Day 7: Woods Creek to Pinchot Pass, overnight in Upper Basin
14 miles; 4,480 ft elevation gain; 2,138 ft elevation loss

This morning we packed up camp, crossed the suspension bridge, and set out toward Pinchot Pass. From Woods Creek, it was 7.5 miles and 3,660 feet of elevation gain to the pass. We were happy to have a clear morning with blue skies and a few nice clouds - the smoke haze was much better today. After the super busy trails around Rae Lakes (a popular area, especially on a holiday weekend), the trail to Pinchot Pass felt like a ghost town. We only saw a few other hikers as we enjoyed the beautiful morning hiking to the pass.

I don’t remember much from the last time I stood on Pinchot Pass - I had to look at my pictures to jog my memory. It was an overcast day and the scenery was muted - so nothing remarkable. This time however, there was gorgeous light and views. The reds of Crater Mountain, the vivid blues of the alpine lakes, and the vibrant sky with puffy white clouds combined for a beautiful scene laid out before us. What a difference good light makes! We took an extended break at the pass to soak it all in.

We descended past Lake Marjorie and the other unnamed lakes on our way to the South Fork of the Kings River crossing (4.25 miles, 2,100 feet of elevation loss). This crossing can be dicey in high snowpack years or early in the season (a permanent bridge washed away during the winter of 2016 - 2017 and has not been replaced), but was fine for us. We took a break to filter some water and have a snack, then continued north.

Our final stretch of the day was entering Upper Basin below Mather Pass and finding a campsite near treeline (about 2.5 miles, 900 feet of elevation gain).

It was a lovely evening at our campsite as I contemplated the days ahead. I tried an Ace bandage on my knee today, and while the ascent was fine, there was still some pain on the descent. I wasn’t sure how my knee would fare in the coming days - especially with the big downhill from Mather Pass and the infamous Golden Staircase up next. At the very least, I could enjoy the peaceful evening. The last light of the day illuminated the tops of the peaks, and I was eventually lulled to sleep by the burbling of the nearby creek.