Kearsarge Pass | Center Basin | Forester Pass | Shepherd Pass | Shepherd Creek
Part 5
The first light of dawn peeks through the trees, nudging me awake from nine solid hours of sleep. There’s no rush, but we know we need to finish breakfast and hit the trail soon—Brad has a plane to catch. Breakfast is familiar but satisfying, with an extra treat of honey packets we saved from yesterday. We finish making the coffee, and just then, the single fuel canister we used, which was about 7/8 full to start out with, sputters its last puff—how perfect. I would later weigh the can and figure that we used 206 grams of fuel for the entire trip.
We set off at a sprint, gliding down the trail. The descent is easy, almost effortless, as the pine forest gives way to oak and manzanita, and eventually, to cacti. But the ease doesn’t last. We’re soon trudging up the final climb toward Symmes Saddle. From our vantage point, it is obvious why the trail must cross over into the next creek’s drainage.
The last half mile is challenging. The car is so close yet so far away. We lose the trail more than once, its path erased by past storms. Symmes Creek becomes our guide as we cross it repeatedly, following the faint and shifting trail. Finally, we emerge from a deep canyon slot and step into an open area. After a turn and a few more steps, the parking lot emerges.
The Tundra is still there, where I had parked it four days ago. It’s a relief to see the car. The portable shower and a fresh set of clothes are waiting.
Muscles worked. Heart conditioned. Friendship strengthened. Memories made. What a glorious trip!
It’s been years since our last backpacking adventure together—2015, Glacier National Park, with my newlywed wife, Mark, and Grant. So much has changed since then: Yan and I have three kids now, and Brad’s kids have grown up.
What took so long for Brad and me to plan another trek? The next one shouldn’t be so overdue. Time marches on, crossroads emerge, and life takes unexpected turns here and there. But let’s nail down one thing. Let’s pencil in the next trip!
