Sunshine, sunflowers and natures best

Greetings from Mammoth Lakes, California!

Mark and I got into yesterday after spending yet another 6 days in the gorgeous High Sierra Mountains. Surprisingly, this leg went very smoothly (once we got up and out of Independence), with lots of great photos, people, and stories. Our first night we camped at one of the Rae Lakes past Glen Pass (which probably means nothing to you guys, but it was absolutely incredible.) A tiny strip of land separates Upper and Middle Rae Lake, and we camped smack in the middle. Two lakes mirroring the surrounding mountains, pine trees, and tons of fish jumping out of the water to catch their evening meal - so cool!

Muir Hut, a sanctuary on top of Muir Pass in case of bad weather.

Finding a zen moment after an early morning summit.

A few days in, a section of the PCT runs through a burned out part of forest, which "reminded me of Candyland and other happy childhood board games. I felt like I was in a video game, but my only villains were mosquitoes and myself." It's a constant internal battle to connect with all the beauty around you, and just recently I feel like I have successfully made that connection. It's incredible how much your perspective and relationships change when submerged in nature for so long! For the first time in my hiking history, I ascended over 1,000 feet and my heart rate didn't go up one bit. Now that's fitness!

Mark has a thing for waterfalls - so much of a thing that we have close to 50 pictures of different waterfalls along the trail (just in the past week). Some of the most impressive were in the beautiful Evolution Valley after Muir Pass, named after John Muir the pioneer of the Sierras. With all these great waterfalls come great river crossings - after all, what goes up must come down! In Evolution, was the much anticipated Evolution Creek and Bear Creek crossing, where is was required to get our feet (and knees and thighs) wet because there were no fallen trees or rocks to cross over! Refreshing in the afternoon, not so much at 6 am... Also, we have had the pleasure of walking through three wild sunflower fields, surrounded by redwood trees - OH MY GOSH.

The infamous Evolution Creek!

One last story: We ran into Andy, owner of Davison Street Guest House in Mammoth, and he gave us directions to a local secret, the Iva Bell Hot Springs about 12 miles from Reds Meadow (where we catch a ride into Mammoth). This involved taking a very overgrown alternate route through a mosquito ridden valley, over a ridge, and up several hundred feet on a deer path. Sketchy as this may all seem, we got there and the results were incredible. Six of natures best natural hot springs cascade down the mountainside full of minerals and perfectly warm water. Our last night out before town was spent here, at the highest hot spring soaking with some locals and absorbing a magical sunset through the valley below - so worth the few extra miles and mosquito bites!

Doesn't do it justice - Iva Bell Hot Springs

Rainbow Falls in Reds Meadow, Mammoth Lakes

People we met: Stats, great guy from back east. Heading off the trail soon to go back home to his wife and dogs. Lint, trail guru and professional thru-hiker. Resides in Portland with his girlfriend and has over 20,000 trail miles! Lodgepole and Mr. W (can't remember his name...), cool couple from the Midwest. Shared a snack with them and Andy on top of Silver Pass! Snort and Snowpac, sisters doing the John Muir Trail. Hopefully will get to hike with them one day! Unicroc and Scat Tracker, married couple doing the PCT. Originally met them in Independence - ate Subway and met up in Mammoth! 

Love always and more to come,

-Stink Bug and No Knees

Hitchhiking at its finest