44. PCT 2024 NoBo, mile 923 – 933, Island Pass, Donahue Pass, June 16

44. PCT 2024 NoBo, mile 923 – 933, Island Pass, Donahue Pass, June 16

so that’s the way I came from yesterday and down there can’t really see it well was my campsite it was a good campsite now I’ve got 2 and 1/2 of uphill over Highland Pass 7 and 1/2 to get over Donahue pass then it’s three and a half of down and then 9 miles of flat to the trail head I’m not saying I’m doing all that today but that’s what I got in front of me getting ready to come up on Thousand Island lakes and I knew I was going to see snow today so I put on some those seal skins that I found those are the high dollar socks and I’m going to see if they do any better than the full Shields that I normally wear but more importantly really made my day just had the picture hikers coming the other direction and the one guy when he saw me said dude I watch you on YouTube and he had been following my videos from the very beginning of the PCT and I don’t know I know I’m not famous and this is a small Channel but it really made my day that’s where the Middle Fork of the San haqin comes out of Thousand Island Lake I’m sure I’ll get a better shot later [Music] [Music] coming up a couple switchbacks right over here and this pass is going to be very gradual so pretty soon the Trail’s going to level off and if it isn’t for the mark on the map might not know that I’ve gone over a pass [Music] and I think I’m going to get a really good view of all the islands in Thousand Island [Music] [Music] Lake e [Music] [Music] had a little bit of snow doesn’t look too bad the way I’m going one mile from the spot marked as the pass going that way in that mile I am going to go up 100 ft 100t in a mile it’s hardly even worth calling uphill so I’m looking forward to it I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to test out these socks very well I found a spot with water and mud underneath it and let me drop through I’m just about over the pass as you can see it’s not very p-like no complaints for me by the way I am okay with this this is a spot on the map marked as being the pass where it starts going downhill and so I stopped and I’m going to eat a little bit bit of lunch if I didn’t mention it I bought a pound of meat stick ends and pieces at the uh Grocery Outlet then I just brought a pound of cheese about halfway through it so now I was like about a mile of downhill I’m at 10.5 now and I’ll get down like 9200t 9800 foot maybe and then it’s up to Donahue pass coming down uh been quite a bit more snow a little bit slippier and a little bit post Holier but hopefully it’s going to stop here pretty [Music] quick coming from up there and on this pass I didn’t have the dramatic here’s the old view here’s the new view here I can see a little bit of the new view didn’t look to see where Donahue pass is but I’m sure I’ll be able to point it out whenever I get closer just took a little break under that tree to drink some water that’s uh what about 2T deep pretty much at the bot bottom of the downhill and still see patches of snow in about a/4 mile I think I’ll start the big uphill so this is where all the pine needles I’m supposed to be walking on getting washed down the [Music] streams so I’m coming from over there and now it’s time to go up about 14 150 ft in 3 and 1/2 miles going up that way going up Big Creek right over here actually I’m going to go over there and see if I can get a good shot of that coming up from down there kind of steep but I got all day to make it up there coming up from down there lot of water in the area and it’s not too steep right now for the next mile and then I’m going to get over there going to go around that corner Corner it’ll be that last mile will be pretty steep still something to be up here um think I’m already above the uh elevation that Island pass was so going to get up I think uh donu pass might be the last one over 11k P should be either right there or the one just over there to the around that corner or hell maybe even that one maybe I should look at the map before I start shooting video well there’s a part of the trail uh these snow field snow patches whatever makes it hard to stay on it it seems like plenty of area without snow but the part with the trail still has it going to go around and then over there make a sharp left and go up over the pass I am glad I wore the water proof Socks today they have been handy feet are cold but they’re dry and cold well that’s the pass I’m afraid that I won’t be able to see this view if I wait till I get up there huh as it is looks like half of it secured by this rock anyway anyway last chance at this View all right let’s get over and see what’s on the other side going that way that’s ymed Valley here’s the view that’s donu pass of course a bunch of [Music] snow all right pretty sure I’m heading down this way and I’ll figure it out walk right out on it they person just sat there like maybe I couldn’t see it looks delicious doesn’t it if you’ll be able to see it but I’m on the trail I’m looking at the map somewhere over here it’s going to cut over and I can barely make it out right over there anyway I’m going to get over to that side it doesn’t look like snows too bad now I’ll go down to the valley well I’m making my way over and I’m having some slushy snow but you know what I say about going downhill in slushy snow easier than going uphill [Music] let me get another shot of this Valley and that Lake from above at a different angle cuz at the beginning of my big downhill got a little 60t climb a lot of it in slushy snow good thing I’m not one to complain anyway I think I’m going to go up there and then switch back and then go downhill again [Music] [Music] and if it’s not already that will be the Talam River and I’m going to be going down this side and my shoes are going to be wet whenever I make Camp I’m sure of it [Music] came down from up there now I’m in the Valley but I still think I have a lot of downhill to go so several of these streams called LEL Fork I’m going to get to try to cross on those along the lines of what I was talking about I think I could camp here the water’s way over there see another spot there but it’s 5:00 I figure I can go a couple more miles hopefully if there’s T fights they won’t already have hikers in them I’m about 11 miles from where the trail crosses the road first paved Road has crossed since Kennedy Meadows and I’ll uh try to Hitch into town get stuff done upload videos I had kind of thought or hoped I was past the uh snow hiding switchbacks but I already had it up there coming down there and then the trail I think switches back somehow maybe that’s it over there anyway this is what the hike looks like so I changed my mind I did not do two more miles I said let me find a good T tent spot without people in it and I’m stopping cuz I think I’m getting a little cranky 10 Mi to the road tomorrow downhill these T sites are 100t away from water in the trail I’m going to Camp there

I had a nice relaxed morning. Got going up, and up. I don’t like slushy snow, but it was just the morning. I was recognized by a viewer! This made my day.
Snow continued downhill. No worries, I’m going downhill.
Started up for Donahue Pass. Not big miles, bit the elevation gain + snow coverage slowed me down. It would be a problem if I was worried about the number of miles I did.
2 passes, and now I’m less than a half days walk to a road.

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