- Start Point: Whitney Portal Trailhead, CA
- End Point: Eugene, OR
- Total Distance: 698 miles
- Starting/Ending Elevation: 8,374′ to 430′
May 20, 2021
I’d just made it back to my car at Whitney Portal when I left off yesterday. I was tired, sore, and feeling a sick from all the vertical elevation change on my body. But, I was also glad I’d achieved what I’d set out to do.
I hiked to the summit of Mt. Whitney! I stood on the highest mountain in the lower 48 at 14,505′ elevation. And I’d done it within 72 hours of leaving my home in Eugene, Oregon (which sits at a mere 403 feet above sea level!).
While a myriad of feelings rushed over me, I knew I had to get a move on. It was after 5pm and I still had to drive up to Bishop, where I’d return my bear canister rental at the gear shop and relax in a comfy hotel bed.
On the way back down to Lone Pine, I was mostly lost in thought until I saw I hiker with a full pack walking on the shoulder of the asphalt. I pulled over and offered him a ride into town and learned that he was another PCT thru-hiker – just like the four I’d met yesterday.
However, this dude was a bit more prudent than the guys heading back out to the trailhead. He’d heard about the inbound storm heading toward the Sierras and decided to pull off the trail at Cottonwood Pass and make his way down to Lone Pine to wait it out.
Over the past 24 hours, the weather forecast was becoming more and more serious. Not only was there an almost certainty of snow, but the temperatures were expected to drop down into the single digits up in the mountains.
I could attest that the edge of the storm was definitely intense up there. The wind ripping though my thin wool gloves was brutal. And I suspect most thru-hikers aren’t carrying much warmer gear than I had.
There’s always fine line to balance on a long-distance hike. On one hand, you desperately want to ditch your heavier gear so you can lower your base weight and be more comfortable. On the other hand, going too light can make you miserable when adverse conditions roll in and you don’t have the gear to keep you warm or dry.
This guy definitely had the right idea in protecting himself, in my opinion. The trail will still be there to hike tomorrow or in a few days, whereas frostbite is forever.
After dropping him off in Lone Pine, it was time to drive 60 miles north to Bishop, CA – where I knew a few luxuries would await me. In addition to booking myself a hotel room, I planned to stop at Mountain Rambler Brewery for dinner and a celebratory pint.
Luckily, I had the wherewithal to order myself a Picture Puzzle session ale with a 4.4% ABV instead of my typical choice (the Casa Diablo DIPA at 9.6% ABV!). As it was, a mere half pint of that “ultra-lightweight” beer had me buzzing thanks to the high-altitude effects still lingering on my body.
The it was off to bed to try for a good night’s sleep while all the muscles in my legs and back continued to cramp up on me. Thank goodness for a soft mattress.
When I woke up early this morning, I knew I had a super long drive to get home. It was 625 miles from Bishop to Eugene, and the weather forecast had turned nasty. The storm was fully in the Sierras and Cascades now, and several towns were already getting snow.
After a quick breakfast stop at Erick Schat’s Bakkery – which should be a mandatory stop for anyone going through Bishop – I was back on the road again, and spent the rest of the day dodging snow and sleet.
I was even pelted with small hail just south of Carson City, Nevada, before navigating hills completely covered with a several inches of snow up in Susanville, California. And on to more snow as I made my way through the Modoc National Forest.
But, the worst though was yet to come.
I still needed to cross over from the east side of the mountain ranges to the west side. I’d decided to save this challenge until I got closer to home though. The Cascades are lower in elevation than the Sierras, and my plan was to take Highway 58 (just north of Chemult, Oregon) to get over the mountains.
As I passed Crescent Lake, the slush turned to snow, which got heavier and heavier. I could barely see out my windshield and had to slow my car down to 20 mph to safely navigate the turns on the unplowed road.
As I passed the crest near Odell Lake – where the PCT crosses the highway – I could barely see out my windshield with the wipers moving at their fastest speed! Banks of snow lined the highway shoulder now!
Hold heck this was wild! Oregon doesn’t typically get heavy snow this late into May. Three days ago, the skies were clear and only the high mountains like Diamond Peak still had snow!
The bad weather slowed my return home by an extra hour (at least), so I didn’t make it back to Eugene until well after dark. It was a long, long day of sitting in the car as the muscles in my calves fiercely ached from everything I’d put them through on my hike.
But, this was a memorable end to a thrilling adventure.