Day 52: Crabtree Meadows

Date: Fri 6/8

PCT Start Mile: 750.8

PCT End Mile: 767.0

PCT Mileage for Day: 16.2

Side-Trip Mileage: 1 (to Crabtree Meadows)

Total PCT Mileage: 767.0

The Highlights: phenomenal views and steep climbs

Despite sleeping at our highest altitude thus far last night, it was probably our warmest morning since leaving Kennedy Meadows. This isn’t to say it was warm, just not as cold as the previous two mornings.

Since Squishy and LOL weren’t quite ready at 6:30am, and it was a bit chilly to just stand around, we told them we were going to start walking, assuming we’d all link up again at a break, but we didn’t end up seeing them again until the end of the day.

Today’s destination was Crabtree Meadows, actually a mile off the PCT. This is where we’d camp to make the side trip up Mt Whitney tomorrow.

Nearly everyone that hikes the PCT makes the trip up Mt Whitney since you are so close, it would be a shame to pass up the chance to summit the highest peak in the lower 48. Also, after 750+ miles we are in the best hiking shape of our lives, so a 16 mile round trip from the PCT to the summit is nothing at this point, right? We’ll find out tomorrow 🙂

For now, we had just over 16 miles to hike along the PCT to the John Muir Trail (JMT) trail junction, where we’d split off for the one mile hike to Crabtree Meadows.

The first 9.6 miles of our hike was a cakewalk. Probably the easiest hiking we’ve had in the Sierras. Lots of flat trail, some downhill, easy rollers. The morning breezed by and the views of the surrounding mountains were amazing. It was a great day to be alive!

At Rock Creek, we balanced across logs to get to the other side, where we took a short break in the sun and filtered water.

We left the creek at 11am, planning to eat lunch at the top of the upcoming climb that started from the river. The climb was 2.5 miles with 1500 ft ascent, beginning with a very steep first mile. I waved goodbye to Shawn’s back and told him I’d meet him at the top of the climb. The trail became very rocky, we were basically hiking up a slope of boulders and crushed rock. The easy morning hiking was over.

After the first mile and a bit, there was a short flat section that offered a bit of reprieve before the next super steep set of switchbacks to the top of the saddle. Shawn had been there 30 minutes already and was finished with his lunch. I tore into my pack like a rabid animal I was so hungry. I had been eating snacks all morning, but my stomach was growling well before lunch.

After lunch the trail seemed to be all rocks and boulder fields. We descended, climbed, descended, climbed, for 4 miles, with a very steep mile at the end leading up to the PCT/JMT trail junction. The views throughout this section and along the JMT toward Crabtree Meadows were spectacular: our first views of Mt Whitney, an amphitheater of snow-capped peaks, tall pines, green meadows and bright blue skies.

Arriving in Crabtree Meadows, we dropped our packs and head down to the river – Whitney Creek. Here we talked to some other hikers that had just returned from the Whitney summit. They had amazing weather for their hike, and we’re hoping for the same.

While some do sunrise summits, leaving camp by 1am to make it to the summit for sunrise, we aren’t planning on this. The four of us plan to leave at 4am, so the majority of our hike will be light, likely getting to the top around 8am.

Over dinner, we talked to a hiker from Juneau, Alaska named Hunter. He’s still thinking about a sunrise summit, so we may hear him leaving very early. With a 3:30am wake up on our minds, we were all in our sleeping bags before 6:30pm. Even the birds are still awake, but it’s time for us to sleep.