[pct-l] Trip report-CA section G-long

[Marion Davison]

Since we hike with llamas and had a restricted time window to work with 
this year, we chose to hike where we would not have issues with snowy 
passes.  Yesterday we completed a 15 day hike.  We started at Kennedy 
Meadows on July 28.  That put us in Beck Meadows on the first day of the 
ludicrous thunderstorm.  It wasn't too bad there.  We were already in a 
tent when it hit.  The next day we were at Monache Meadow bridge 
campsite.  We had just put up the tent when the storm hit, and it was a 
real tent-tester.  Our REI Dome 4 had lots of water running under it, 
which penetrated the footprint and the floor.  This despite digging 
drainage ditches and using a tarp to block the flow.  Neither  could 
stand up to the water volume.  We put up a tarp for the llamas about 6 
PM and it continued to rain until noon on Sunday.  That was the end of 
it, though. We had clear weather for the remainder of the trip. We saw 
major trail erosion for the rest of the trip.  I often found the trail 
by looking for steps, blazes, cut logs and water bars. I used the GPS a 
few times.   Behind us we left a nice pounded trail made by five sets of 
llama feet.
Smoke from the Lion Meadow fire affected us every day from Aug. 2 til 
the end.  It would be clear in the morning, then increasingly smoky from 
1 PM on.  It smelled bad, obscured the views, and made the afternoon 
seem hotter.  We'd been told that the fire was west of the Kern and was 
not a threat.
We hiked on NB on the PCT to Rock Creek, then turned back and took 
Siberian Pass trail.  We walked through Big Whitney, Ramshaw, Templeton, 
Strawberry and Monache Meadows to return to Kennedy Meadow.
We encountered just one tiny snowpatch beside the trail near Chicken 
Spring Lake.  We had no trouble with the water crossings.  In fact, we 
had to hike off trail and down canyons several times just to get water, 
between Death Cyn Creek and Trail Pass.
Mosquitoes were not bad.  We wore long sleeves and long pants (also to 
prevent sun exposure and skin damage from all the brush).  We used 
plenty of repellent on us and sprayed the llamas, but never needed to 
use our headnets.  During a break at Golden Trout Creek, my hands were 
bitten by some large flies.  It hurt badly and itched terribly. 
Overnight, in my sleep, I scratched one hand so much that it swelled up 
like a balloon.  Fortunately I bring Cipro in my first aid kit for all 
manner of infections, and it brought down the swelling in a couple of 
days.  You can buy Cipro online from an overseas source without a 
prescription.  It can also treat a UTI or kidney infection.  I won't 
hike without it.
We saw very few hikers on our trip.  On several days we saw no one else.
We saw one bear at the "Public Corral" camp at Ash Meadow, but the 
llamas alerted us to his presence and I warned him off, so he did not 
get close.