Riding The Crest 2009

SECTION H   MOUNT WHITNEY TO TUOLUMNE MEADOWS

June 29 - July 6

Woke up at daylight and I got on the trail leaving Wallace Creek. Sarah and Josh, the couple camped near me, were at the creek removing boots to cross the creek. They were hiking the John Muir Trail (JMT) south to north. She told me they were hiking that day to the base of Forrester Pass and if I got there they would help me in any way they could. We had 9.4 miles to Forrester Pass. I had received so many varying reports about the condition of the pass that I felt I needed to go see. I would decide for myself whether to cross it with horses or turn back. Ralph and William were aware of the possibilities. I crossed the Big Horn Plateau and was awed. It was a 360 view and magnificent. I could not decide which was the best picture so just kept taking. I met three men hiking the JMT and they told me about the snow on Forrester. The older man said he did not advise it on a horse while one of the younger said I could probably do it. Next I met Heidi who took some pictures of me and advised me NOT to do Forrester. Again - so many varying reports! I was hoping the SPOT was now working as I had left it on tracking. I passed Tyndall Creek and saw a beautiful 6 point buck watching me pass from behind a tree. He was not 50’ away and never did move. I started up to Forrester Pass and soon started crossing the snow packs. The horses did not do well in the deep snow, some of it over 3 feet. Harmony sank to his belly and Jur lunged ahead and had the same consequence. They both started plunging around. I dropped Jur’s lead so I could control Harmony. Jur turned around and went back while I turned Harmony to the side and out of the snow. Both were breathing like they’d raced. I ground tied Harmony and went to get Jur. Once I had them both I tried again with not much better results. It was very disappointing because we were ¾ of the way across. But if they could not do this on the level terrain then the stuff on the side of a mountain would not be possible. There were storm clouds gathering and the weather could worsen. They say the weather can change in moments in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and you do not want to be caught in the worst of it. I’d rather be low than high. I was at 11,659’. I decided  to go back to Tyndall Creek. As I rode back I tried to decide whether to return the forty miles to Cottonwood Campground or camp at Tyndall Creek and try Forrester in the morning when the ice was hard packed. When I got to Tyndall Creek there was Josh and Sarah eating their lunch. It was 12:30. We talked again and she encouraged me to wait and try it in the morning. She also said I was welcome to go with them to the lake below the pass to camp and get an early start. I decided to try that. It might be difficult but rewarding to try or even to make it. Life is like that. Rewarding once you do it but not easy to do. So I rode out in front of them again. I passed three women hiking the JMT. They thought the snow was much easier than all the people who had told them it was difficult. They encouraged me as well. They said to just go around all the lower snow fields. So that is what I did. But I was surprised how much there was. and it took a lot of time. So many had said there was “nothing” much this side of the pass. There was an awful lot of white "nothing." What it was, was everyone was bypassing the snow banks too. You could not see any one pattern of tread but sometimes there was a track straight across the snow. I went around all but the shortest banks. At 3:40 I was at the first of the twin lakes. There was a very large bank and I had to tie the horses to rocks and go on foot to scout it out. The horses were doing well. By the time I got across I could see Josh and Sarah looking for a way around. So I  pointed the way. Another series of snow banks and Josh and Sarah were walking around them with me. In one instance they led the way across a ten foot expanse. We were at the base of Forrester Pass and still did not see a lake (as the map indicated) and finally decided it must be frozen under the white expanse. The weather was worsening and so we started looking for a camp site. Then it started to rain and then hail! Fortunately we had just found a sandy, flat space. We really threw our tents up! But it stopped before I finished. I tied my 30’ rope around a large rock and tied Jur and Harmony to that. Being above tree line there is nothing BUT rocks! It was that or hold them all night. At 6:15pm we eating our dinners and the sun was warming our backs. Another quick cahnge of weather in the High Sierras. But not for long, as soon as the sun set behind the nearest western peak, the temperature dropped. I quickly finished eating and got in my tent.  At 8 o’clock I was in my sleeping bag writing my journal.

