Today is a light day, fortunately.    Yesterday worked me pretty hard.   Plan is to get over Pinchot and chill.   Since we hiked in late last night, I figured I should take a pic of where I ended up. 

We camped next to a pedestrian suspension bridge over Woods Creek.   Walking over this thing was kind of interesting.   I just charged it at normal hiking pace.  The floor started bouncing higher and higher and toward the middle I was getting thrown around pretty good.   Hmm…time to slow down and hold on to the cables.    

 Other side of the bridge was climb time. 

The trail followed a river on the way up.   That seems to be the theme with each of these passes.   Creek/River valley on the way up, then another on the way down.  

The creek crossings were a little sketchy.   For example: 

Passed a final small lake, then it was just rocks and snow to the pass.

The only thing interesting after this was a game of guess where-the-pass-is.  

The pass is a little over 12k.   Took the require pics from the top and headed down. 

I took my time on this climb up and down.   Did a couple long chow breaks and chatted up various hikers.   Found a loose group of youngsters hiking the JMT Northbound.   Andrew, Megan, and some other gal.   Figured I might see them again.

Rolled into the camp site around 5ish.   There were two sites.  One large one that could fit 10+ tents and another smaller one by the river.  

The big one had a single group of 10+ hiking couples all setup.  They had their tents scattered all over, had their bear cans around the fire pit, and a big clothes line up to dry stuff.   All the gals were in their tents and the guys were milling around trying dissuade newcomers from staying there.   

These guys were super douche bags.   Soho rolled up while I was talking to them and we both decided that we were going to stay their.   We found a spot they failed to scatter their crap on and setup.

They ignored us, but that’s when the fun started.   Turns out there was group of 10+ donkeys nearby.   I suspect they were carrying all these people’s crap around.   Well the pack leader let them wonder around the valley to graze so for most of the night donkeys were wandering around the camp eating.   Every once in a while the pack leader would ride by ringing a cow bell to move them away from camp.   That would set off a stamped of donkeys chasing after him.  

Soho and I spent the evening listening to some clown going on about the delicious dinner he was preparing for everyone while watching donkeys hoping they’d take a dump next to somebody’s tent.   After we turned in there was another cowbell/stamped around 10.   Scared the crap out of me.   Heard some gal complaining to her BF about it, so that was satisfying.  

Just 12 miles today.  Got some work to do tomorrow.