Day 9. Aug 7: Bear Creek to Sallie Keyes Lake via Seldon Pass. 9 Miles

This was planned as an easy mileage day. Plenty of time to fish along Bear Creek and just roll into camp.
Then I woke up.
My clothes on the clothesline were still soaked. My stove didn't work. My iPhone recharge didn't work last night for some reason.

Small things perhaps but I took this as a sign that Fate doesn't have a leisure day on its calendar.
As a solo hiker you don't have another voice of reason.  This morning a voice in my head said to focus on the priority of making your mileage plan and put away the fishing pole.

I ate a cold breakfast of granola instead of oatmeal, hung my wet clothes on my pack, set my phone to standby and began my hike.

As it turns out, I felt this was the nicest stretch of classic alpine forest on the entire JMT.

Bear Creek

Rosemarie Meadow

Soon the trail reached above the tree line and over a rocky saddle that led to Marie Lake.  From there I could see Seldon Pass to the south as I had lunch and put my fishing pole back into action.

Seldon Pass below the white cloud as seen from Marie Lake

Brook Trout from Marie Lake.  More of a Lake Trout look than the dark green stream Brookies that are so common everywhere

Seldon Pass was an easy trail that gave me a view of Sallie Keyes Lake where I would make my camp.

Seldon Pass looking south.  Heart Lake in view

Golden Trout surprise from Sallie Keyes Lake (O. MyKiss AguaBonita)

View from Camp at Sallie Keyes Lake

Daily SPOT Messages

MORNING
Latitude:37.36802
Longitude:-118.88727
GPS location Date/Time:08/07/2013 08:21:13 PDT

Message:Good morning. All is well and I am beginning my daily hike on the JMT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.36802,-118.88727&ll=37.36802,-118.88727&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

SELDON PASS
Latitude:37.28984
Longitude:-118.87282
GPS location Date/Time:08/07/2013 13:50:47 PDT

Message:On top of Selden Pass. Having a great Day 9!

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.28984,-118.87282&ll=37.28984,-118.87282&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=


EVENING
Latitude:37.26947
Longitude:-118.87556
GPS location Date/Time:08/07/2013 16:31:59 PDT

Message:Nice campsite. Golden Trout in lake+ goodnite

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.26947,-118.87556&ll=37.26947,-118.87556&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1