VVR to Palisade Lake

8/6(土)

6:00に起きて、洗顔とトイレを済ます。朝食はPCTスペシャルをじっくりと食べる。胃に堪えすぎるので、昼食は抜く。食事後、昨日、フェリーで知り合ったイギリス人夫婦と話す。男性は背丈は中くらいだが筋肉もりもりのタフガイ。奥さんと二人で500マイル程度歩いてきたという。奥さんがホテルに泊まりたいというので、フレスノに経由でLake Tahoeに行くという。リゾート地なので、ホテルは多い。奥さんはシュラフ、マット、着替えしか持たないという。どこでも同じか。10:30、ボーイスカウトの一団が来てにぎやか。Red Meadowから6日かけて来たという。リーダーは足にまめができ、疲れたという。

Fresnoから車で3時間くらいだとすると、昼には奥様が来る予定だが、なかなか来ない。Jimに何かトラブルでもあったのかと聞くが、分からない。イギリス人夫妻も折り返しFresnoに行くので、暇で待っている。テントは昨年と同じ静かな場所に移した。テントに興味津々で見たいというので、RobensのStratosを見せる。イギリスでは結露が多くなるで使えないが良いテントだという。

やっと2時過ぎに奥様を乗せた車が来る。フローレンス湖に行くハイカーを二人送り届けてからこちらに来た模様。おかげでPickup代金は85ドルと安くしてくれた。運転手は別のTom。運転は上手だったらしい。昨年のTomはキャビンのクーラーを修理していた。

夕食はバーベキューなので、コンボ。今年は量が多く、奥様はたべきれなかった。その後、テントでFresnoのパン、クリームチーズ、野菜を食べ、スープを飲む。

8/6(Sat)
I woke up at 6:00, and went to the restroom. I ate PCT special as a breakfast slowly. It was very heavy, so I was not able to eat the lunch. I talk with Mr. and Mrs. British, whom I had gotten to know in the ferry yesterday.　As for the man, his height was average, but he was a muscular tough guy. He said that they walked about 500 miles from south. His wife wanted to stay at a hotel, so they wanted to go to Lake Tahoe via Fresno. He said that his wife carried only sleeping bag, mattress, and the change of clothes. At 10:30, the group of the Boy Scout came and they were very lively. The leader said that they started from Red Meadow, and it took 6 days to come here. He had blisters on a foot, and said very tired.

I thought that my wife would appear at noon, because it took about three hours form Fresno by car. But my wife did not come. I asked Jim whether it had happened something wrong but he did not know. I moved my tent to the more quiet place, where I had camped last summer. The British man was interested in my tent and want to see it. Then I showed him my tent; Robens Stratos. He said it was well made, but there was a condensation problem in U.K., he was not able to use it.

At last, my wife appeared at about 14:00. The driver of the car was named Tom. She said that Tom picked up two hikers and sent to Lake Florence. So, they were late, but the pickup fee reduced to 85 dollars. The last summer driver also named Tom, who was repairing the air conditioner of the cabin.

I ordered Combo as a dinner. There was much quantity, and my wife was not able to eat. Later, we ate the bread she bought at Fresno, cream cheese, vegetables, and soup in our tent.



8/7(日)

6:00に起きて、洗顔、トイレを済ます。朝食はCountry Fried Beefを注文、パンケーキを追加注文。ただし、二人で30ドルかかるのでPCT Specialと同じ。

夕食はPulled Poke。骨を引き抜いたポークという意味らしい。味は良い。さすがにパイまでは食べられない。Jimとお別れをかわす。土屋さんの奥さんの件を聞いてみると、雪が多くて、遅くなってしまったこともあるが、re-supplyも届かず、Jimが食料を集めたらしい。Thru Hikesを諦めた原因の一つ。resupplyを受け取り、整理する。クスクスやビーフジャーキーは買いすぎたようで数袋を処分。それでもかなりの量になった。

夜中まで太ったPCT hikerが酒を飲んで大声で歌を歌って寝られない。注意するが、言うことを聞かない。PCT Hikerはもう少し、良い人間が多いのだが、例外もいるようだ。けんかすると拙いので、引き下がる。30分ほどすると、静かになった。

8/7(Sun)
We got up at 6:00 and went to a restroom. As a breakfast, I ordered Country Fried Beef, my wife ordered Breakfast Burrito. And we made an additional order of pancakes. It cost about 30 dollars, the same price as PCT Special in two people. As a dinner, I ordered Pulled Poke. I thought it was named by pulled up a bone. It tasted very good. We were not able to eat Apple Pie.

