On the blog, we are about halfway through the sierras. In real time, I'm about halfway through the trail! I reached that milestone last week (with Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" playing in my head all afternoon. And with more than half the journey complete, I'm looking ahead to the next adventure.

Last fall, I was fortunate enough to go on volunteer vacation trip to Haiti, with an organization started by a high school classmate of mine. You can read all about it in the "cool causes" tab above. It wa such a wonderful and rewarding experience, I have decided to do another trip with Devoted2Children , Haiti. In order to do this, I need to raise $2500.

When I hiked the AT, I also had some fund raising efforts going on, which kind of fell by the wayside. After I had finished the hike, I had many people come up to me and say they had meant to donate to one of the causes, but just never got around to it. Well, if you are one of those people, I'd like to invite you to make that contribution now, to D2C. Halfway is a great place to take action!

Click on the cool causes tab above to contribute. Whoa! We're halfway there. Whoa-oh living on a prayer!

Peace love and trail magic!

June 18: unlike he previous 2 valleys which had lakes and meadows interspersed with boulders, the valley I climbed out of today was a pine forest. Beautiful, shady, full of deer and squirrels. Today I was going to claim over Muir Pass, named after John Muir- naturalist, author, tireless defender of the environment, and founder of the Sierra Club. Muir pass is often sites as the hardest of the Sierra passes because of its steep bowls on either side where deep snow tends to stick around into late summer.

I, again, was questioning why I had bothered to buy the "guidebook" which offered such useful tips as: "Many hikers end up going the wrong direction in this area, as there are two passes. Make sure not to take the wrong one." Excellent. So much more useful than, say, "you must cross over the Kings River at mile 823 before the climb to Muir Pass." Remember- if you are writing a guidebook and overcharging people for it, be sure to keep your instructions vague and confusing.

Useless guide aside, the climb to Muir Pass was beautiful. Again, not very strenuous this year, but I can imagine how difficult this section would be in high snow years. There was still larger patches of snow, and some of the lakes were around 70% covered with ice. The sun was quite strong, though, and I walked along with a strange sensation ps being hot and cold simultaneously.

At the top of the pass was a stone hut, which sometimes hikers use to take shelter, sometimes to sleep in. I imagine that would be an extremely cold night! I sat outside the hut with around 10 other hikers, eating lunch and sharing trail stories.

On the way down, we passed several more half frozen lakes and enjoyed super cold, great tasting water during breaks. The soundtrack to The Sound of Music was playing in my head all afternoon!

As the elevation dropped, we found ourselves back in the forest. I camped at a beautiful campsite next to Bear Creek- swim able for up to 60 seconds at a time! And providing a nice babbling sound to mix with "My Favorite Things" as I drifted off to sleep.

Peace, love, and trail magic!

June 17: I awoke early and was ready to go by 5:45- as the whole group had discussed the night before. Unfortunately, I found that when I came out from my tent spot behind the boulders that I was the only one who had actually taken the plans to heart. Everyone else was still sound asleep,except for Chia Pet who groggily told me that she felt exhausted and nauseated and was going to sleep in. Onward, solo!

Mather Pass was not as long a climb as Pinchot, as the valley for Marjorie Lake was at a significantly higher elevation than Rae Lakes. On the way, I passed a couple other hikers suffering from elevation sickness, like Chia. She was actually having spotty vision. I ran down to the river and got some water for her and told them to stay put, drink lots of water, eat, maybe even nap. But don't summit if the symptoms don't go away.

The climb up Mather was short, but the descent was really, really long. It took the entire afternoon. Lots of rocky switchbacks. But- as the sierras seemed to do- also with lots of beautiful lakes and stunning views. I took a really long break by a lake - jumped in and out quickly- and then napped on a rock while I dried off.

I talked for a while with two guys who were doing the John Muir Trail. They has lots of questions about the PCT on Southern California, as they were planning on doing the PCT next year. I hiked on and found a beautiful camp spot by the Kings River. About a hour later the two hikers came by,looking for a camp spot. So the 3 of us took a (very short) swim in the river and camped next to a babbling brook. Another great day in the Sierras!

Peace, love, and trail magic!

June 16: since I had decided to stop prior to Glen Pass yesterday, I was going to try to master two passes today: Glen and Pinchot Pass at 11,968 and 12,104 feet respectively. It was going to be a tough day!

First up-the pass that the guidebook said NOT to do early on the morning because it was REALLY icy and steep. And I was doing it early in their mind. Ok- let me say this- there is an awful lot of exaggeration alon the PCT. I do think hat on really high snow years, Glen Pass would be a bit arduous. But today, all the warnings were much ado about nothing. Glen Pass was fine.

