We follow the Middle Fork of the Kings River on a long flat stretch past Grouse Meadows. Just past three miles into the morning, at the confluence of the river and Palisade Creek, we bottom out for this segment at 8,020, take a left turn and begin a moderate climb up Palisade Creek, through dense brush that's overgrown the trail in many places. After noting the bear droppings right in the middle of the trail (he didn't practice leave-no-trace ethics) my mind is on surprises of the ursine variety. (As it turns out, Erik, who's behind me, does encounter a bear on this stretch but we won't see him and hear about it until dinner.)

I climb approximately four miles to indistinct Deer Meadow (8860) and reconnect with Susan at 2 p.m. We rest up a bit and after fording Glacier Creek, begin making our way up ''The Golden Staircase'' (switchbacks blasted out of granite). This was an unforgettable day. I've been feeling stronger ever since the second morning, and now my mountain legs really kick in. Although it's a granite stair climb, the grade is remarkably consistent and I just dial into a groove and go. With Susan above, Hobbit and I do most of the second half together, stopping often to drink in the views behind us down the canyon. We savor the waterfalls, the smells, the tastes of the berries. I'm up in 2:40, painlessly, and see Susan at the southerly and more hospitable of the two Palisade Lakes (10679). We have to cross-country it in from the trail down to a campsite on a granite shelf just barely the legal 40 feet off the lakeshore. (Some of that 40 feet was vertical). This will be our most isolated night of the trip. If any significant problem were to arise, our only escape option would be to backtrack to the Le Conte Ranger Station (12 miles) and then climb up through Dusy Basin and over the pass to South Lake (an additional 12.6 miles).

Camp, Palisades Lake

I had time to rinse my 60-mile socks in the icy lake before dinner tonight. But there's still no time to do any real laundry or bathing at all. We are lucky to have time to just set up camp and cook before all the remaining energy just drains out of us. At this altitude, the light fades away from the granite walls suddenly like someone had just spun a big dimmer switch and that's it for the evening. We are camped in the shadow of Mt. Disappointment to the east, but there is nothing to be disappointed about, nothing at all.

Saw 6 southbound, 4 northbound today.

Total mileage: 12
Time out: 9:10
Time in: 6:15

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