248/365: John Muir Sidewalk.

Monday the 2nd, 15th day. Longish day up to Muir Pass. Got a late start after having to wake up to kill an awesome night lapse, Milky Way streaking across the sky. Mosquitoes descended and we bolted out on a nice gradual rise until sharp, steep climb to secondary Evolution Flats, Evolution Lake, etc. Scenery flat-out amazing...

Ate a lot today trying to shrink the food weight. Breaked at Evolution Lake, then again at Wanda Lake, where we saw a few frogs, in that cold cold water! Crazy to think how he survives over winter...Could see Muir Hut from our lunch spot on Wanda, but thought it might be a boulder...

Hiking alongside Wanda Lake, with Muir Pass and Muir Hut in the distance. You can see why we couldn't decide if it was the hut or a boulder until we got closer. Click to view larger, and also, see the sensor gunk that I left on this pic to show you what can happen when you hike a month with the 5Dmk2. Been working the clone stamp and healing brush to death!

Nice long climb up to the pass, getting a little dizzy and light-headed as the elevation and sun worked on us. Muir Hut was cool, good window light, and then down just a few hundred feet to an alpine camping spot near Helen Lake, next to one of Helen's small upper ponds.

                             Brad and Julie rest inside Muir Hut.                                                                                  Nice Window light on Bri from inside the hut.

Jumped in while the sun was still above the ridgeline, seemed a bit crazy to walk through snow to go swimming...but we managed a minute or two. Getting cold now that the sun has passed, should be good stars tonight!

-llg