Day 33 - Double-Pack had an accident

Monday, May 18

A simple misstep. The trail crumbles away. The fall rips a 5 inch gash near the knee. Gear scatters across the trail.

That's what I saw as I rounded a bend in the trail. Double-Pack, a tall burly man, was busy trying to gather his gear that had scattered after the fall. I helped him put everything in order. He was lucky that he only skinned his knee. And he was lucky that his pack didn't pull him down the embankment.

After everything seemed in order, I asked him why he was carrying TWO packs? He said, "I need a lot of food. I have two bear canisters, extra shoes; I just couldn't get the weight down. I carry one pack on the front and the other on my back. They counterbalance each other."

He asked me to hand him his rucksack, which I guess he strapped on top. It weighed more than my pack. All of his gear weighed 140 pounds!

He somehow got turned around and had been heading the wrong direction on the trail. In addition he was totally out of water so I gave him a liter to get him to the next water source.

After all this, I wondered if maybe there was a hidden camera somewhere recording hikers reactions. I do hope he got back on the trail!

Earlier this morning I was happy that it didn't rain last night and it was mostly sunny as I hit the trail at 6. At Walker Pass was a memorial to Joseph Walker who discovered this pass over the Sierra Nevada mountains.


The sunrise was gorgeous as it peeked over the hill.


After helping with Double-Pack, I headed up the trail and saw this amazing mountain of granite.


I feel like I am inching closer to the high Sierras.

I got to enjoy wildflowers again.


By lunchtime I arrived at Joshua Tree springs. They say that the water contains too much uranium, but the water report says it is OK to drink. I'm feeling OK now, and the water tastes good. Here is what the spring looks like.


The rest of the day was warm. Too warm for me as the trail ascended and descended multiple mountains. It was warm enough for this thee foot snake to be on the trail.


You would be proud of me today. I stopped at 4:30 and set up camp. My view:


I am camped at PCT mile 672.9. The elevation here is 6,710 feet.