August 1

Wallace Creek to Lower Vidette Meadow – 13.5 miles

The day’s big objective was crossing Forester Pass, the highest point on the PCT (and JMT aside from Mt Whitney). I’d seen a lot of pictures and reports of snow on the pass, so I’d set my mileage expectation at a moderate level for the day, prepared for a slow crossing. Between Wallace Creek and Tyndall Creek, which is at the base of the climb up to Forester Pass, is Bighorn Plateau, one of the highlights of the trail for me. It’s a starkly beautiful expanse with vast views in all directions. It’s oddly barren, yet surrounded by meadows and forests.

After crossing the plateau, the trail drops to Tyndall Creek before climbing steadily to Forester Pass. There were several snowfields to cross higher up on the trail to the pass, and route finding was sometimes needed to find open trail after the snowfields, but it was largely straightforward up this iconic pass. I’d planned to take a selfie at each summit and pass, but forgot on this occasion as I was both taking in the views and contemplating a longish snowfield traverse heading down off the pass to the north.

After a snack and a few pictures, including of a particularly aggressive marmot seeking food from resting hikers, I headed down the snowfield/s. Since I was carrying microspikes I used them for better traction on the traverse, but like most snowfields later on the trek it was soft enough to get traction, but not so soft that you sank down or postholed. The remainder of the day was a downhill run to Vidette Meadow; dropping over 3,500’. I found a nice spot to camp just off the JMT on Bubbs Creek Trail alongside the creek, and had enough time to wash up and relax for a longer day to come.