Day 17

~14.1 miles

Tuolumne Meadows campground to Cascade Lake

Once it finally quieted down, I got some good rest and even slept in a little. We had to wait til 9am for Post Office to open to get our resupply, so we took the opportunity to have coffee and breakfast sandwiches from the cafe.

There were just so, so many people. JMTers, PCTers (who should get their butts moving if they’re NOBO thrus and thinking they’re gonna finish before winter), all kinds of other shorter trippers, tourists. Oof. Just so many people.

As soon as we got our resupply box we got out of there, following trail paralleling Tioga Road for a few miles before heading north. We again had trail for a few miles before it disappeared around a mine. Hot, dry, and surrounding by mining junk….when did we get to the Inyos?

After a pass and some contouring some slate mountain, we got back to proper Sierra granite territory. The smoke is way better today than yesterday, but still ruining what would otherwise be amazing views. Kinda bummed were missing out on seeing some of these views we’ve worked so hard for, like looking down at the Conness Lakes, all glacial turquoise and pretty.

And of course, we re-entered mosquito territory just in time to camp.