Day 50 Hiker Dad Summits Donahue Pass

Day 50

June 9th

12 miles

PCT mile 931

Having Hiker Dad with me, is like a hiker's vacation for me. Since we're not doing more then 12 miles a day, we get to have a later start then I would usually if I were by myself. This means having that second cup of coffee in my tent before I get up and being able to read in the morning with my coffee. I finally finished my first book I started on the trail, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. 

Hiker Dad and I agreed to be ready to go at 10:30am, which in reality turned into 11am. 

Panaramic from our campsite this morning

We took our time hiking today taking lots of pictures and just enjoying the beauty around us.

Beautiful wildflowers were everywhere

Majestic mountains 

Hiker Dad collecting and purifying water

Halfway into our day we were taking a longer break at Island Pass, before our climb up Donahue Pass, when Pilsbury (another solo female thru-hiker also from San Diego) came upon us. Pilsbury and I have been leapfrogging each other since Forester Pass. She was right behind me one day when I dropped my mosquito headnet unknowingly. When I retraced my steps for a quarter mile and gave up looking, she came up on me while I was filtering water. "You didn't happen to see a mosquito net on the ground did you?" I asked her. And what to you know she pulls the mosquito net out of her pocket! I was so happy, I didn't lose it, and she actually picked it up. Little things like that really make your day sometimes. Pilsbury joined Hiker Dad and I for the rest of the day, we all agreed we wanted to climb Donahue Pass at a easier pace and camp at mile 931 tonight, so we all set out from Island Pass and stuck together for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

From Island Pass we had 1.5 mile descent and then a 3.5 mile climb to Donahue Pass which summits at 11,074ft. So Hiker Dad got to experience  an 11,000+ pass on the PCT too!

Donahue Pass is just to the right, barely cut off by the picture

Hiker Dad coming up to the summit.

Almost to the top!!!

Celebrating at 11,074 feet. Way to go Hiker Dad.

Pilsbury and I took pictures together too, but unfortunately the pictures are on Hiker Dad's and her cameras and not mine so I don't have any pictures to post of us at the moment.

Some other fun pictures from the day

Some JMTers sporting some pretty hip shorts.

My little fuzzy marmot, this guy let us get so close I'm sure we could have pet him if we tried.

Two bucks grazing on the mountain side leading up to Donahue Pass.