Miles: 14.2 

Total Trail Miles: 1093.4 

Ascent/Descent: 2220/3391 ft 

Start Time: 11:10 

End Time: 18:20 

Temperature: 24°C (75°F)

We checked out of the hotel and had arranged a trail angel Kathy to pick us up at 8.15am. She had offered us to stay at hers tonight and said she could pick us up, drop us at the post office and then take our stuff back to hers (our plan was to slackpack from Carson Pass to Echo Lake Chalet today so we only needed a day pack). It turned out the post office opened at 9 instead of 8:30 so me and Marcus went accross tge road to a bakery for a coffee whilst we waited. Once the post office opened I sent home by Osprey backpack, ice axe and other winter gear back to Bristol as it only cost $20 more than sending it to NY. We then headed up the road in search of a hitch. After about 15mins a guy picked us up and took us to the next road junction. We found a second hitch from there pretty quickly who took us to the next junction. A third hitch picked ys up a few mintues later, she was a volunteer at Carson Pass trail head and was heading there to work so took us the rest of the way. We finally got on the trail by 11ish. The first section was really beautiful and after an initial climb we hiked through a nice meadows with lots of wild flowers and rivers. But after lunch we hit the snow and it got a little slower and tougher to navigate. Then the mozzies started to swarm us and we had forgotten our bug spray in Marcus's bag. The last couple of hours of the walk were frustrating, trying to bat away mozzies whilst navigating snow, but we eventually hit dry trail again and we pretty much ran the last stretch to keep the mozzies of us. We caught a hitch pretty quickly back into town and then John, Kathy's husband, kindly came and picked us up. Kathy and Johns house was soo lovely and we walked in to the smell of home cooked food. Kathy had cooked us all (and the two other French hikers that were staying there, rocket and booster) a lovely homemade dinner, pasta, cous cous, beans, asparagus, sausages (for the ithers). And rocket has made two delicious looking cakes (Kathy had some vegan ice cream for me!). It was such a lovely evening, sat around the table with beer, wine and food and great company. We all stayed up far too late talking before Kathy noticed the time. Me and Marcus stayed on the sofa bed, Kathy has arranged for another Trail Angel, Sheryl, to pick us up at 9.15 and drive us to Bay view trail head.