August 2

Lower Vidette Meadow to (near) Twin Lakes –  20.9 miles

The day started and ended with climbs. First up was the climb to Glen Pass which had lingering snowfields which didn’t impede, but did add a nice challenge. Once over Glen Pass, Rae Lakes were inviting in the distance and were the objective for a short mid-day break. This leg of the trail promised to be busier than most since it’s part of the very popular Rae Lakes loop covering 41 miles of trail to and from Roads End in Kings Canyon NP, but severe damage to a bridge in Paradise Valley (on the loop) appeared to have limited the number of hikers in the area. The Rae Lakes area was lush with growth springing forth after the recently melted snow. I wished I could linger longer, but more miles needed to be covered.

After Rae Lakes the trail dropped down to Woods Creek at about 8,500’ only to then climb up to Pinchot pass at just over 12,000’. The bridge, a high, single-person suspension bridge, which twists and swings very easily is a signature feature of the trail in many blogs and videos, so it was fun to experience it in person. After crossing, it was a long slow climb up along Woods Creek with the sound of its rushing water a near constant backdrop. A rainstorm rolled in during the climb which on the one hand was refreshing on a long, often exposed climb, but it limited picture taking along the way. The trail was damaged in parts from the high volume of snow and melt, and even held the odd snowfield. As the trail leveled out a bit near Twin Lakes I found a nice spot off trail alongside a small stream to set up camp, poised for a short climb to Pinchot Pass in the morning. The miles, climbs, rain and mosquitos had me quick to bed this evening.