Day 81: ⛺ @ mile 998.9 - Kennedy Meadows North

Date: 27.06.2018 Miles hiked today: 18 Miles Total Mileage: Mile 1'016.9 Jep jep we are going into town today! I'm so looking forward to this. It's always a moral buster to reach a place. Kennedy Meadows North is a resort. They have bunk beds or cabins to rent, showers, laundromat, a restaurant and a store. It's pretty remote so that's all that is but that's more than fine for us hikers. Its a 18 miles hike today and a long uphill hike to Sonora Pass but it doesn't look that steep anymore. Zero and me are on a good hiking speed, getting the miles in. Just a mile in we pass the 1000 mile marker! As from now on I've hiked more than Cheryl Strayed, the women from the movie Wild! As we hike down Dororthy Lake Pass we are still surrounded by trees and these beautiful Yosemite rocks. Reaching the valley the change in scenery is really dramatic. There is the last Yosemite rock and right next to that white rock is the brown mountain I guess as we will see now often hiking along northern California (NorCal). There is no slow change in scenery, it happens right next to each other! But I'm ready for a scenery change even so I'm kind of sad leaving yosemite behind me now. However, the last 3 days were hard and I hope for some less steep trails in NorCal and for some bigger mile days again. Hiking up Sonora Pass is absolutely beautiful. We actually all agree that Sonora Pass is one of the most beautiful Passes so far. The views are stunning. And there is snow again! We have to traverse some small snow fields but without any postholing. Additionally it's a little cooler again, making hiking much easier and nicer plus there are no moskitos! I totally love it! We are on top of the pass shortly after 12, only leaving about 3 miles left down to the trail head. I'm sooo much looking forward to a cold coca cola. I've never been drinking so many coca cola's as out here! They are so tasty! I turned on my phone as we are close to a street and see there, tons of messages keep coming in. I quickly drop a line to my mum to tell her I'm fine and move on. With music in my ears and enjoying the views i don't pay much attention to the trail. And suddenly the trails becomes unusually steep. Is that really the PCT? I check my location on the app. Im far off the PCT. What? How did that happen?! Oh man I missed a sharp turn to the left and kept on going straight. But now I didn't want to return anymore. There is a big steep snowfield infront of me, walking around It is not possible, too steep and rocky. I glissaded down and it was the best, longest and fastest glissading I've done so far. So much fun! But I barley couldn't stopp at the end and nearly scratched my ass on the rocks! Oh and what now? It's very steep all around me! How can I walk down here. I have a little panic attack, thinking of pressing my rescue bottom so a helicopter comes and picks me up from here but I can't really do this right?! So slowly and step by step I climb down the rocks. And I made it! I rejoin the PCT, really happy to be back on it and by doing so I cut off nearly 1.5 miles of the PCT trail. I don't wanted to do so but I'm not going back up now. And in 0.3 miles I'm at the trail head. I wonder where Zero is now. He left about 10 minutes before me on the top of the pass. Is he already down here, did he already get a hitch to Kennedy Meadows North or did I pass him? At the highway 108 I chat to some bikers and tourists. After about 10 minutes Zero hikes down, looking at me not understanding the world anymore! How is it possible that I'm here before him??! Haha I tell him the story and that face was worth it!! :) I've read there is some trail magic at the picnic area. The guy providing the trail magic is just packing up. He has served 99 hikers within 48 hours and has no trail magic left :( all he has left are 2 coca cola!! Ha, that's all I wanted! The trail provides! While Zero decided not to go to Kennedy Meadows North but head straight to South Lake Taho because he still has enough food I left to get a hitch. I heard it can be quite hard to get one so I was prepared to try it for a while. But it's my lucky day today and a car was about to leave loaded with hikers. I waived and runned down to the car. He waited for me and I jumped in and off we go. Kennedy Meadows South is a resort quite remote. But they offer cabins or dorms, showers, laundry, restaurant and a store. That's all what we hikers need. I got a bed sharing the room with 4 other hikers for 35 USD including shower and laundry. Feeling clean and refreshed again after that wonderful long shower im ready for food. I had company by Sebastian, an Austrian guy. We have met all along the trail. He has lost his group too and is now waiting for them. Also Flash and his group is here and some other known hiker faces. It's a really nice place here, reminds me a little of a Swiss alpine hut. I hope that Joanne and Giggles are turning up tomorrow. I will wait for them till the early afternoon tomorrow and otherwise hike out. But I'm pretty sure they are not that far behind me. 

Back to snow! I thought we left it behind but I'm enjoying it again!

Yeaha 1'000 miles!