Mile 688.4 to Mile 703.4

Kennedy Meadows! This marks the end of the desert and the beginning of the Sierra, even though snow and major passes don't start for another 50 miles. I ran into a group of six hikers I knew (Gummy Bears and Babyface, Neal and Isabelle, and two hikers I last saw at Paradise Valley Cafe) who were all planning to go to Lone Pine, then further into the mountains. Unfortunately, they were leaving that afternoon and I needed time to repack and charge my electronics so I couldnt go with them. They planned to do seven miles that day, then fifteen the next, so I made plans to try to catch up with them the next day wherever they made camp.