I have returned from the backwoods adventure of Segment 2! Beautiful sweeping vistas, lovely fields of wildflowers, crystalline streams and azure lakes, very friendly fellow hikers (unfriendly mosquitoes), loyal trailmates....and yes, a hotel room.I will just get to the meat of the story: I got terrible altitude sickness near, not AT, the top of Donahue Pass, and we had to come back down. I was so disappointed in myself, and guilty that much of segment 2 had to be bypassed on my account, but Annette and Arielle took such fabulous care of me and were so gracious about the change in the plan.
As I approached 10,000 feet on our second day of hiking, I began to get very tired and nauseated, but wanted terribly to forge on up, barfing and all! I couldn't keep even water in me, so Annette & Arielle began taking on gear from my pack, and then, my whole pack!Meanwhile, Arielle's boot sole came loose and a duck tape repair was needed, but she was not even fazed!
When a strapping young Thru-Hiker named Barry saw Annette carrying my pack on her frontside, he very sweetly offered to take my pack to the top, so I would only need to carry it for the descent....Wellll, moments after he bounded off, the final decision was made in favor of my health, and we returned downward from whence we came. That is how my Pack had its own private adventure and spent the night at the summit without us.
Next morning, bright and early, as I recuperated and hydrated back at camp, Annette & Arielle bravely set out to retrieve my pack. So, they "re-hiked" up and back down after finding my pack(Packie was enjoying the view from the summit), and all the way back into Tuolumne Meadows in one day!!
Due to a fast pace and determination, we made it in time to catch the shuttle to Mammoth, where we got ourselves a hotel room, a hot shower, laundry facilities and some mediocre food.
Next morning, following the intensive daily regimen of foot care, we headed down, via another shuttle bus, into the lovely area surrounding Devil's Postpile to meet our group. 
Despite everything, good times with good friends could not be avoided!! We had a blast...
So that is the story in a big nutshell.
Now I must research how to avoid acute mountain sickness, so I will be ready for the Food Drop at Dusy Basin next week!!
Tah for now~~~di
Amazing what a little duct tape and determination can do. Diane, thanks for writing such a great update on our segment II adventures. I am now safely home after summiting Mt. Whitney in record time (for me, that is).
ReplyDeleteHope you are continuing to acclimatize! See you at our Trek for a cure reunion bash.
Arielle