On the other side of the pass, the trail descended into Ray Lakes- where the majority of the people I had hiked with yesterday had camped. The lakes were beautiful! And since I had worked up a sweat climbing and then descending the pass, I decided to jump in! And then I immediately decided to jump out! These high Sierra lakes are beautiful but freezing.

The other thing about the high Sierra lakes- they are mosquito infested! Water = Mosquitoes! They are really weird in the sierras, though. They are big, and they swarm, but they are really slow. You can usually swat them flat before they have a chance to bite. The fish sure like them, too. The fish are huge!

Then off to Pinchot Pass. While not a technically difficult pass, Pinchot did involve a long, gradual 4000 foot climb. It was long. And tiring. And toward the end, a bit frustrating. The trail meandered quite a bit before reaching the pass.

Fortunately, the views were spectacular!

I camped about 2 miles past Pinchot- I had originally planned on going 4 miles past the pass, but my legs were jello. And there was a beautiful water source- Lake Marjorie. And 8 or so other hikers there who convinced me that this was the place for all the cool kids to camp. So we all set up and had a little dinner party with our jet boils and pocket rockets and foil packers of Yuma and ramen. Life is good above 10,000 feet!

Peace, love, and trail magic!

June 15: After dropping off the rental car and getting a ride back to a Independence, I got a pleasant surprise! I had been so worried about not knowing anyone on the trail since I took so much time off. But when I hit dropped off at the Subway, there was Flanders and Keylime, Comet, Not-a-Bear, and Skyline! I knew everyone! Skyline and I talked about hiking together, but he had a couple things to finish up in town. "I'll catch up later." He said. And I caught the shuttle to the trailhead with the rest of the crew.

It felt good to be moving again after so much time off. We soon fell into a nice rhythm of hiking, resting, eating. It was a nice day. I learned that during my time off trail, there had been a storm every afternoon in the Sierras. So it was a good thing- I missed all the bad weather.

It was a beautiful walk back- we passed several lakes, climbed up to 10,000 feet, into the forest. After Kearsage Pass to get back to the trail, we would hit Glen Pass, notoriously icy on the descent.

Though it felt good to be back on the trail, it also felt tiring. Do while many in our group chose to do both Kearsage and Glen Pass, I stopped 2 miles before Glen for a short day and a good rest. I figured it would also give Skyline s chance to catch up, but it turns out, that wouldn't happen until later...

Peace love and trail magic

June 10-14: And so, I was off to Vegas, thanks to hotels.com and Enterprise. Nothing like going 2-3 miles per hour for 6 weeks and then jumping in a rental car for a 5 hour drive!

Also, nothing like going from a 12,000 foot pass to 200 feet below sea level in a 36 hour period! Talk about extremes. You know what was NOT extreme? The heat. After a non-existent winter, California has been making up for it with a cold and snowy spring and early summer. Which meant that as I drove through Death Valley, it was a brisk 107 degrees. Practically parka weather!

Vegas was an assault on the senses after so many weeks in the wilderness. And seriously- why do they crank the air conditioning so high in the hotels and casinos? I had to bring my long John top with my any time I went to an all-you-can-eat-buffet! (I have not dropped weight as quickly nor gotten "hiker hunger" to the degree that I did on the AT, but I could still do some damage at a buffet!)

Still a little tired from my bought of noro virus, I decided to rest up by lounging by the pool. Hiker style. In my underwear. It's Vegas, baby- no body batted an eye. Ditto for my Crocs with socks on the strip. Oh, yes I did. Stacey and Clinton would throw me in fashion jail, but my feet were singing the highest praises!

Day 3 in Vegas, and my friend, Shan arrived Roth her fiancé, Willie. We met at a breakfast buffet and did some catching up. Then they went to do some wedding stuff and I checked out of the Luxor, into Circus Circus, and went to the grocery store to resupply. Britney called on her drive in and we all met for more food and drinks to tide us over until evening.

Britney has also brought my clothes that I had mailed before the hike, do I could stop parading around like a crazy person and also feel cotton against my skin for the first time in 6 weeks. Oh!! So soft!! And then Shan, Brit, Willie, and I went to Blue Man Group.

If you haven't been to BMG, I highly recommend it! It's fun and funny and just an all around good time. If night clubs were like Blue Man Group, I'd go out a lot more. And I'm not sure why attaching toilet paper rolls to leaf blowers and aiming them at the audience is so entertaining, but it is. We left happy and covered in debris.

Afterward, we went to a Brazilian Steak House where the just keep bringing you food if your coaster is green side up. Like this:,

When your hiker appetite has been sated, you turn it over red side up like this:

And they keep filling your drinks, too. So between the show, the drinks, and my inability to stay up past nine, I was all set to go back to Circus Circus and sleep. But somehow we ended up at a piano bar.

