Mile 1017 to 1033.
Kennedy Meadows served as a place of preparation for those getting ready to cross the Sierra. They could plan and provision for their journey or rest after coming back from a crossing. Today, it’s guests are mainly looking for a little rest and relaxation in one of their cabins or campgrounds. But there are still a few who have come through those snowy mountains and seek a short reprieve from their journey north. We call them thru-hikers.
The restuarant at Kennedy Meadows didn’t serve the best eggs, pancakes, and bacon I have ever had, but they sure hit the spot before we headed back to the trail to start our 4 day trek from Sonora Pass to South Lake Tahoe. I could still taste the coffee on my tongue as we sat in the back of a jeep winding our way back to the trail. The Emigrant Wilderness was on our right and the Carson-Iceberg on our left.
20 minutes later, we were deposited on the side of the road and there was nothing left to do but start hiking. As we looked up, we noticed that the geology around us was already changing. Red volcanic rock rose above us.
We enjoyed the trail, but it wasn’t completely snow free as we had hoped. There were still snow patches and occasional snow slopes, but nothing like before. When Vipr and Fun Dip discovered they had phone service, they fell behind and Bedazzled and I hiked together for the whole day. It was nice being just the two of us and we chatted throughout the whole day. It felt good to test our legs on the dry trail and see how our fitness had improved. We needed few breaks and walked continuously most of the day.
Even with a later start, Bedazzled and I arrived at the designated spot by 5:30. There were still 3 hours of daylight left. Vipr showed up about 30 mintues later and Fun Dip brought up the rear. Space Jam and Speck never showed up.
