July 6th, 2021
Independence to Kearsarge Pass to Rae Lakes
I woke up early, had breakfast, and got a ride to the trailhead at Onion Valley from Lone Pine Kurt. As I made my way up, I got stuck behind a pack train. One of the mules would stop every few feet and refused to go further. The men guiding the mules would yell at her to go. For what felt like eternity, I heard “Katie, GO.” Over and over. Katie, go. I’m going to keep my opinions to myself for this one.
I eventually was able to pass them, but still heard them for another hour. I’ll remind you, they were screaming. Eventually they were out of earshot, just in time for the scenery to change. I heard what sounded like thunder. No, fireworks? I looked to my left and saw what was actually a rockslide on the peak next to me. I started to get nervous. I’d gone over all the ways I could die on this trip, but I hadn’t thought about rock slides. I kept going, hearing the rocks crash. Aware. I passed a series of lakes and kept going up. The altitude was starting to affect me again, and breathing was harder. Slowly, finally, I made it to the top of Kearsarge Pass. This was it.
This moment was everything I expected the trail to be. From the top of Kearsarge Pass, I could see the mountains beyond and the lakes below in complete solitude. This was the first time I felt like I was there. I had made it to the trail, I was really there. I sat at the top for a moment, taking it in. I didn’t want this moment to end, but I had a long walk to Rae Lakes, and another pass to go.
I made my way down the pass and immediately began walking up another pass. I had to tackle Glen today in order to make it to Rae Lakes to the bear box. I’d gotten some fresh food in Lone Pine and I didn’t want to crush it in my canister. Coming down Kearsarge and up Glen, I looked out at what was in front of me. I saw nothing but wilderness. There were no other people, there were no roads, no cars, no structures, nothing. I saw only three people the rest of that day, in fact. On the way up Glen, I ran into the Rae Lakes rangers. They were having a snack on a rock, and I noticed the NPS insignia. They were hiking in to stay at the ranger station for the summer. What a life, I thought.
I left them and continued up Glen. The scenery was, truly unexplainable. I turned around every ten minutes or so to take a new photo from a new vantage point, each more beautiful than the last. As I made it to the top of the pass, the sun began to set. The sky and the mountains took on a purpley-pink glow. I sat at the top of the pass for a while. I couldn’t believe I was there. I could have spent the rest of my life on the top of Glen Pass.
I could see Rae Lakes from the top, and I’d started my descent. It was getting darker and colder, so I stopped to get my headlamp and jacket. Then, I saw my third person of the day. It was a girl from Michigan who was hiking the PCT. Her pack was so small that I couldn’t believe there was a bear canister in it. We hiked together to Rae Lakes. I found the bear box to store my extra food, and I set up camp.
I went to bed incredibly proud of myself. My first day solo and I’d climbed two passes. I was feeling confident and strong. I channeled this feeling a few times over the next two weeks.