June 27 - Mather Pass

End: Near a giant water with views of an amazing valley!! (near Palisade Creek)
Daily: 11.5
Total: 822

I really don't feel like I'm a good enough writer to explain today. It was long, and difficult, and sometimes very frightening. But it was also beautiful beyond anything I've ever seen and it made us feel like we accomplished something.

We woke up, through ourselves down a giant snow hill, and then plunged into an icy river. Kings River, actually - this is the River than formed Kings Canyon. It was scary. We crossed on a tiny wet log. There really was no other way. I looked down at the rushing water once and almost lost my balance.

Then we hiked up forever and made it to Mather Pass. But before we could cross Mather off the list, we had to do some gnarly climbing and traversing an almost vertical snow cliff, and through in some bouldering moves for when the snow had melted away around the cliffs. My foot slipped out almost at the very top and I let out a noise I've never heard myself make before.

Then we pulled ourselves over the snow cornice and we were done! Scary, but fun. I'll take the technical challenges over slow upward slops any day.

Then we literally sledded into heaven. I hope heaven looks like this place, but the snow isn't cold and it tastes like whatever you're craving and you never have to wear a pack and moving doesn't cost you any energy.

Seriously, though. Palisade Lakes and Palisade Creek. I am a fan. Neither words nor a picture can do this place justice. All this snow sure does make it prettier, though. And the waterfalls! Everywhere! I wish I could find a picture online, but all of them are in summer and it is just not the same.