[pct-l] Swimming holes on the PCT

[JOHN F PATTERSON]

As I was leaving Kennedy Meadows a boy scout troop from Manhattan Beach , California was as well starting north . We got talking , this and that and I shared about walking there from the border , etc . We . . .  it developed , that they wanted to bet me that they would beat me to the Kern River there where the campground ( and ' swallow ' bridge ) is north on the PCT of KM ; seems there isn ' t a lot of space in amongst the trees to camp on the flat and they were concerned I might take / get the best space . I think that is how it developed . Anyway , we did race . Packs and all - I recall for the last two to three miles to the bridge ; there were maybe ten of them and two leaders . I hung just behind one of the leaders for maybe a mile attempting to size up how fast these guys might be ( I ' m now 68 and this was 2004 ; but I had walked there from the border and I was doing pretty good ) ( and they were all under fourteen , I would say ) . They had their , ' champion '
 which I didn ' t know about at first but you enter a race and you take what you get . I hadn ' t seen him .And thought myself pretty well situated just off the lead . There were two short fellows with one heavy set who were kind of the instigators and main energy it seemed as to racing . These were the fellows who I was more or less racing but was sure that when it came to it I could take them ( don 't laugh ; this was a legitimate challenge and these kids , packs or no ( cl - ank ity clank clank) could and did run ) . They kept yelling ahead . I wasn ' t sure what that was . Then with about half a mile to go I made my move ( and all along I ' m thinking exactly as I speak it here ) . Well , these two start shouting and then I see they ' re  the ' stalking horse ' . Out front : he is tall , almost near my 6 ' 1 " height and long legs . Mmmm ? I ' m not so sure now . And when he sees me coming up he lights out - whoosh . But anyway we rip it up and I pass the two short
 fellows and take out after the leader . I couldn ' t catch him . He had just been cruising and when I made my move he had reserves to spare . It was a great race and they all congratulated me and it was a terrific lot of fun ( and exercise . ) I fell into the river there . It was glorious . Shallow - I wallowed on my hands and knees and half swam / half surfed along using my hands along the bottom to propel me forward . Clear , clean and a refreshing temp ( this was maybe June 20 . )  
    LOOK , for it !   
    Also , Lake Tahoe - absolutely marvelous - many great beaches .
    While I didn ' t swim in it , I NEVER ( ABSOLUTELY NEVER ) saw a better pool ( s ) to swim in than those under and by the bridge at Tuolumne Meadows where the trail to the ' lodge ' splits off from the PCT and JMT and crosses the fabulous , fabulous Lyell Creek . Astounding clear / clean pristine Lyell Creek ! 
                     Rafter Jack 
  ( I also agree about Iva Bell - all , any hot spring . Mono Hot Spring - off trail I went to . . . )
  ( I still have S Lake Tahoe to Canada to put behind me so can ' t comment on from S Lake Tahoe north . )