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Day 111 – Forester pass

PCT day 24I was off early with forester pass on my mind. It is the tallest point on the entire trail at 13,200 feet. I would have my work cut out for me with over 24 miles until I would stand atop forester with most of these miles being blanketed with snow. Even so I began the push. I walk such long miles because I am easily able to break down the day into 4-9 mile chunks and enjoy watching them fly by. Today was no different and I was at Crabtree meadow and the junction of the John Muir Trail and the PCT in no time. It was already pretty evident I would be able to make it up and over forester. The 8 mile push to the top began and it was nearly all snow walking. It was exhausting. Every step I took I would slide back half of one. But in going into the Sierra Nevada mountains in May, I knew what I was in for. After the never ending approach I finally made it to the base and stared up at a jagged sheer rock face with a little notch I would be climbing through. I pointed my feet uphill and began the steep ascent. I was soon at the rock face where I could find some switchbacks carved into the face. Then the final move was to walk across an extremely steep snow chute and scramble up 15 feet over the lip to the top of the pass. It was over before I knew it and I was at the highest point on the trail. I took some pictures and did a variation of a slide/run down the back side all the way down into kings canyon and vidette meadow. In the meadow I saw two bear cubs wandering around. I took some pictures but kept my eyes pealed for mama, and sure enough she came lumbering across the Meadow and I figured it was time to put some distance between me and them before camping. Therefore, I finished the day with a long uphill climb and am once again camped well over 10,000 feet.

Miles 754-788

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