Day 74: Upstairs and Downstairs

Cowboy camp above Kerrick Creek - camp in boulders below Dorothy Lake
Mile 977 - 995
Total 18 miles

I am still inside the vast wilderness of the Yosemite National Park. The PCT goes through the remote and rarely visited areas of the park, giving an unique opportunity to see its rocks, forests and wildlife. The landscape with big granite rocks, hidden camp spots and little lakes in between has been my favorite part of the trail. It is also a physically challenging section with many steep ups and downs traversed by going up and down big granite stairs.
Last night I cowboy camped on a comfortable granite rock covered with soft pine needles. My journey follows the canyon of Kerrick Creek. It is time to take off shoes and cross the creek. But unlike in the high Sierras, the crossing is easy. The peak spring flow is already over.

After crossing the creek there is a steep climb upstairs and on huge rock faces and then again downstairs into Stubblefield Canyon.

The fertile soil on the flat bottom of the canyon supports a dense forest with tall firs and dark green ferns. I ford the creek and then again start climbing upstairs...

In the rocks along the stairs grow old California juniper trees and magnificent flowers.

Finally I am up in a little saddle where the trail starts descending downstairs towards Wilma Lake. About halfway down there is a flat area with little lakes, dragonflies and a shallow creek full of toads (southern toad) on the pebbles.

Then it goes through green meadows and past big granite boulders and again downstairs until I see the dark blue surface of Wilma Lake.

Wilma lake is a perfect place for swimming. I quickly take off all dirty clothes and jump in. The water is cold but not ice-cold, and there are some warmer spots near the surface.
Energized by the swim, I continue walking to a creek where a lot of trouts are swimming too.

The big upstairs and downstairs climbing is over for today! The next section follows the creek upstream, often through flat wet meadows with colorful flowers.

On the horizon the Dorothy Lake Pass can be seen; There the PCT exits Yosemite National Park. Before the climb to the pass becomes steeper again, I find a nice hidden spot in forest between granite rocks and pitch my tent there for tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to reach PCT mile 1000 :-)