7/26, Smedberg Lake outlet to Stubblefield Canyon, Mile 983

[Aaron Doss]

Once again no bears, too bad, we are almost challenging the bears to
come. Zack jokes about smearing peanut butter on his cook pot so that
we will get some pictures of a bear in our camp at night.
The trail dropped to Benson Lake and then back up to Seavey pass, a
cute lower altitude pass which could hardly be called a pass. The
trail descended into Kerrick canyon, which Yogi notes is one of the
strongest stream crossings on the pct. Slightly intimidated we move
on. All of our worries were for nothing though the crossing was easy,
only knee deep, and not that fast. This is one of the benefits of
being later in the season, others being that there isn't much snow and
that most of the water on the trail has drained.

It was later in the day when we forded Kerrick creek and we debated if
we should stay there to camp or hike to the next canyon
(Stubblefield), a 1000 ft climb and descent. We chose to move on and
get the last few miles in for the day.

Bear conscious again we hang our food, but we all know there are no
such thing as bears (wink).

Aaron