Walk in Beauty

Monday, June 16
Mile 831, South Fork Kings River

Pinchot Pass at 5:30am

Wow. Big day. Two passes and 25 miles. Probably the most stunning of my hike so far. I was alone at the top of Pinchot Pass this morning at 6am, watching the sun slowly swath the mountains in gold.

All dat Sierra granite.. Yum.

All morning I had numbers in my head as I fretted over making it ten miles to the next pass before 11am, when the snow would start to get slushy and unruly. Of course it was fine, and I shared some whiskey sips with Sprinkle and Butterfly, two other lady hikers, before picking my way down the snowy north side.

I am a responsible bear canister-er.

The afternoon was glorious; sometime I realized that I didn't even have to think about pace and mileage. I would just get there, and it would be the right time. About a mile from my campsite I stopped to stare across the valley at a huge waterfall and had a teary moment. Intense gratitude for where I am, and that my body feels so healthy, and that I have people I love in front and behind me, and that right now it's just me and I'm happy with that.

The last few miles, a song T-Bow tried to teach me turned over and over in my wandering mind. I can never remember the tune, so the words just echo like a mantra:

I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me.
Beauty is behind me,
Above and below me.