The rain stopped overnight but we packed up a wet tent and damp sleeping bags and set off optimistic that the weather had changed for the better.

The trail moved over a series of hills with pretty lakes in the valleys between. There are still plenty of hikers on the trails, mostly heading in a southerly direction and most of them doing the John Muir Trail.

[above] A grouse

At one turn this morning we were surprised to see a pair of alpacas grazing by the trail. They had harnesses on so were with some hikers – maybe being used to carry supplies?

We passed the turn-off to Red’s Meadow Resort which has a small cafe and is 0.5 mile off the trail but resisted the temptation to go there for lunch and instead feasted on tuna and mayonnaise wraps, pro-bars and Ritz crackers.

The afternoon hike was a gradual ascent, dry and rocky/sandy path but plenty of available water from creeks and rivers. Our campsite has a beautiful view across to some snow capped mountains behind which the sun is setting.

We completed 24.2 miles today with no high mountain pass to contend with and we hope the weather holds good to allow us to complete the upcoming high mountain sections.