Day 12: Mather Pass
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Forward to Day 13
Shortly after going to bed last night, some precipitation started to fall on the tent. I assumed it was rain at first, but Ian peeked outside and said it was actually sleet falling (or very tiny hail). When we woke up in the morning, there were still piles of the stuff around the tent.
When we started out this morning, we were all a bit cold and put on a few layers of clothing. After about half a mile, the trees cleared away and we had to shed some of the excess clothing.
On the switchbacks up to the Palisade Lakes
Elevensies by the Palisade Lakes
The Palisade Lakes from above
At the top of Mather Pass
This is the worst kind of trail on the JMT, and we encountered it several times. Big, awkward rocks that move in unexpected ways when you step on them, which makes it all too easy to twist an ankle. And poles are nearly impossible to use because they get stuck easily in the cracks.
The wind at the top of the pass was pretty calm, but picked up as we walked down, keeping us pretty cold.
We camped just before the switchbacks up to Bench Lake. We went off-trail towards the south for a bit, and found a campsite that was just under 10,000 ft that had a legitimate campfire ring. We were right next to the South Fork Kings River, which had a lovely place to filter water.
Final Tally:
13 miles
3100 ft up, 2100 ft down
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Forward to Day 13
