Day 79: Sonora Pass - East Fork Carson River (mi 1018-1028)

Fourth of July! We woke up and hit the trail with our 6 amigos, laden to the gills with food and drink. Naturally Smiles and I were the last ones awake as everyone else scrabbled around at sunrise. We divvied up the cargo, tried to cut down on redundancies, and started walking around 8 or 9. By that time, Sommerau and Matt already earned their trail names (Grandma and Redcoat, respectively), while Mandi already had hers from previous hiking/fun trips (Salamander). Everybody had a trail name before long, however I will simply refer to folks by trail names henceforth for consistency reasons.

FurrCracker, Smiles and Grandma (Sommerau got his trail name early) get set to hike. 

FurrCracker and Grandma wait out the rest of us slackers. 

Happy Birthday America! Smiles dons Old Gory on her bag, and Under Construction buckles in his leather belt. 

Fourth of July, 2013 crew! Grandma (Sommerau), FurrCracker (Stanger), Redcoat (Matt), Salamander (Mandi), Under Construction (Danny), Grandpa (Karl), Smiles & Dr. Slosh head out from the Sonora Pass Trailhead around 9 AM, fully laden with untold amounts of food. 

The climb up around Sonora Peak was steep, hot and rough going for all. The first bit of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness was geologically similar to the terrain Smiles and I came into yesterday before the electric storm, with scattered Jeffery pines, low sage scrub and chest-high wildflowers in meadows and seeps.

The crew starts the climb up from Sonora Pass into the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

The climbing was at the start of the day, thankfully, as it was steep, once it began in earnest. It was also hot. Did I mention that? I urged everyone to keep a good pace as well an eye on the sky, since we had afternoon thunderstorms each of the last three days. The views were phenomenal - wild igneous spires and wedding-cake cliffs exposed by years of erosion dominated the landscape.

Climbing up from Sonora Pass through the dry, volcanic landscape with majestic spires jutting out of the stark and steep landscape.

Making a rest break in the shade about a mile in. Some folks are regretting heavy decisions at the moment.

Stopping for water - almost at the top!

FurrCracker mutters something to Grandpa while Grandma tinkers with his pack. 

On the pinnacles north of Sonora Pass.

FurrCracker's chalice is omnipresent. 

Under Construction, Redcoat, and Grandma press on towards the saddle.

Grandma is elated as he sees the top of the climb. 

A view from the top. Under Construction takes it all in. 

We made the top of the climb with almost everybody taken aback at the difficulty, though in retrospect, nobody's pack was lighter than 50 pounds and we should not have been surprised, since the starting elevation at the pass was 9,000+ feet. After the climb, and another breather/regrouping at top to soak in the awesome view south towards Yosemite, we traversed around the east side of Sonora Peak to eventually descend the East Fork Carson River drainage. I became slightly concerned as thunderheads started to grow, as I had an exposed, freshly baked berry pie (thanks Salamander!) strapped to the top of my bag. We moved easily across good trail in the alpine landscape, and even got to cross a snowfield to cap off the thru-hiking experience!

Redcoat wanted to capture "the essence of Dr. Slosh," as he put it.

Smiles' Old Glory billows in the wind on the traverse over to the East Fork Carson River. 

The group traverses across the volcanic landscape after the climb. 

Getting the thru-hiker experience - Grandpa stays upright on the snowfield while balancing the cooler of steak.

As it does in these alpine highlands, the geologically changed completely and almost immediately once we dropped into the East Fork Carson River. The barren igneous landscape gave way to tree-bearing fragmented granite, and I was glad that everyone was able to get the full transition from alpine back to subalpine, riparian coniferous forest. 

The girls do America proud with the flags flying in the East Fork Carson River drainage. 

Once below the potential electrical threat, we took a break for a smorgasbord of meats, cheeses, crackers and fruits, also arranged by Salamander (she graciously coordinated the food operation). The group was definitely ready for a break, and definitely close to being done for the day. We discussed options for camping and settled on a site next to the river less than two miles downstream, rather than hiking an additional 6 miles up to a trail junction for Boulder Lake. 

Starting to lighten Grandma's load over a late lunch next to the river. 

What a spread! Salamander did an awesome job at provisioning the ragged bunch.

Folks rest without unreasonably heavy packs weighing them down.

A little lighter and a bit more rested after lunch - ready for the 1.67 miles to camp!

We packed up after lunch and continued down to our campsite, reaching it less than an hour after lunch. Definitely my kind of afternoon. The campsite was perfect: large (and flat) enough for our group, while a little secluded off trail, with a small stream close by the cooking/campfiring area. Grandpa busted out his pack-brick: a surprise 3L bottle of 2009 Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs! Seven pounds of marinated steak, eight ears of corn, and the pie were also unveiled for the feast later that night. The stratocumulus clouds never bore their fruit, so we men cooled down in the river with scotch and cigars while Smiles and Salamander had girl time (without scotch or cigars) slightly downstream. Afterwards, camp-making was completed with the construction of a campfire. FurrCracker and Grandpa got busy collecting increasingly larger bits of firewood while the rest of us prepped for dinner, mostly by getting cozy next to the fire and waiting for a bed of coals. 

Grandpa's surprise for 4th of July - a Jeroboam of Ridge Vineyards 2009 Lytton Springs to accompany dinner!

Redcoat, Salamander and Grandma relax around the campfire.

FurrCracker's first tasks arriving in camp: Step 1 - set up flag, Step 2 - set up tent.

"Why does my back/foot/leg/glutes hurt?" FurrCracker and Grandpa try the boulder-chucking method for breaking up firewood...

Smiles, Salamander, FurrCracker, and Grandpa snack next to the fire and the huge stack of firewood.

Grandma, Redcoat and Dr. Slosh getting some quality chalice time around the campfire.

Under Construction lends his wineskin to the mix around the campfire.

Grandma nurses his smoke while trying to shut out the campfire smoke. 

The rest of the evening was dedicated to feasting. The steaks were amazing; the corn sweet, crisp and delicious; the wine so fine that it blew my mind; and the pie was so good that it generated squabbles pertaining to bite sizes.

A meal fit for America: steak and corn on the 4th of July!

Grandpa uncorks his prized cargo.

Under Construction enjoys his steak while FurrCracker chows on corn. 

Redcoat and FurrCracker lead the cheers to America!

After the eventful feast to celebrate the best of America in one of the best places in America was complete, we nightcapped as the fire burned down. One by one, folks wandered to their tents, and Redcoat, FurrCracker and I set up a dubiously successful bear hang before retiring for the evening.