June 30 at Forrester Pass - Woke up when I thought it was daylight but it must have been the moon because after I was packed up it was only 6:45! I had gotten up a couple of times to check the horses before I retired for the night and nearly froze in the short time outside. Inside my tent and sleeping bag I was as snug as could be and slept great. At one point I had to open my sleeping bag and let some cooler air in. It was good to know I had found a way to sleep at 12,520’ elevation with snow all around and a frozen lake beside me. The horses had survived the night and were still at their rock. Josh and Sarah were ready just before me and walked across the first snow bank. I mounted Harmony and led Jur a long way around to avoid the snow bank. But in the end could see no way to the trail other than across about 50’ of snow. Josh showed me where they had traversed and I tried to duplicate that. I took Jur first, leaving Harmony tied to a rock. Jur floundered in some deep snow. He was lunging so bad and was so close to me I dropped the lead and he took off for the nearest “land” which was fortunately where Josh and Sarah were at the trail starting up Forrester. Then I went back for Harmony. Harmony had the same problem and rearing to lunge forward really did not gain them anything except exhaustion. In about 50’ of snow traversing they had done a day’s work. My feet were wet but at least we all intact. We started up the south side of Forrester Pass. Despite having been told otherwise, there was snow on much of the trail on this side. So if this was “no snow” and the other side (north side)  had “lots of snow,” this was more than I wanted. Already we were trying to go around every snowy switchback. It was extremely rocky and soon would be too high to chance the edge. After several switchbacks, Josh yelled down that there was still lots more snow. I told Sarah I thought it best to go back. We were both disappointed. I was so disappointed I was trying not to cry. I had come so far. There was way too much snow and the horses were being courageous and giving it their all. The way back was going to be hellish but it was the way out. It was 9:40 and we were at 12,592,’ less than 600' from the pass (vertically). It was going to be very difficult to go back emotionally and I was no looking forward to the physical route . Sarah asked how I was going to manage alone. I told her God had been with me so far, He would see me back. But I did dread it. I would have to take one horse at a time. So I started down, leading them both for the moment. Even that did not work well as Harmony hesitated, Jur would push past. Twice Jur knocked me down with the packs. When we got back to the base and the “start” of the trail up, I tied Harmony to a rock and started across the snow pack with Jur. Once again when he post holed, he lunged and tore the lead out of my hands. After a zig and a zag he ended up pretty much where I had wanted him. I continued to him and tied him to a rock. Then I went back for Harmony. Though I tried to keep Harmony where I thought it was less deep, he still post holed and soon was lying in the snow gasping for breath. I did not know till we got to the other side that Harmony had cut his legs on hidden rocks. And we still had another snow pack to cross. I could see some hikers far in the distance making their way toward where I was. It would be a while before they got here so I went ahead and led each horse across the snow pack. Unfortunately both horses came out with cuts. I was leaving a trail of blood. Now I just wanted back to solid, no snow, ground so I could treat my horses cuts. The hikers arrived and it turned out to be Denise and Cindy who had met Ralph at Kennedy Meadows after I had packed out. They offered to help and I accepted. They left their packs and Denise led Harmony while I led Jur across the rocks to skirt the snow packs. It was a long way but we managed to avoid any more snow packs. Part way out of there Travis greeted me (who I met before Mt. Whitney). He, too, offered to help. I suggested he take over from Denise and Cindy so they could go on. So he put down his pack and took Harmony and followed Jur and I. Denise and Cindy, with much thanks from me, headed back north. I could not have done this without these hikers help as I was running out of energy and one horse at a time takes time - lots of time. Travis stayed with me and held Jur while I got out my horse medics and treated all the cuts and wrapped  the worst. I removed Jur's packs and reloaded him. In all the lunging and struggles he had lost two saddle pads and the packs were askew. I had to unbuckle everything and unload and start over. Fortunately, since I had the packs off I could go in them and get dry socks. I also got out the British Gortex socks I had purchased to keep my feet dry. I took off the wet, cold socks and put on the dry and then the Gortex socks to keep my feet dry from my very wet boots. After a hug of thanks for Travis he set off to climb the Pass. I continued to work on my feet and the horses were content to stand and catch their breath. I finally packed up everything and started down, now riding Harmony. Now we were back to riding through rocks without snow. The rocks were anywhere from the size of pebbles to boulders. I needed to get back to Cottonwood Campground in two days so I could treat them further and not run out of food. It was 12:30 when we got down off Forrester Pass. I was pretty comfortable and the horses were moving fine. At Tyndall Creek the horses grazed while I ate tuna. Then we headed back and crossed the beautiful Big Horn Plateau and I remembered Heidi advising me not to take horses up Forrester Pass. She would be glad to know I turned around. Forrester Pass is not ready for horses this year. The horses cuts had stopped bleeding and were well wrapped and treated. We arrived at Crabtree Meadows at 5 and I found a campsite. I took care of the horses first, unsaddling, putting them on the high line, and then doctoring them again. Then I set up my tent and cooked the corn chowder Josh and Sarah had given me for tonight’s meal. I still had one breakfast and one lunch, just what was needed. I washed the horse boots and filtered water for my water bottles for tomorrow. I was inside my tent setting it up when I heard my name. It was Steve who I had met on the way out. He had taken yesterday for rest and climbed Mt. Whitney today. He too was camped here at Crabtree Meadows. So we talked awhile and he said I had done some incredible riding and could not have believed a horse could do what we’ve already done. He was talking about the trail from Cottonwood (where I first met him) to here. Steve will go to Forrester Pass tomorrow and hike it the next day. I gave him my card and told him to keep in touch. He said he would. The horses are on separate high lines and very quiet. I was headed back fifty miles the way I had come but would return to do this section later in the trip, God willing. 

