JMT, Day 11: Quail Meadows to Marie Lake.

Quail Meadows to Marie Lake. Distance: 12.5 miles Elevation gain: 7870′ – 10551′

We woke up at 04:30, but finished packing by 05:30. At 05:30, it is too dark to hike, especially as the first portion of the trail today is covered with trees, so we wait until 06:00 to start. We have a snack break at 09:00, having made good progress up the steep incline up to Bear Ridge. The trail is void of any water thus far, so we decide to take a proper meal at the next good water source, Bear Creek. We arrive at a sublime lunch spot on Bear Creek at 11:40. The creek had huge boulders in it that we are able to sit on. I find one spot on the edge of a small waterfall, and sit there for my lunch, watching the beautiful and clear water rush past.

Some people have asked me why I go backpacking when it’s such a laborious way to enjoy nature. It is difficult to describe, but here goes: For me, backpacking is a process of pushing my limits and exhausting myself to the point where there is no longer a filter between me and nature. The sky seems brighter, the water seems clearer, and the wind seems to speak of new adventures around the corner. I reach a state of grace knowing that I got here because I put one foot in front of the other with a will-power that very few people bother to find in themselves. It is discovering over again your inner strength. I think I found grace here at Bear Creek, sitting on the edge of a small waterfall.

A pair of JMT hikers agrees that it’s a wonderful spot for lunch and set down their packs as we are heading out. We find more nice spots along Bear Creek, a little off-trail but equally good. Our original goal is to reach Rosemarie Meadows, but when we reach it, there is no water there and we’d like to reach Muir Trail Ranch early enough tomorrow to camp near the San Joaquin River/Piute River junction. We decide to press onwards to Marie Lake, which involves a steep, exposed ascent at the end of our day, but would cut our trek up to Seldon Pass to a short, easy ascent the next day. Scott and I struggle up the last stretch, but by this point, I feel that we both have the physical strength to complete the JMT this year, but my blisters are so painful. For the past three days, I have been taking 1.5 times the regular dose of Tylenol to dull the pain, resolving not to take anymore pain killers when I reach camp, but still, every morning, it takes me longer and longer to get used to the pain.

We reach camp at 17:45, and though I have the energy to do our routine end-of-the-day chores, I can barely walk on my feet — the last dose of Tylenol having worn out and my resolve not to take anymore Tylenol once I reached camp. I’ve formed a new blister today in a spot that I pre-treated with moleskin. This one is particularly painful, and I’m not sure why. I let my feet air out in my Crocs sans Moleskin. My dad tells me that I should exit the trail as my blister situation is clearly getting worse and out-of-control.

We boiled our water tonight after filtering it from the lake. Scott is tired but talks to a couple of weekend backpackers camping nearby about how they eat fresh food during their backpacking trips. He is so sick of dehydrated food now.

At 20:15, we climb into our tent, I patch up my feet, and we go to sleep at 21:00.