In August of 2026 we backpacked five days, four nights on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Kennedy Meadows to Cottonwood Pass, California. John was 73 and I was 72. Our son, Dan, went with us. In part, this was a test trip. It was my first after having open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve.
We didn’t get started from Kennedy Meadows until late morning. The elevation was only 6,200 feet and it was already quite warm. We live in southern Arizona and are accustomed to heat. However, where we train in Mount Wrightson Wilderness, we can get up to 9,456 feet. We always start our ascent in the cool of early morning and benefit from the frequent shade on the lower descent.
While we initially hiked through some woods, the trees thinned out and we enjoyed the brief respites from the sun. Dan had quickly outdistanced us, and we planned to hook up with him at camp.
All too soon, we lost shade altogether. The temperatures were in the 90s and the sun felt brutally hot.
That first day was hard. I began experiencing shortness of breath and my pace was slow. It was reminiscent of how I felt hiking before my aortic valve was replaced. John’s pace was also slower than normal, so I tried to reassure myself it was just the heat. We were becoming concerned we would not make it as far as planned before dark.
We were in contact with Dan via our Garmin inReach and he told us he had heard water in a creek, but he didn’t investigate further through the thick brush. He gave us the location of where he had heard it and continued. As we got closer to that spot, we kept an eye out for a campsite. We got to where Dan had heard water and it took some looking around to find someplace John could get through the brush to the gully. But John was able to collect enough water for us and we backtracked to a tent site we had passed.
After setting up camp, we prepared our supper. It was a joy to just sit there in the pleasant coolness of the evening. I had an epiphany that night. I thought back to previous backpack trips in mountains. What I remember is how quickly it becomes quite chilly in the evening and how cold it is in the morning. I eat my meals while huddled in my sleeping bag and I dread having to get up.
But on this trip, I was out of the tent wearing a tee shirt and shorts. I idly wondered why couldn’t I experience this more often? It then occurred to me that those comfortable daytime hiking temperatures in the mountains often come with chilly evenings and mornings. I hoped this realization would help me be more accepting of cold nights (and mornings) on future backpack trips.
We got an early start the next morning and hiked in the cool temperatures hoping to gain enough elevation that midday temperatures would be more tolerable. Trees were still sparse, but we began seeing more granite. Kennedy Meadows is said to be the Gateway to the Sierra, but it was unrealistic to expect to see jagged granite peaks so soon so I enjoyed the rocks we began to encounter.
In the cooler temperatures, I was relieved to discover I no longer felt short of breath. It appeared my repaired heart was able to take me backpacking again! By mid-morning, we caught up to Dan. He was enjoying his customary leisurely morning in camp. We continued and he passed us later that day. It often happens when the three of us backpack together that he arrives at our destination first and finds a campsite large enough for both of our tents. This was starting to look like the Sierra!
The next morning John and I got our customary early start. We were enjoying the sights of rocks …
… and Sequoias. We also enjoyed the cooler temperatures as we gained elevation. While we always enjoy seeing tall, lush trees …
… the trees that caught our eye were the ones that have suffered from fire, wind and snow.
The higher we got, …
… the more expansive the views.
But the stars of this trip were definitely the trees. Unfortunately, our photos fail to illustrate the wide variety of shapes, textures and colors of the exposed wood. The truth is there were so many photo opportunities, we knew if we slowed down long enough to do the trees justice, we would fall too far behind. So, we created memories instead.
This trip was a successful first test of backpacking with my repaired heart. I had lost so much self-confidence the previous summer. We did a four-week long trip on the PCT through the Sierra and I struggled with fatigue. It convinced me I needed to get my aortic valve replaced. It has taken some time, but I am happy to report I have regained my self-confidence, and I know I can trust my heart again.
All photos from this trip are on Flickr.
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