The surrounding peaks began catching light, slowly waking up the little glacial tarns with their reflected alpenglow. Before me, there was a wide open meadow with a lone tent pitched before a towering mountain side. If I ever come back, I would camp there. I looked a head, seeing Forester Pass looming before me, and carried on.

I had a sound sleep thanks to the pleasant sound of Woods Creek bubbling next to my tent. As I packed up and crossed Woods Creek Bridge, I saw that the tent city was just starting to stir. Food bags were hanging from trees (illegal) and Leave No Trace (LNT) practices were definitely not being followed by everyone.

Though I woke around sunrise, I spent the first mile from Palisades Lake in the dark shade of the surrounding mountains. I thought, sunrise comes late in a valley, as I walked along the granite floor crossing little streams and passing tents of those still asleep. 

Today, the trail would present some challenges right off the bat. It was badly eroded in parts and would often peter out. In other sections, it was hard to tell what was erosion and what was the “trail.” It certainly made me pay attention and after initial annoyance, it was fun looking for clues like footprints, drainage work, and cleared trees to help navigate.

I stepped out into the already warm air, shouldered my pack, and looked up at the granite wall I would be climbing . My shoulders and back were already groaning with 10 days of food, and I was a little wary of the 5,500 ft climb that awaited me. The Big SEKI Loop sure doesn’t start you off easy.