Chapter Thirty-Two: Benson

*This is a photo companion to my book, Crunch: A Million Snowy Steps Along the Pacific Crest Trail, available on Amazon here.

June 10th, 2017

Spiller Creek

Moonshine Pete working his way steeply uphill to meet back up with the Pacific Crest Trail.

Pausing to enjoy, and snap some photos of, the incredible sunrise at the top of the small pass before Miller Lake. Phone cameras are never enough to do these sunrises and sunsets justice...

Pete, testing the ice in a meadow before Miller Lake. It was a very Pete-photocentric morning...

Miller Lake, completely snowed over still.

The view looking across the Matterhorn Creek drainage.

The beautiful granite walls and cascading water along Matterhorn Creek.

Views opening up as we headed uphill to cross Wilson Creek.

My death-march leaders heading up to Benson Pass.

Tiny dots pulling me forward, nearing the crest of Benson Pass.

Heading down from Benson Pass.

Inlet to Smedberg Lake.

Camp along Smedberg "Lake." Not pictured: the lake. Also, Pete. He camped in the snow-gully on the far right.

Looming weather over Smedberg Lake.