September 14th Kerrick Canyon to Cold Canyon

Another wondrous day with near perfect weather. Today's tale is of canyons and side canyons with their granite walls and towers, which continued the rollercoaster ride of yesterday. The trail runs down one side of the canyon wall on a long diagonal slant with occasional switchbacks until it reaches the creek crossing from where it runs back up the other side in a similar fashion. Up and down, into a canyon and out of a canyon. Repeat five times and throw in a 10,000 foot pass and you have the makings of a pretty interesting day. Lakelets and ponds are plentiful along the trail and on days like today, perfect mirrors for the surrounding landscape. Meadows can also be found, an especially large and lovely one on the west side of Benson Pass. A great wildlife sighting too. A doe and her two fawns, their white dots almost gone since their birth in the spring. Fortunate that I found a small, level spot of ground among some small pines in Cold Canyon as it was getting dark. Unfortunate that hiker hunger has kicked into overdrive. I'm absolutely ravenous. I'd eat everything right now, but must save something for breakfast and lunch tomorrow before I get to Tuolomne. Gobble. Snarf.

Deep Pools Midst Deep Canyons

Alpine Pond

Volunteer Peak as Seen From Benson Pass

27 Miles