[pct-l] Muir Pass memoirs

[Marion Davison]

My first crossing of Muir Pass, in 1996, (as a backpacker) was very 
memorable as the pass was full of snow, but it was July so we could 
follow lots of footprints.  So we got to see where the trail was, while 
walking on snow.  On the way up we passed by an abandoned horse who was 
just standing on the trail.  We met the packer later, who told us the 
horse had sore feet and wouldn't move.  He promised to come back for the 
horse later.  On the north side of the pass, by McDermand Lake, a dead 
mule lay beside the trail.  This carnage made quite an impression on me, 
and ever since I have referred to Muir Pass as Stockkiller pass. 
When we crossed Muir in 1999, this time going southbound, we had llamas 
along.  The July day was very cold and cloudy, and it began to snow as 
we reached Muir hut.  We opened the door and found the hut was packed 
with hikers, who shouted, there's no more room!  Well, we had no intent 
of stopping because our animals needed to get out of that weather, so we 
put on all our storm gear and hiked on thru the deepening snow.  
Fortunately our earlier experience allowed us to know where the trail 
should be, as there were no footprints to follow this time.  We hiked 
with all speed down to the 10,400 foot level, just below snowline, and 
made a secure camp.  A while later a great bunch of hikers passed us 
by.  They had followed our tracks down the pass.
In 2002 we crossed again, in good weather.  There is a spot called 
Boundary Rock where the trail was blasted across the middle of a big 
rock.  It's not real wide.  Water was running across the rock, making 
the rock trail tread  slick.  As my llama crossed the slick spot, he 
fell to all four knees, then sprang up again and carefully went on.  I 
had visions of the whole llama string tumbling off that rock, but 
fortunately, no harm done. 
Muir Pass is always a memorable experience--so long, so high, so much 
time above timberline in sheer rock and snow and ice and water everywhere.
Marion Davison