Mile 942 to 920

Up Lyle Canyon

At 4:45 am I hear the bear box open and close and the normal zipping, crunching and snapping of someone packing. I guess BLT really is going for big miles. I hear footsteps walking away. I rise to go to the bathroom and notice BLT’s tent is still there. Packing in the dark he must have forgotten it. I race to catch him, but can’t find him. I can’t believe I am going to have to carry it. When I go back to our campsite I realize he is still in his tent. So much for his early start.

I pack and leave before DC and BLT, but I am at least a half day behind Klutz and Mountain Goat. The first 9 miles are a gentle slope up Lyle Canyon. It reminds me of the time we hiked Lyle Canyon with the boy scouts and came upon a group of about 20 naked Germans. They seemed quite natural in the a la natural.

Lake Below Pass

I climb two passes, Donohue and Island. The views are spectacular, but I earn them with sweat equity. Although I ask northbounders about Klutz and Mountain Goat, I never get consistent answers. Observations range from they are an hour ahead, to they are three hours ahead, to I did not see them at all. I never catch them and have no idea where they are. BLT finally catches me at about 5:00 pm, after I have set up camp. Though he agrees my site has an awesome view, he pushes on still trying to get his 30 miles. He wants to be a couple of miles from Reds Meadow Resort. I am happy being within 13 miles. DC is still somewhere behind, holding his aching tooth no doubt.

Snow Peaks