Reds Meadow

20110706-091140.jpg

I took the wrong trail out of camp this morning and ended up a mile and a half down a steep set of switchbacks before I realized they were leading the wrong direction, thus wasting an hour. Oops.

Much of the rest of the day was spent playing a tiring game of hide and seek with the trail in dense forest with five- to ten-foot snowdrifts stacked like frozen sand dunes everywhere. For one two-mile stretch I bushwhacked straight through the woods, crawling over blowdowns, slipping and sliding on waves of compacted snow, glad for the excellent GPS in my iPhone. But I reached Reds Meadow (near the Mammoth Mountain ski area) in early afternoon and celebrated a rest stop with a couple of ice cream bars, while watching a distant thunderstorm, before moving on to a 17-mile day. Hoping to reach Yosemite day after tomorrow.

4 replies
  1. AnonyMoose
    AnonyMoose says:

    A one hour OOPs is sure not part of the plan, but I’d think something exciting came of it (Maybe your binocs got an hour closer or a Bear got an hour farther?)
    The weather here has sure been nice (around 80Deg. in Newberg)
    I’m excited to see Yosemite coming up soon!

  2. Nancy
    Nancy says:

    Hey Noah I’m Mark’s mom and just wondering if you have seen him lately? Say hi to him when you do. Thanks Nancy

  3. Jennifer Balboni
    Jennifer Balboni says:

    Hope you have reached Yosemite by now! If you se Pooh Bear, send him our best.

  4. Ron and Jake
    Ron and Jake says:

    Hey Noah
    My son and i are starting at reds meadow on friday and folloing you path to Yosemite.
    Any info you can provide would be great.

    How is the snow at the passes
    How are the water crossings.

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply