John Muir Trail: Days 6-9 Reds Meadow to Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR)
Nearly a week into the trail, my body fought against me. My knee was feeling the weight of my pack after our re-supply at Reds Meadow. I was slow and having a hard time keeping up with Caffrey and Dan. Something had to change or I wasn’t going to make it!
This post covers the second leg of our JMT hike, from Reds Meadow to Vermillion Valley Resort (roughly miles 60-88 of the JMT heading SOBO). Highlights in this section include: Duck Creek, Purple Lake, Virginia Lake, Tully Hole, Squaw Lake, Silver Pass, Lake Thomas Edison, and Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR).
Camp #6: Duck Creek (11.5 miles) @ 10,000 feet
We had been cautioned that leaving Reds Meadow meant traversing an old forest fire described as “depressing”. Other than leaving behind toilets and cold beer at Reds Meadow, the path through the burn area was anything BUT depressing! Fresh green forest growth surrounded charred tree stumps blackened three decades ago, interspersed with cheerful clumps of colorful wildflowers. We spent the entire morning taking photos in the burn site as the trail climbed slowly into a dense forest area.
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Then it was a long and slow climb steadily upwards nearly 3,000 feet. We were relatively close to Mammoth Lakes, so we shared the trail with runners and a caravan of pack horses and donkeys. I listened to a podcast and tried to ignore the knee brace constricting my leg and harshly rubbing the skin. At Deer Creek, I soaked my feet and knee in the cool water after lunch. Clouds rolled in and we could see sheets of rain in the distance. We donned our ponchos and hurried along the last descent to Duck Lake trail junction.
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We set up our camp near a copse of pine trees in the early afternoon. The clouds persisted, but we didn’t experience any rain. I did another knee soak in Duck Creek, unable to stop a few tears of frustration. After a heart-to-heart talk with Caffrey, I agreed to lighten my pack a little and let him carry a few items, such as the JetBoil and first aid kit. My ego was bruised, but it was better than quitting. The day’s total ascent was 2,835 feet on a slope averaging 293 feet/mile. Total descent to Duck Creek was a mere 511 feet.
Camp #7: Squaw Lake (9.7 miles) @ 10,200 feet
I hated to admit it, but the lighter pack made a huge difference. We hit the trail just after sunrise. I was able to keep up with Caffrey and Dan and had a smile on my face. The first scenic spot of the day was Purple Lake, followed by a climb through a talus field littered with 20 foot boulders. We could see the visible scars of glacial erosion scraped into the granite hills. We stopped for a snack at Virginia Lakes, enjoying the sunshine and warm breeze.
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Caffrey and Dan at Purple Lake, Sierra Nevadas, California
Virginia Lake, Sierra Nevadas, California
Beyond Virginia Lake, the trees thinned to reveal incredible views of Silver Peak, Graveyard Ridge, Jackson Meadow and Tully Hole way below. A dizzying switchback descended 2,000 feet to a mosquito-infested creek. After a hasty lunch eaten through bug nets, we headed upwards towards Silver Pass.
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You can’t tell from the photos, but the clouds blackened and the wind was fierce as we crested a ridge at Squaw Lake. It was early afternoon, but a storm seemed eminent. In preparation, we set up the tent, climbed inside, and… napped. The storm passed without a drop, but we could hear thunder rumbling through the valley in the distance. We got lucky! We then had an entire afternoon to enjoy Squaw Lake, wash ourselves and our clothes, and bask in the sun…and sunset.
Squaw Lake below Silver Pass, John Muir Trail
This was another one of my favorite sections of the entire trail. Purple Lake, Virginia Lake, Tully Hole, the climb towards Silver Pass — and then a night at Squaw Lake! Absolute perfection. To top it off, as the sun dipped low and shadows spread, the sound of Badger’s flute drifted across the meadow, lulling us all to a deep sleep. It was a lot of up and down today, with 2,320 feet of ascent and 2,052 feet of descent over steep slopes averaging 450 feet/mile.
Camp #8: Vermilion Valley Resort VVR (10 miles) @ 7,700 feet + a ZERO day
Our routine was becoming predictable - asleep just after sundown (8:00-ish) and awake at 5:00 a.m. Breakfast as the sun rose, camp break-down and then ready to roll by 7:00 a.m. Overnight, the mosquitoes had found our lovely encampment at Squaw Lake, so we packed up quickly and began the short 2 mile climb to Silver Pass. Along the way, we skirted an assortment of Native American-themed lakes: Chief, Warrior, Papoose, Lone Indian… In the distance were the last vestiges of Mts. Banner and Ritter (land of a Thousand Islands).
We crossed Silver Pass at 10,700 feet well before noon, sauntered across the flat plateau below and then spent the rest of the day hiking down…down…down over 3,000 feet to Lake Thomas Edison, the gateway to “party central” at Vermilion Valley Resort. It was a hot day; we passed another California Conservation Crew (CCC) sweating it out for our benefit on a ridiculously steep, rocky slope. A SINCERE THANK YOU to those amazing volunteers! Along the way, our group of 3 became an entourage of 4 as we welcomed our new friend Hugo into our hiking crew. Hugo hails from Austin, Texas, and we adopted him as a new BFF from the get-go.
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“Should I divert off the John Muir Trail (gasp!) for a night (or two) at VVR?” It’s a popular question. Do you like pizza, giant fluffy pancake breakfasts, or BBQ? How about a cooler full of beer and a hot shower? Do you enjoy companionship, music, clean clothes, flushing toilets and laughter in an environment that also respects the rules of “hiker midnight”? If you answered YES to these questions, then the answer is a resounding YES! If not, then you’re a party pooper and nobody at VVR wants you in the mix anyway (please - diligently log those JMT miles between Mono Creek and Bear Ridge in your little ledger).
Vermilion Valley Resort is everything it’s cracked up to be. During our two days at VVR, we relaxed, met lots of like-minded people, had interesting conversations, ate and drank a lot, washed all of our laundry (while wearing other people’s clothes), and momentarily forgot that a world outside of VVR existed at all. Pure bliss!
Note: Click the right arrow to view the action at VVR.
After a second night’s sleep in Mushroom City at Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR), we were up at 5:30 am and eager to hit the trail once again. Before setting out for Bear Ridge, Caffrey and I split the Lumberjack meal: 2 huge pancakes, 2 pieces of toast, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, ham, and sausage! We settled up with the cashier, paying our $215 tally. This covered food, drinks, boat shuttle, shower, and laundry for two people for two days at VVR. Not bad, if you ask me.
As it turned out, our time at VVR would be our last taste of sunshine, warmth and trail love for another week. We were headed into the monsoon……
