met and how they came to be traveling together.

We waited at the junction until our party was completly reassembled and then we moved one. Eric quickly pulled ahead as we came to a large scree field and I slowed down. Skot Brent and Kelly again brought up the rear. We were hiking now at the bottom of the Kern Valley following along the river. The terrain was a mix of trees and sage and decomposed granite. For the moment it was a relief to be in the bottom of this valley but by the time I had reached the Kern Hot Spring I was ready to start climbing again and see the exposed granite of the high altitudes.

As I approached the Hot Spring I saw Eric sitting by the river and little ways down from it. The group that had camped near us the night before had made it to the hot spring first and were taking the opportunity for a hot bath in the middle of wilderness.

Soon everyone arrived. When Brent made his appearance his feet were wet. There was a water crossing shortly before we arrived at the Hot Spring that required a crafty bit of balancing and Brent had elected to tredge thruough the water assuming that he would fall in regardless. For those of you not experienced in hiking there are a few things you want to make sure that you always take care of. The most important of those being your feet. They are your means of conveyance and when they are damaged you are in big big trouble. We shared our concern on the foolishness of this maneuver.

I took the opportunity after the spring was free to jump in the 'pool' and enjoy a hot bath. It was fantastic to be taking a hot bath this far in to the backcountry. After dressing and getting the pack back on Skot Eric and I set off down the trail leaving Brent and Kelly to soak their feet. We set a grueling pace and drove up the trail. The trail rose steadily and alternated between open sage and pine. It was warm and the air was realatively still. It was a frustrating trail because it never really seemed to change much. You knew you were moving but each stepped looked very much like the step before. We continued to push on and stopped for a break about two miles from junction meadow. We were tired and losing motivation for the day but decided to push on. With each step I could feel the energy draining from me. The only thing that kept me going was frequent updates from Eric letting us know that according to his GPS we were getting closer to our camp.

As we stumbled into Junction Meadow my legs were rubber and moving by some unknown power because there was nothing left from me. The campsites were close to the kern river and already inhabited by a couple of anglers who we later learned had started from Horseshoe Meadow. The group we had camped with at Morraine lake were there already and had told us that they were planning on moving on. I was amazed that they could cover 14 miles and still have energy to go further. It was later as they began setting up camp that I felt truly awesome because these super hikers decided that they had had enough as well.

It was 90 minutes before Brent and Kelley made it into camp. We had a fire going and Brent took his shoes off. It was a little scary seeing his feet. I think at this point he was aware of the danger that having wet feet posed. I think we all were exhausted and turned in early tonight. We will be beginning the back side of our journey now and while I will be exited to get home I am also reluctant to return to the stresses of the real world.