Now, I like a piano bar as much as the next person. But I was just too tired to stand unsteadily on a chair and scream out the lyrics to Don't Stop Believing at the top of my lungs. So I sat unsteadily in a chair and watched other people do it.

The next day was the wedding. Shan had booked some pre-wedding primping sessions at the spa. I was faced with a dilemma - should I let anyone touch my feet? Yeah.

I got a super duper foot treatment that made my feet look almost normal again. She even superglued the big heel crack back together again.

And then we changed into wedding clothes for the big event- Vegas style- in a gondola in the Venetian.

I gotta tell you- it's hard changing pace in the midst of a long distance hike, but u can think of no better reason than caching up with old friends and seeing them get married. It's God happiest I have ever seen my friend!

And then, I had to drive back to face the reality that all my hiking buddies were way ahead and I'd know nobody!

June 10: There I was - is a ridiculously expensive Motel 6 is a ridiculously expensive tiny town in the Sierras. My original plan had been to hike into MAmmoth Lakes before going off trail for a few days to go to a wedding. But with my unexpected days off in Kennedy Meadows and Lone Pine, there was no way I'd make it to Mammoth. I'd have to get off trail in Bishop. Which, in turn, meant that I had a few more days of non- hiking to play around with. The question was - what to do?

I clearly could not stay in the expensive town of Bishop. I considered taking the side trips I had pondered- Yosemite Valley, Mono Hot Springs. But I ran into no room, and a $45 charge to camp in my own tent!

Finally, I went online and checked out the location of the wedding- Las Vegas. Last minute midweek prices on hotels were about half of what it would cost me to camp in Mono Hot Springs. I booked a room and a rental car.

I was headed to Las Vegas!

June 9: once again , I woke up win the birds. But today, I laid in my sleeping bag and listened to the birds for a while before I got moving. I had a short day today- no need to rush. The only thing I had to do was get over Kearsage Pass into town.

What a hike! I have to say- this side trail into town was one of the most beautiful sections yet. Lots of gorgeous lakes. Had it been a bit warmer, I would have stayed at those lakes and gone swimming. Still a bit cold for that- plus, some lakes still had ice in them!

Again, a sort of long walk with switchbacks to the top of the pass (around 11,000 feet) and a gradual descent down. Along the way, I passed One of Us, who was on the way back to the trail from Independence. He was planning on banging out the miles- 25 per day through the Sierras. This may be he last time I see him on this hike!

Once I got tithe trailhead, I was able to get a ride to Independence with a guy going to pick up s fiend a Whitney Portal.

Independence is a tiny town. A courthouse, a Subway, a gas station, and a hostel, independence's biggest claim to fame is its where Charles Manson was arrested and held. Oof!

While getting my foot long at Subway, I ran into Velcro and Secret. Talked to them for a while, and then got a ride into Bishop with a funny, crazy hippie lady named Shelly who drove about 100 miles per hour the whole way!

Ate pie at Schlatt's bakery , which came highly recommended by Shutterbug and Nomad Max. And got a room at a strangely decorated and expensive Motel 6.

Peace love and trail magic

June 8: I awoke early, as usual. The birds are the best alarm clock! The others at this campsite were either south bounders or much later starters than myself, so I started out on my own in the early morning chill.

I was a little nervous about Forester Pass. At13,200, t is the highest point on th PCT. which means there may be a significant amount of snow still around. Or I may have difficulty breathing or with elevation sickness.

Fortunately, I had lots of great scenery to keep my mind off my fears.

The climb wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. It was ongoing, but not technical. Very little snow on the south side. Just lots of switchbacks. Not very steep either. I didn't have any problems.

Once at the top of the pass, I wa met by several other hikers- both north and south bounders. We hung out there for a while, taking pictures, talking, and having a snack to prepare for the descent.

Five of us (me plus two couples) descended together, as a team. We helped one another find the trail in the snow patches on the north face, and traverse the more slippery parts. Overall, there still wasn't nearly as much snow as I had anticipated. And it was still pretty early in the day, so we were able to walk on top of firm snow, rather than post holing in the soft stuff. (When you fall through the top layer of snow and end up knee or thigh or waist deep in snow) We got down fairly quickly and ate lunch next to a stream in a gorgeous meadow surrounded by peaks in all sides.

After lunch, my other 4 friends decided they wanted to try toake it I've Kearsage Pass into town than afternoon. I didn't have the inclination or the time restrictions to have to do that.

Instead, I took my time- enjoying the scenery. I hung out by a fast flowing river for a while, soaking my feet.

I made friends with some deer.

And I camped in the most picture perfect spot- complete with a bear locker (and bear prints).

Peace, love, and trail magic!