Day 79: Miller Lake - ⛺@ mile 977.7

Date: 25.06.2018 Miles hiked today: 17.9 miles Total Mileage: Mile 977.7 I'm still tired today and don't feel much better than yesterday. But also my motivation is rather low. I know today we shall hike two passes and I'm not looking forward to this. However, first there is a 4 miles of steep downhill hike before the first Pass comes up. I'm already sweating again, what's this? Stupid me, it's so humid out here that's why I do sweat much more! Also it's much hotter. I feel it's even hotter than in the desert! Specially with the humidity it feels that way because in the desert it was hot but dry air. We start the climb for the first Pass, Benson pass. It has sections with very steep uphill hikes and then some flat sections in between to recover. But it's a struggle for me! I nearly crawl up that last mile on all my fours! Finally up that pass all I need is a little break. But no chance, the moskitos won't let you take a minute of a break! I put on my moskito head net for the first time and run down the other side of the pass. While stopping at a creek to get some water I'm being attacked by moskitos again. It hell of sucks. That's the only way to describe it precisely. I don't fully fill up my bottle because I can't break there any longer. A little later I run into my new group, Wheezer and Zero. We pass a beautiful big lake, Smedberg Lake, and Whezzer wants to jump in. I kinda want to do so too, but there are so many bugs around that I just don't want to take any layers off and being eaten alive. So while Wheezer jumps into the water I cover myself and use the time for a little nap. Or better described as just lying horizontally while try to kill any moskito on my skin, hence not really relaxing! I don't know how Wheezer does it. As soon she comes out of the water she is completely covered by moskitos. No time for drying. Just get in your clothes and we hike on. Lunch time is coming up so we decided to hike as long until we find a moskito free place or at least only a few so we can eat. And only a couple of miles later we actually find this place! I quickly eat something and make sure to nap asap! Other hikers pass by and stopp for a little chat enjoying the moskito free zone too. I just relax and keep on napping trying to regain energy :) 1.5 hours later it's time to move on again. Down the Matterhorn Canyon (how cool is that?!) To the junction for the second pass of the day, Seavey Pass. Wheezer decides to hike a little side trip to jump in the supposingly warmest Lake in the Sierras. She doesn't wanna miss out on that. Zero is not sure if he shall jump into the lake too or rather hike on. I leave as I just wanna hike on and get that second pass done and eventually pitch my tent. Zero must have decided to hike on too cause he passes me shortly after I start with climbing the pass. He hikes on as I have to refill my water bottles at a river crossing. A minute or two after I took off a big deer stands right in front of me on the trail, only a few meters away from me. Bugger, my camera doesn't wanna work at that very moment. I did get a picture of the deer running away just to come back on the trail right behind me. I keep standing for a minute or two watching him and enjoying the moment. While hiking up the pass I walk across two park Rangers. I've already passed one yesterday. Yosemite national park is full of them, making sure you have a permit and carry a bear canister. And mostly park rangers are actually women, interestingly. Also Zero is there talking to them. We decides to hike on for 4 miles. It's mostly downhill now. But while hiking on we don't feel to still hike that long. It's getting late too and 4 miles means more than 1 hour of hiking. About 2 miles in we pass a big flat stony meadow, right next to a river and already a couple of tents are pitched there. So that's it, here we are staying too! I'm so glad actually. And the group camping there too is the one Flash belongs to. I pitch my tent, and jump into the river for a quick body wash, feeling much better already. Get my ramen noodles done and try to eat them without any moskito protein in it and straight in my tent. 10 hours till my alarm clock will wake me up tomorrow, that's heaven!