I said good by to Jim, and asked him about Ms.Tsuchiya. Jim explained that the re-supply did not come, and he collected the food and made her the re-supply. But she gave up thru hike, due to the prolonged schedule. We received the resupply and check it. It seemed too much to carry. So I put several packs of couscous and beef jerky into the barrel.

The fat PCT hiker drunk too much and sung with aloud voice until mid night. I said to him to be quiet, but he ignored my caution. I felt unpleasant, but I thought this guy might be the exception. He became quiet approximately 30 minutes after my caution.


8/8(月)

6:00に起きて、洗顔、トイレを済ます。朝食はJMT Specialを注文。テントを撤収、パッキングして重さを量ると、85pounds( 38Kg)! 冗談ではない重さ。奥様にパンを二本持ってもらったが、こちらも34pounds(15Kg)という重さになった。Lone Pineまで無補給だから、やむをえない。フェリーは乗客が多すぎて、過積載で出港できない。下りてくれる7－8名のボランティアを募り、出港。フェリーはピストン運送するらしい。バックパックは重いが、持ち上げると、歩ける。9:50出発、10:55Mono Creek分岐。ここからの登りが長い。登った所に水があるので、持たずに登る。登りは非常に時間がかかる。13:30 狭い場所だったが、水場でパンとココア。14:00 出発。15:40 傾斜が緩くなり、ほぼ水平になった。16:20小休止。下っていくと、小川がある。二つ目の小川の後、少し高台になった。これ以降は下って蚊が多くなるので、テント設営。Trailの傍だったが、水平な場所が見つからなかった。景色が良く、抜群の場所。夕食はビーフジャーキーと乾燥野菜とクスクス。クスクスは食べきれなかった。

8/8(Mon)
We got up 6:00 and went to a restroom. I ordered JMT Special as a breakfast. I pack all my equipment in my my backpack, and weigh it. It resulted 85pounds( 38kg )! It is not a joke. We had no supply from VVR to Lone Pine, so, it is unavoidable. My wife carried two breads ( about 4 Kg), so her backpack was 34pounds(15Kg). The ferry had too many passengers and could not depart by overloading. Seven to eight volunteers got off the ferry. My backpack was heavy, but I was able to walk when I was able to carry. At 9:50, we began to walk. At 10:55, the junction of Mono Creek trail. From here, we climbed for a long time. I knew where the water was, so I climbed without water. It took time very much.　At 13:30, we rested at the small creek. We ate bread and drunk cocoa. At 14:00, we started to hike. At 15:40, the slope became gentle and approximately level. At 16:20, we took a short rest. After the second brook, I found a small high place, so I decided to camp, because there were few mosquitoes, and it was a scenic and excellent place. The dinner was beef jerky and dehydrated vegetables and couscous.


8/9(火)

6:00に起きる。昨夜、酔っ払いのPCTハイカーのおかげで睡眠不足だったようだ。パン、マンゴー、コーヒーの朝食。手袋が行方不明、素手とし、8:40出発。9:50 Bear Creek Trailheadで休憩、10:40 ココアとチョコレートで休憩。11:30 Italy Pass 分岐。昨年はここまで歩いたが、荷物が重いと無理。12:30 Upper Bear Creekの近くで昼食。13:00 出発、徒渉は大したことない。躊躇している女性がいた。疲れているのか、追いついてこない。マリーレイクはなかなか遠い。雪山がすぐ傍に迫る。16:00 Marie Lake、へとへと。Jessという女性が先にいた。水6リッターを作成、洗濯をする。Barrelから拾ったパンケーキを焼いてみる。少し変な臭いがするが食べられる。アップルシロップは酷い味がした。他のメニューは肉と野菜炒めのおかずにジャガイモのサラダ、スープ。

8/9(Tue)
We got up 6:00. We seemed to be sleep shortage due to the drunken PCT hiker. Our breakfast were bread, dry mango, and the coffee. I could not find my gloves, so I was barehanded and stated to hike at 8:40. At 9:50, we took a short break with cocoa and chocolate in Bear Creek Trail head. At 11:30, the junction of Italy Pass. Last summer, I had walked to here and camped. At 12:30, we ate lunch near Upper Bear Creek. At 13:00, we started to hike. The fording was easy, but a woman hesitated to ford. She was slow, so she could not catch up with us. The Mary Lake was very far. We saw the snowy mountains very near. At 16:00, we arrived Marie Lake. We met Ms. Jess, who had already setup a tent. We set up our tent remote place from her tent. I made 6 litter water, and washed clothes. I bake the pancake which I picked up from Barrel. It smelled slightly strange, but eatable. The apple syrup tasted terrible. Other menus of the dinner were potato salad, soup, dry beef and vegetables.