It took two days to get back to Cottonwood Campgrounds where Ralph was waiting for me. After lunch the day after Forrester I encountered about 12 young men with 6 burros headed north. One man stepped forward and I told him about Forrester Pass. Like me, he had heard every kind of description about the current condition of the Pass. When I told him the snow was still covering the trail up to four feet, he said he would wait longer to do it. He said they were a boys camp and out for 40 days! I later got an e-mail from my friend, Anne W. in GA saying her grandson, Caleb, was in that group of young men. What a small world! I was very happy to see Ralph sans trailer at #6 campsite at Cottonwood Campground!  

We spent the Fourth of July weekend at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop. Ralph had to replace water pump on the trailer and I treated the horses several times a day with leg wraps. A Flyball Dog Tournament was our entertainment for the weekend. I spent some time at Starbucks uploading the web page. We met Roger (who worked at the fairgrounds) and his friend, Linda L. who helped me with my horses. On Saturday, the Fourth, Ralph woke up very sick with a severe case of food poisoning. He was sick all day. William and I went and watched the dogs. What a riot Flyball is. Linda knew some packers in the High Sierra and talked to them about he other passes. Reluctantly, I decided to go on to Tuolumne Meadows rather than lose more time here. I would come back to ride Section H. Late Monday, everyone went including Ech, went to a ranch to ride the horses. William got a ride on Harmony and Ech went on his first trail ride. When we got to the creek the horses were reluctant but not Ech. He splashed around the edge and raced around it. He was having a great time and behaving well, coming when called and mostly sticking with me. William enjoyed the ride too. Ralph stayed at the Equestrian Center and talked. The following day we were headed to Tuoloumne. 

The rest of Section H is "To Be Continued. . . . "

Note: My horses were checked by a veterinarian and given A+ on both their physical condition and the healing condition of the cuts from the rocks. He said to me, "you did everything right." Whew! It is very hard to see your animals hurt through a choice you make, I was very thankful my choice was to turn back when I did. 

NEXT: Certifiably Crazy and Just Plain Sick!

 So many trails - So little time!

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