Mile 1144 to 1122

Resort climb

I wake to the sound of high gusting winds, but my tent is fairly protected in the trees. After a standard Pop-Tart and coffee breakfast, I hike 3 miles and discover where BLT and DC camped. They are up in a nasty exposed area, where they hardly slept from the howling wind and whistling tents.

We hike up and down several times, ranging from 7,000 feet to 8,500 feet elevation. We pass through Squaw Valley ski resort and home of the Winter Olympics. Later we pass through Alpine Meadows ski resort. We have to navigate several significant snow traverses, but it is the wind that creates the biggest challenge. Although the views of Lake Tahoe are breathtaking, the wind gusts threaten to blow us down the mountain and into the crystal blue water.

After getting water at the stream, we set up camp among the trees. We are joined by another thru-hiker Barefeet or Bearfeet, I am not quite sure. He is also flipping the Sierras south from Chester. He has been joined for this section by his father, and they manage to squeeze two tents in the tiny remaining flat spot.

Lake Tahoe