_JFR_:
05012 I entered the Sierra National Forest and John Muir Wilderness at Piute Creek, at PCT mile 857
_JFR_:
05015 GoPro video as I crossed the metal bridge over Piute Creek on the Pacific Crest Trail at mile 857
_JFR_:
05028 I was thankful for the clouds as it would have been roasting hot down here at 8000 feet elevation
_JFR_:
05030 At Pacific Crest Trail mile 859 I came to the side trail to MTR (Muir Trail Ranch) and my food resupply
_JFR_:
05038 Many PCT and JMT hikers send a bucket of food to Muir Trail Ranch and the trail showed plenty of use
_JFR_:
05042 Muir Trail Ranch sign telling hikers how to find the correct building to pick up their resupply
_JFR_:
05044 I sent my food bucket to Muir Trail Ranch three weeks earlier - it arrived here by boat and horseback
_JFR_:
05046 It took me less than a half hour to re-stock my bear canister at Muir Trail Ranch - now my pack was heavy!
_JFR_:
05048 I also bought a propane canister for my stove at the Muir Trail Ranch store - too bad they don't sell food
_JFR_:
05050 I had to take the steeper side trail back to the PCT - I now had to climb all the way out of the valley!
_JFR_:
05056 The northern side trail to Muir Trail Ranch was brutally steep - too bad I was climbing, not descending
_JFR_:
05059 There was a patch of HUGE yellow daisy flowers along the side trail back to the PCT from MTR
_JFR_:
05061 The steep part out of MTR was over as I returned to mellower climbing on the PCT at mile 860
_JFR_:
05062 Amazingly enough, I met up with Metal Tim and Little Engine, who hadn't gone to MTR at all - Nice!
_JFR_:
05069 Those two hiked faster than I did, but they also stopped to drink water more often, so we stayed near
_JFR_:
05070 GoPro panorama video on the exposed climb out of Muir Trail Ranch on the Pacific Crest Trail
_JFR_:
05073 Whitethorn and manzanita lined the Pacific Crest Trail as we climbed upward on long switchbacks
_JFR_:
05076 Looking west over the South Fork San Joaquin River Valley, with Ward Mountain (10534 ft, far left)
_JFR_:
05085 It felt good to be back within the forest after the hot exposed climb, on the PCT near mile 863
_JFR_:
05096 The Pacific Crest Trail crossed a meadow at mile 864 but trail crews were building a detour around it
_JFR_:
05110 The Pacific Crest Trail must've been a regular raging river as it removed the dirt from between the stones
_JFR_:
05120 We arrived at the Sallie Keyes Lakes and decided that finding a campsite would be a good idea
_JFR_:
05122 Looking south over lower Sallie Keyes Lake from the short creek connecting it to the upper lake
