Got up early (thanks Pacific Time) and packed up our palatial car camping tent. Off of the BLM land and onto the NPS one.
Got gas around Lee Vining (European prices), then up to Tioga pass.

Entered the National Park and, for the meme, set foot on the PCT, which crosses the road at Tuolumne Meadows. Now we both have set foot on the three big trails; that surely must be worth a micro triple crown…

At Olmsted Point we got good views of Half Dome and the Sub Dome; things yet to come. Got a quick pic off of the road from Tenaya Lake, then on to the ranger station.

Got our backcountry permit at the ranger station, and drove to White Wolf, where our loop starts/ends. Put the extra food into the bear boxes there, then were on our way.

Feels good to be back on trail again! Not many people out there in the backcountry. Got to Ten Lakes after going up a gruelling pass (9650 ft, I’m very much feeling a whole life lived at basically sea level) and a steep descent. The views from up top are like nothing we’ve ever seen. The mountains on the horizon just get bigger and bigger, massive walls of granite. And in between them, always lurking, the PCT…

Down at the first of the lakes we set up tent at a stellar spot above the lake, ate dinner and filtered water. My water filter doesn’t work anymore apparently; time to write some hate mail in the general Sawyer direction (I’m a pretty consistent back flusher, come on). Not good news, but Turmeric’s filter does work just fine.

The tent spot made up for all the hard hiking today, and a balmy night at 9000 ft awaited. No trace of the freezing temperatures that have been on the forecast.