Spyder Meadow was a great spot for my first night in the tent. I understand that this can be a popular spot, but I had the whole meadow to myself, well almost. Greeted when I arrived by the shrill calling of Marmots (they sound like a high pitched whistle), a buck and 3 doe deer, and an owl howling at night. My older body likes to get oiled up in the morning before putting that 30 lb pack on my back. Coffee and closing down camp always takes me at least an hour. I know when I backpacked with my daughter Sara on the PCT she would pack up in less than 1/3 the time it takes me. She did tell me that 4 1/2 months on the trail makes you more efficient! Coffee, packing, and a few photos and then off to climb to Spyder Pass. There was a bit of exposure on one narrow ledge walkway, and having a pack on my back, and not yet the strength in my legs that days backpacking brings made me a hair nervous, I just told myself not to get nervous, and look where you're walking!
Half way up!
I had plans to cross Spyder Glacier, negotiate the climb down the other side and down to Lyman Lakes, where I could pick up a marked trail. The problem is there is no marked trail going down the north side of the pass, and I was alone on this mountain walking on a soft glacier, not sure which part of the glacier to walk on, and wearing trail running shoes, with no crampons. Going up was fine, but cutting across the glacier or down was a bit slippery. Common sense took over and I re-evaluated my plan to go down the other side, as I know the trail back was also tough and perhaps longer than my food supply would carry me. I thus went back down the glacier, back down the south side and past the exposure I was worried about.
I was rewarded with a fantastic camping spot hiking into the Phelps River Basin. Deer and marmots were there to greet me, and other than that, the basin to myself!
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