Pinchot Pass (12,127') and Mather Pass (12,094'). Having sat at the base of Pinchot for much of the previous afternoon, I was up at first light to get over it. Based on tracks in the snow, I think I was the first hiker to get over it that morning, and I was starting to get a little more comfortable and confident in my abilities to hike in these conditions.

But then I ran into the Kings River where a PCT hiker had drowned a few years ago from trying to cross that very same spot. The river was raging, flooding over its banks because of the recent hot weather melting the snow pack the last few days. I've hunted both Canada and Alaska and crossed many wild rivers, but I just couldn't get comfortable trying to cross right there under those conditions. So I actually hiked upstream a couple miles through several feeder tributaries before finding a spot that I was willing to try.

Even then, the current was so swift that at one point I nearly lost my balance as the water level hit me above mid thigh. I was so happy and relieved when I made it to the other side. Hopefully I won't need to do another one of those.

But then came Mather Pass, and in my opinion it was the most difficult pass yet. The trail was wiped by a recent avalanche in one spot and completely covered in ice and snow just above the avalanche. My first attempt to scale it I got cliffed out and had to work my way a couple hundred feet back down and pick a different line. Fortunately my second attempt succeeded, but that climb was brutal.

Despite all this I still managed to knock out 22 miles that day, the pain in my knee was almost completely gone, the scenery was amazing, and I finally started seeing more wildlife.