8/10(水)

良く寝て、5:30に起きた。朝はテント内部の結露が凍っていた。溶ける前にかき集めて捨てる。パン、マンゴー、コーヒーの朝食。7:50 出発。8:30 Selden Pass、雪が残っていたので、トレールを外して歩いた。Passでキャンプしていた男性がいた。10:05 Sallie Keys Lakeで休憩。10:25 出発。14:07 フローレンス湖分岐。食料は山ほど持っているので、Muir Trail Ranch はスキップ。16:40 やっとPiute Pass 分岐でテント設営。水6リッター作成。クスクスが不味いというので、肉野菜炒めをして、その中に入れる。固めだと少しマシな味になる。

8/10(Wed)
We slept well and got up at 5:30.　The dew condensation in the tent was frozen in the morning. We scraped it up before melting and throw it away. The breakfast were bread, dry mango, and of the coffee. We started to hike at 7:50. Selden Pass was covered by snow, so we walked off a trail and reached Selden Pass at 8:30. A hiker camped in Pass. At 10:05, We took a short rest in Sallie Keys Lake. At 10:25, we started to hike. At 14:07, the junction of Florence Lake. We skipped Muir Trail Ranch, because we had too much foods. At 16:40, we set up our tent near the junction of Piute Pass. I purified 6 liters water. My wife said couscous tasted bas, so I fried vegetables and put into couscous in it. When couscous was hard, its taste became slightly better.



8/11(木)

5:30 に起きる。夜は暖かかった。パン、マンゴー、コーヒーの朝食。7:30 出発　8:20 Aspen Meadow、橋を渡り、しばらく登って休憩。Eddyと話、フローレンス湖から来て往復する、この辺りは詳しい。日本人の女性がテントを張っているという。同じ方向なので、こちらは遅いから会うだろうと思ったが、会わなかった。10:30 River Crossing　水量は予想以上に少なく、昨年以下。蚊が多いので、少し進んで岩場の上で昼食。13:30 出発。15:30 McClare Ranger Station 休憩して、エナジーバーとココア。17:00 Colby Meadow の先で、テント設営。蚊が多いので、少し高台の岩の間。ワイルド・オニオンを入れた炒め物。炒めるとニラの香りが抜けてしまう。

8/11(Thu)
We got up at 5:30. Our breakfast was bread, dry mango, and the coffee. We started to hike at 7:30. At 8:20, Aspen Meadow. We crossed the bridge and walked for a while. We took a break. I talked a hiker named Eddy, who had come here from Florence Lake, now returning to the lake. He knew the details of this neighborhood. He said that a Japanese woman camped near here, wanted to meet Japanese people. She was southbound, so I thought we will meet soon. At 10:30, the famous river crossing of Evolution Creek. But the water level was unexpectedly low. We took lunch on a rocky place, because there were a lots of mosquitoes near the creek. At 13:30, we started to hike. At 15:30, McClare Ranger Station. We took a break and ate an energy bar and cocoa. We passed away Colby Meadow and we set up our tent on the rock, because there were a lots of mosquitoes in lower place. I put the wild onion in dry vegetables. Disappointedly, the fragrance of wild onion disappeared when it was fried.




8/12(金)

5:30に起きる。パン、マンゴー、コーヒー。7:40 出発。10:10 Evolution Lake。エナジーバーとココア。10:40 出発。12:30 サファイヤレイク。13:00 昼食。13:30 出発。登りが続き、なかなか遠い。Wanda Lakeは一部雪が覆っていて絶景。16:00 最後の池、Lake McDermandで休憩。疲れたのでテントを張るべきだったかもしれないが、もう少し進む。男のハイカー3名が先に進む。最後の登りで疲れたが、Muir Pass 17:25分着。Muir Hatハイカー3名が入っている。泊まりは禁止だけど泊まるらしい。猛烈な体臭で、気分が悪くなるので、すぐ外に出る。雪で覆われているが、下ってHelen Lakeでテントを張ろうと考えた。ただ、Helen Lakeのテント場も雪で覆われている。急斜面を下ると小さな池があり、傍に平らな場所を見つけたので、18:00 テント設営。周りはすべて雪で覆われ、絶景。何時もの夕食だが、奥様があまり食べない。クスクスが大量に残っている。暖かめのシュラフとダウンマットレスなので、寒さはまったく感じない。ぐっすり寝た。

8/12(Fri)
We got up at 5:30. Our breakfast was bread, dry mango, and the coffee. We started to hike at 7:40. At10:10, Evolution Lake. We ate an energy bar and cocoa. At 10:40, we started to hike. A 12:30, We reached Sapphire Lake. At 13:00, we took lunch. At 13:30, we started to hike. The climb continued, and we felt it was very long.
Wand Lake was a superb vies, as the part of the lake was covered by snow. At 16:00, we took a break in the last pond, Lake McDermand. We were tired, but we decided to go a little more. Three hikers were ahead of us. At 17:25, we reached Muir Pass Hut. Three hikers were in there. They smelled very badly. We went out immediately, because we feel sick with an intense body order. The Pass was covered with snow, but I decided to climb down. I found a ideal campsite near Helen Lake, There is a small pond when I go down the steep slope, and I found a flat place by the side. At 18:00, we set up our tent, and made an usual dinner. My wife did not eat very much. I carried too much couscous. We had very warm sleeping bag and down mattress. we did not feel coldness at all, and slept well.



