We felt sore, but optimistic after yesterday's strong effort.
The day's itinerary was unknown, as we had yet to decide the final trip itinerary.
I was leaning toward heading into Rae Lakes Basin, which would extend the trip by a day.
However, we were tired and running low on food, so we eventually decided to leave the
JMT and exit to Roads End via Paradise Valley.
Upper Basin is a pleasant hike through the widest, most open valley of the trip.
Stream crossings were frequent but not wet as they had been east of Muir Pass (we brought sandals for wading),
surprising given that it was August.
I had never had much trouble in the Sierra this time of year, but 2004-5 was a big snow year.
After descending into the upper reaches of the South Fork Kings River, the JMT
climbs steeply toward Lake Marjorie and Pinchot Pass.
Lake Marjorie is gorgeous--deep, with a good-looking fish population.
The peaks here are somewhat rotten compared to the towering Palisades;
some are on the edge of the Sierra Nevada Batholith and thus half granite, half metamorphic rock.
The trail over Pinchot Pass was more abrupt, and less well-maintained than Mather Pass.
We lunched at Pinchot Pass and made our way into the headwaters of Woods Creek.
The landscape is somewhat unspectacular here, though pleasant enough.
We had talked about stopping at Twin Lakes, possibly to camp.
However, I fished for an hour or two while Kimberly and Robert napped.
I seemed to be catching the same fish over and over, a 6-9" brook trout.
Of course there were many fish in here, but none of the big ones that I hoped for.
Robert smartly talked us out of camping at Twin Lakes, and we pushed on down Woods Creek,
to the intersection of the JMT and the Paradise Valley Trail.
It had been a long day (15.8 miles, +2100', -5000'), but took the pressure off to pull off an
epic effort on the final day down Paradise Valley.
We ate heartily that night, knowing that any extra food we carried down would be dead weight.
day4
