Day Five: Sunday, June 29, 2014

Upper Rae Lake to 60-Lake Basin, back to Rae Lake to collect gear, Hike North past Dollar Lake to creek crossing in the woods. 5.5 miles along PCT, about 5 miles in 60-Lakes Basin = 10.5 miles total. Approx 800’ elevation gain today. Slept at 9046’ elevation.

I awoke at my usual 5:15am, but this time did not get up for an early trail-start. Instead I took my wool arm-warmers and covered my eyes and went back to sleep for two hours! I got up, put my sleeping bag out to air, laid the tent out to dry off any condensation, and had my usual breakfast of cereal with hot water added (makes a sort of mush) and hot coffee (Starbucks Via with ¼ cup instant whole-fat powdered milk added with some stevia powder). It’s always nourishing and filling, and gets me ready for the day.

I packed up my tent and gear and stacked them in a pile, and left the still-damp clothes out to dry on the pine tree after turning them to face the sun. My intention was to walk to the spectacular 60-Lakes Basin for a day hike today, then back to collect my gear later to continue hiking north on the PCT. I donned a pair of damp socks from the pine tree, the shorts and tank-top, threw some lunch (complete with my second cup of Starbuck’s Via Coffee and instant milk, per usual), and off I went.

Passing the trail marker for 60-Lakes basin I put a note I wrote this morning for Pillsbury under a rock. She told me that PCT hikers leave each other notes this way, and that she’s never gotten one. So I decided to surprise her! I wrote that I would do a day hike and return for my gear, hoping to camp at Dollar Lake where she might find me later, assuming she would be the fast hiker that she I anticipated, given her experience and pace. I was looking forward to this day alone.

On the trail up to 60-Lakes I passed 3 women coming down who joked, “Don’t go up there alone! The mosquitoes will carry you away and nobody will know you are missing!” Then 15 minutes later another man coming down said, “Mosquitoes are BAD! That’s why I am filtering my water as I walk!”

Funny, I think, nothing can stop my joy, and I just keep climbing the trail. Per usual, a devotional chant is looping in my brain, this time to the Feminine aspect of God, whom we call Divine Mother. I marvel at her conscious joy and peace in nature. I recall, too, Master’s words that mosquitoes are manifestations of our negative thoughts. It’s not that I never get bit by them, but I don’t seem to be so bothered as much as others complain to be. The bugs live here, I am a visitor, and I always just put on my headnet if they get really bad. So what’s to worry about?

Clothes drying on hiking poles

I continue hiking after the little trail runs out, and then find myself at a remote small lake. I remove my clothes again. Like heck, why not? Nobody here but me, and another good rinse will make my clothes smell fresher longer. I do the water-agitation thing to them again and hang them on my pole handles to dry. I set up my little altar in the grass facing the lake and sat there in my undies, meditating in the golden silence of this beautiful, serene high-alpine meadow. So peaceful. Such joy. Such Divine Presence. An hour goes by in an instant, and I realize my tummy feels a bit warm so I move to a shaded area under a tiny alpine tree to read my book about women saints of India, and to enjoy my simple lunch. Never a moment of stress or worry here, just compete oneness with That Which Is.

Altar in the grass

After my bath

My swimming lake

I decided finally to walk back to Rae Lake, never having seen anyone up here except those people laving in the early day, and never being bothered by mosquitoes, either. I got dressed and started back. Passing a particularly stunning lake again, I just couldn’t resist. It CALLS to me! I go down to the lakeside from the trail, about 20’, take off all my clothes again, and swim around. Ok, not a great idea if people would be hiking by, but it seems pretty remote and quiet. Sure enough, I still never see anyone until I return to Rae Lake later in the afternoon. My swimming communion with the lake was divine and rejuvenating.

My second swimming lake, wide view

Looking back at Painted Lade from Middle Rae Lake as I hike North

Upon returning to Rae Lake I collected my gear and re-packed my pack. I started hiking north again on the PCT, thinking that Ms. fast Pillsbury might catch me by that evening. I walked a bit, then took a break and a snack on an overlook at Middle Rae Lake. I resumed hiking, and watched the sun reflect off the stream runoff from Arrow Lake as I passed. Once arriving at Dollar Lake, my intended place to sleep for the night, there was either a lot of wind (no mosquitoes then, because they can’t fly in it), or the wind would die down and the mosquitoes would be back. I wrote in my journal for a while, checking the bug vs mosquito conditions. After an hour, at perhaps 6pm, I decided to leave another note for Pillsbury that I had been here at Dollar Lake (because I left a note that I would be here), and left it again under a rock near the trail junction marker. I continued my trek north, thinking I would find a less buggy place, thinking I would sleep somewhere near the creek I saw leaving the lake.

Dollar Lake

As I turned out, however, this entire area had rocks;  all rocks; rocks everywhere! Like they grew like grass. No place to put a tent for well over a mile. Getting to a meadow lower in elevation made the mosquitoes even worse. Ok, now I’ve discovered a place where they will carry you away! I hike on. I cross a creek and lose my footing, dunking one foot in so that I now get to hike with a wet foot and sock for the rest of the evening.

Creek Crossing at Dollar Lake runoff 

Painted Lady again from farther away

Finally finding a decent camping place in another small meadow by a creek crossing and I stop here, erect my tent in an area that will allow for Pillsbury’s tent, too (should she make it this far tonight, though it was getting quite late), make dinner in full mosquito-protection regalia including gloves, clean up camp, brush teeth, button down the bear canister, and get myself quickly into my tent. No extra time for lollying….it’s dark now. I’m happy, a little tired, and the mosquitoes buzz outside my tent with obvious appetite. I’m thankful now for that netting! I’m feeling strong of body and deeply moved by the endless beauty. How can it get better and better, more beautiful, and more expansive each day?

How stupid of me to have sat out earlier today in the alpine sunshine with my tummy exposed. I’d already put sunscreen in the usual places, slathered on legs, arms, neck, nose, face, hands. I’m turning an impressive bronze color already. But my tummy hurts from the exposure and is bright lobster red, sore to touch, sore to synch-tight the backpack waist belt. Duh.

Camp kitchen

Physical Inventory: split skin and two blisters on the right thumb, blister below the ring on the right index finger (also from the use of hiking poles), burned tummy, burned strip on my shoulder that is now red and raw and I must be careful as to how I put the backpack shoulder strap on, blister on the left thumb, chapped and throbbing lips, burned top of the ears so that laying on them at night is annoying, missing tooth which makes my jaw on the left side tired of doing all the work, lots of mosquito bites – especially on the backs of my arms so that I look welted, and sun over-exposure swelling dots (which are not sunburns) on the thighs of each leg because they face up to the sun so much.

Mosquitoes! I don't look happy! Hahaha!

Mental and Spiritual Inventory: I am so full of joy I feel as though me as a vessel is too small to hold it. I chant the name of God in devotional song much of the day in my head, sometimes out loud with poles raised high as I hike. Beauty is all around me, reminding me of the endless Aum, and the all-pervading love of the Divine. I merely touch the hem of divine Bliss, but it is so all around me.

It’s dark now and hikers are still passing my tent, onward, onward. For one of the country’s most well-known trails there are still relatively few hikers, and generally I only see 5-10 people a day. Of course at this point in the trail it is days and many miles to any out-trail, so the only hikers in these remote places are the occasional PCT straggler at the back of the pack (since the main wave has already gone by some 2-3 weeks ago) and the section hikers like me. It is blissfully quiet out here.