6/12/20, mile: 767, elevation: 10,643 ft.
I finally slept warm and well, so I felt quite rested when I woke up. The light filtering through the trees on the morning walk was fabulous and I didn’t want it to end. And after the creek crossing, the trail marched uphill for what felt like forever. Damn was this hard. My speed dropped, I took lots of breaks, and just didn’t enjoy that portion. Thankfully today was another short day, so I didn’t feel the pressure to make miles. When I got the meadow where the first trail peels off to Crabtree Meadows (Whitney base camp), the views were freakin’ awesome. The pictures just don’t do it justice. I stayed on the PCT and continued northbound to take the second trail to Crabtree, which also included more hills. Good lord this pack is heavy.
Once I finally get there, I’m blown away by the number of bodies at the camp site. Easily 15 hikers and their tents, and I even know some of them. Midnight Rider and Dirt are just returning from their summit push, Aussie and Sherlock whom I met on my first night out of Kennedy Meadows, and a bunch of new faces. This place is constantly busy; people prepping for their summit climb, resting from their climb, or getting ready to leave. A group of us gathered together in the grassy area to chit chat and cook our dinners and to talk about the conditions and plans. Knowing we have an early departure, the group of us heading up tomorrow try to go to bed early
Savior out.