Miles: 987.3 to 1017.7

Mileage: 30.4

Day: 59

When we woke up, mosquitoes were already surrounding our tent. We made a mad dash for the deet but even then the swarm wouldn’t leave.

Under another blue, sunny day we started off with a ford. After that, the trail slowly went up 1,500 feet to Dorothy Lake Pass. To get to the pass we walked around multiple meadows, all teeming with mosquitoes and overflowing with snow melt.

At the pass was the Yosemite National Park border. The trail was appropriately flooded.

 

 
And then, almost like magic, the mosquitoes were gone. Sure, there were a few floating past, but they went by without the keen aggression and homing instinct of the Yosemite breeds.

Around 4 p.m. we came to a point in the trail where we had to make a decision. Do we stop for the day at 20 miles or do we put in another ten? Between the two points there would be no where to camp or get water. But to hike another ten miles would mean hiking until at least 8:30 p.m. 

We decided to go for it. 

 

 
Starting up the ridge, we quickly hit tree line and the wind picked up. The trail turned from dirt to gravel and it would slip out from under your feet at the right incline.

Also, the trail flip flopped over the ridge line multiple times, but somehow the wind figured out how to flip with us. We never seemed to get away from it.

The northern slope of the ridge was snow covered and by the time we hit it, it was hardened. Sometimes it was ice. It made traveling slow and slippery. 

After careful hiking we made it down in the last moments of light. 

Richard made dinner and I set up the tent on a less-than-ideal spot. We slept so well.