When I woke up in the morning, the fly on my Lunar Solo was frozen solid. Even the water in my bottle had frozen. No wonder it had felt so cold. My guess was it was close to 20°F (around -6°C).
The boots were frozen too—their outer surface had been damp, and when I put them on they were stiff right away. They felt like winter mountaineering boots, and it took a while before they warmed up and started to flex normally.
But during the day, it warmed up completely. Along Lyell Canyon, the river was unbelievably clear—so clear that even the sound of the water felt clean. As I continued south, Mt. Lyell finally came into view. From there, the real climbing began.
Partway up the climb, I reached a midway point where Mt. Lyell filled the view straight ahead—and the scenery just exploded. It was the best view of the trip so far. If I had to put it into words, it felt like being in heaven.
This was the moment I felt really glad I brought the Gorillapod. With a normal tripod, I’d have to take my pack off every time I wanted a shot—but with the Gorillapod, I could keep it in a pocket. I could pull it out instantly when I needed it, and even grab a few self-shots while walking. Light weight is justice.
From there, I kept climbing toward Donohue Pass. Today’s elevation gain was around 2,000 feet.
…And still, my pack felt heavy. It could definitely be lighter. I had the feeling I was carrying more than I really needed.
Eventually, I made it to the pass—another breathtaking view. Even once I started descending, the scenery just kept opening up wider and wider.
I’d originally planned to push all the way to Marie Lake, but it was getting late and the fatigue was catching up with me. Then I saw it: a huge meadow spreading out just below Donohue Pass, so peaceful and inviting that I decided to camp there for the night.
A quiet meadow.
A day that began with brutal cold ended in a wide-open sense of freedom.
コメント