June 30th Retreat from Coney Basin to PCT Camp

Late Season Storm

I was sleeping quite peacefully until I was yanked back to consciousness by a few drops of rain on my face. With nothing else I could do, I just threw the tarptent over me hoping it would keep me sufficiently dry, which seemed to do the trick as the rain was both light and intermittent. Woke at 5 a.m. and discovered that a cold front must have moved in at night. I'd call it snow, but it was more like ice crystals falling all around. I was determined to get back across the snowfields to Hopkins Pass by noon, after all, I had come this way before. Only difference was that coming across was on a sunny day in the afternoon when the snow was soft. Now it was morning with freezing temperatures and the snow was frozen solid. The advantage to this was that those places where the footprints remained were pretty solid. The disadvantage was where the footprints were no longer present it was difficult to kick in toe holds and really slick and icy, which made me nervous. I made good time though and before I knew it I was again at the highest PCT point in the Cascades just above Hopkins Lake. A panoramic view of mountain peaks topped with snow spread all around me. The trees and bushes were coated with a fine white crystal powder. Rarified air! My last obstacle was trying to get past Devil's Stairway, Devil's Ice Chute more aptly called at this time of year as there were no stairs to be seen. Had to slide or crawl from treewell to treewell grabbing on to branches along the way before dropping onto an exposed part of the trail below. A huge sigh of relief! Heading to Hopkins Pass, I hadn't remembered how much snow there was to cross. Wow! Made it to the pass just before noon and enjoyed a hearty meal of string cheese, thinly sliced sausage and tortillas. All down hill from there, literally, until the PCT camp near Monument 78. Decided to camp here despite all of the mosquitoes since it has all the backwoods amenities- pit toilet, bear box, and wooden log benches next to a rushing creek. Shortly after making camp, I was surprised to look up and see a hiker crossing the bridge into camp. The first person I had seen in almost three days. He was on his way to overnight on the shores of Hopkins Lake, not thru-hike the PCT. When gone, I decided to wash up. Standing buck-naked in a chilly creek fresh with snowmelt is an invigorating and humbling experience. The hardest part is splashing water up on to your chest and back. Brrr! I'll reach Manning tomorrow.