PCT day 32 - mile 693 to mile 702 (Kennedy Meadows)

"I don't support lightweight hikers, when the push comes to shout they are the first ones that need to be rescued" (Austrian) Salty.

Today can be classified as a nero day, I hiked nine remaining miles to Kennedy Meadows and decided to stay here to sort out few things before heading into high Sierra Nevada mountains tomorrow.. and drink some beers as well.

Kennedy Meadows marks a place where the desert section of the PCT officialy ends and where the 'real' mountains begin. First of all it is required by law to pick up a bear canister here, it's a container in which you have to store all your food (away from your tent at night) for the next 350 miles to make sure bears won't steal it from you. Rangers do checks on backpacks and if you fail to obey that rule, your hike through Sierras is over.

Next two things you are suppose to pick up here are micro-spikes and ice axe. They are both recommended but conditional, considering it's a low snow year at the Sierras and after consulting few people I decided to only get micro-spikes (you put them over you shoes, they work like winter chains on car tires) and I didn't get the ice axe. Reason being the above 'low snow year' but also to use ice axe you need to know how to self arrest, otherwise you just going to hurt yourself even further.

Resupply situation from here on gets tricky as you have to get down from the mountains through few available passes which takes sometimes up to an extra day so you have to calculate your food really well from now on. Good news is the desert water issues are gone, there's so many streams and river crossings from now on that people (including myself) are actually reducing their water carry to ease increased food weight.

With all this in mind I arrived at Kennedy Meadows around 10am, got a hitch from a General Store to Triple Crown Outfitters where I picked up new shoes, bear canister and micro-spikes. Shop is run by Yogi, a triple-triple crown achiever (first female to ever get it) a legend of the trail, her shop was really well stocked and the prices fair. After picking it all up, I went to a neighbouring Grumpy Bears Retreat offering free showers and laundry service for hikers, while doing both of the above (multitasking is one of the things you learn real quick here) I recharged my phone, had a beer and a burger and picked up few things from the hiker box. I also did my backpack shakedown, dropping couple of items I've been not using back to the hiker box.

After that I made a decision to return to General Store area which was offering free camping (Grumpy Bears did too) as it was closer to the trail, and since I want to head out tomorrow morning it leaves me with more flexibility to do so.

I met some old faces when I got lift back, Salty from Austria, Happy from Germany and Field Trip family also managed to arrive here few hours ago! I spend some time eating and drinking with them talking about the difficult section ahead. Place got really busy and there must be around 50 people camping with us behind General Store tonight.

It was a productive day, I got quite drunk along the way too. A win win situation.

Yogi at the Triple Crown Outfitters:
hiker box:
fitting food into the canister:
(Austrian) Salty:

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