12th June

Going to be a big climb today and I was felling a little testy. So i slung on my pack and headed out before the other guys nothing that they would quickly overhaul me.i plodded on through the forest but the snowy topped switchbacks looked down on me.i was in my own world when I came face to face with a deer. I am not sure who was the most surprised me or the deer! .On I plodded then arrived at the first switchback it wasn’t that steep but it was long and surprisingly wide up and up then I heard the tap tap of Smokes sticks behind me  Da vinchi and nobodies friend were much further behind.

Higher and higher then the snow I made a mistake of going hi but then lost the trail and had to slide down to get back on .by this time Smokes was in the groove and motoring up the mountain …just how does he do it..I knew I was going to be slow today.
Eventually the other two caught me so I fell in behind  up and up we went .towards this peak was s large overhang of snow that we had to climb up it was slightly scary but it needed to be done.once up it was a bloody OMG MOMENT the views were stunning but this wasn’t the top lots more to do.i waded through the snow to catch the others but had to keep stopping to take more pictures. The trail then turned to gravel which was slippy so I couldn’t go fast and watched the other disappearing  over
Another saddle . Eventually I caught up .but the views up hete were amazing  just wow.we were now heading down the other side and the snow was deep and treacherous. I didn’t like some of the traverses as if you slipped it was a long fall and would be very painful. So slow was safe and safe was slow. I had to do about a dozen of these..At last lunch.we sat on a scree just admiring the amazing views. As we sat Grapenut came by we has now poles and walks over the snow like a mountain goat how does he do that.

Onward to Kennedy meadows.  Because I kept taking photos smokes and nobodies friend were heading off into the distance. Davinchi was taking photos too so we walked together  then completely lost the trail there was another huge ice sheet but no footprints where did they go?
We climbed higher as once above its easier to see the trail. There it is we carefully inched our way down as it was do slippy. We then pressed on  as the trail was going down .Again I stopped to take pictures then lost sight of Davinchi. He’ll he must be moving I peered down the valley no sign of anyone ..Oh well I thought I meet them at the road. Which I could see in the distance.  On I presses to I came to another snow wall it wasn’t too steep so I glisaded down and down at last I found myself in the valley and walked to the road.No sign of anyone  bugger lucky buggers must of got a quick hitch.But thought that they may of waited for me.
I stood on the road and put out my thumb a white pickup stopped and I threw my pack into the back. Steve was retired and was doing errands

He dropped me off at Kennedy meadows Store.No sign of the guy’s? !)  How weird  so I dropped my pack brought a tub of ice cream and a six pack and sat on the porch.
I was digging in to my ice cream when  I heard Smokes voice ” snails here and he’s drinking beer”.It seems I took a short cut off of Sonora pass and they were waiting for me on the correct trail. So we laughed then went to have lunch cheese Burgers all round .They weren’t the best but it was food. The Internet was also  lousy so couldn’t update my blog or do anything that I wanted grrr
But yeas got rid of my bear canister it’s mailed back to Kennedy meadows south. Then had a lovely shower mmmm that’s So good then we just chilled re organised our packs and ordered more beer it was just a chilled out day .we had arranged a ride back to the trail head at five so we just relaxed.Kennedy meadows was a real friendly place every one chatted and we’re interested in our walk.
Just before our ride smokes suggested we check out the saloon for a jamesons and beer well how could I refuse. Then our ride appeared we put our packs in the back and set off for the trail head. There at the Trailhead were several picnic tables and drop toilet so that’s were we camped. Both Da vinchi and smokes had brought some fire starter whisky so we warmed our tummies chatted about the day   then all turned in