8/13(土)

6:00 に起きてゆっくりとする。ミューズリ、ミルク、マンゴー、コーヒーの朝食。朝食後、食料を整理。8:10 出発。離れた所で数名がテントを張っていた。30分ほど下りた所で、Ms.Jessもテントを張っていた。雪は表面が少し柔らかく、傾斜も緩やかだったので、アイゼンは不要。ただし、一カ所だけ急傾斜があったので、奥様はアイゼン使用。11:50最初のキャンプ適地。池の見えるmeadowで昼食。Ms.Jessがゆっくりと先に行った。ミューズリを朝食にしたためか、足の筋肉が痛かったが、昼食にパンを食べると、二人とも見事に痛みが消失。エネルギーも持続する。JMTパンの実力を思い知った。15:00 La Conte Ranger Station着。Ms.Jess現れた。Rangerは不在。水を補給して、少し先に進む。10分も歩かないうちに、たき火可能なテントサイトが川の傍に見つかった。トレイルの傍ではあるが、この先は、Grouse Meadowまで、あまり良い場所はない。Grouse Meadowは蚊だらけ。それで進まずに、16:30 テント設営。ゴミを燃やし、洗濯をして、ゆっくりと過ごす。

We wake up at 6:00. Our breakfast were muesli, milk, dry mango, and the coffee. After breakfast, I arranged foods. At 8:10, we started to hike. We found that several people pitched a tent in remote places. We walked for about 30 minutes, we met Ms.Jess who was relaxing beside a tent. The surface of snow was soft, and the slope was gentle, the crampons were not needed. But, there was a steep slop, so my wife used the crampons. At 11:50, the first suitable place for camping. We took lunch, seeing meadows and pond. Ms.Jess went forward slowly. We had a pain in the muscle of the foot, but the pain disappeared after we ate JMT bread immediately. We were astonished the power of JMT bread. At 15:00, we arrived La Conte Ranger Station. Ms.Jess appeared. Ranger was absent. I purified 2 litters water. We walked further. I found an ideal campsite soon. There was a fire stone and the river run near. The shortcoming point was it was located near the trail, but I knew there was no good place for camping until Grouse Meadow. Thus, I set up a tent at 16:30. We spend slowly. I burn garbage, and washed clothes.



8/14(日)

5:00に起きて、パン、マンゴー、コーヒー。7:10 出発、8:30 Grouse Meadow。Ms. Jessがキャンプ中だった。9:00 Palisade Creek合流点。ここから登りになる。10:50 昨年、休憩した場所でパンとココア。水を補給。11:00 出発。傾斜がゆるやかになる。12:15 Deer Meadowで小休止。13:30 Palisade Lakeの登り口。5つ目の小川で小休止。エナジーバーを食べて水を補給。13:50 出発。登りがきつい。16:00 10000フィートで小休止。予想より時間がかかる。18:00 Palisade Lakeの入り口でテント設営。水4リッター作成。何時もの夕食。夜中に奥様が心拍が高進、下痢、吐き気を訴える。高山病なら高度を下げるしか治療方法がない。引き返すことを考えるが、まっくらなので朝まで待つことにした。

8/14(Sun)
We got up 5:00. Our breakfast was bread, dry mango, and the coffee. We stated to hike at 7:10. At 8:30, Grouse Meadow. Ms.Jess was camping. At 9:00, the junction of Palisade Creek. We climbed from here. We took a break at the place where I took a break last summer at 10:50. I purified water, and started to hike at 11:00. The slope becomes gentle. At 12:15, we took a break in Deer Meadow. At 13:30, the climbing point of Palisade Lake. We took a short break in the fifth brook. I ate an energy bar and purified water. At 13:50, we started to climb. A climb was hard. At 16:00, we took a short break at 10,000 feet point. It took more time than I had expected. At 18:00, I set up our tent at an entrance of Palisade Lake. I purified 4 litters water. The usual dinner, and we slept. But, my wife waked in the midnight. She appealed a rapid pulse, lose bowels, and nausea. I thought there was a possibility of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and if she was AMS there was no way to cure except climbing down. But we should wait until morning because it was midnight.