[pct-l] Muir Pass memoirs

[Ned Tibbits]

Marion!

Thank you for sharing your memories of and experiences over our beloved Muir 
Pass.  With every step we take there are joys and trials, learning 
experiences both of ourselves and the wilderness we walk through!

Mtnned

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Please visit: www.mountaineducation.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Davison" <mardav at charter.net>
To: "PCT List" <pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 12:47 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Muir Pass memoirs


> My first crossing of Muir Pass, in 1996, (as a backpacker) was very
> memorable as the pass was full of snow, but it was July so we could
> follow lots of footprints.  So we got to see where the trail was, while
> walking on snow.  On the way up we passed by an abandoned horse who was
> just standing on the trail.  We met the packer later, who told us the
> horse had sore feet and wouldn't move.  He promised to come back for the
> horse later.  On the north side of the pass, by McDermand Lake, a dead
> mule lay beside the trail.  This carnage made quite an impression on me,
> and ever since I have referred to Muir Pass as Stockkiller pass.
> When we crossed Muir in 1999, this time going southbound, we had llamas
> along.  The July day was very cold and cloudy, and it began to snow as
> we reached Muir hut.  We opened the door and found the hut was packed
> with hikers, who shouted, there's no more room!  Well, we had no intent
> of stopping because our animals needed to get out of that weather, so we
> put on all our storm gear and hiked on thru the deepening snow.
> Fortunately our earlier experience allowed us to know where the trail
> should be, as there were no footprints to follow this time.  We hiked
> with all speed down to the 10,400 foot level, just below snowline, and
> made a secure camp.  A while later a great bunch of hikers passed us
> by.  They had followed our tracks down the pass.
> In 2002 we crossed again, in good weather.  There is a spot called
> Boundary Rock where the trail was blasted across the middle of a big
> rock.  It's not real wide.  Water was running across the rock, making
> the rock trail tread  slick.  As my llama crossed the slick spot, he
> fell to all four knees, then sprang up again and carefully went on.  I
> had visions of the whole llama string tumbling off that rock, but
> fortunately, no harm done.
> Muir Pass is always a memorable experience--so long, so high, so much
> time above timberline in sheer rock and snow and ice and water everywhere.
> Marion Davison
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