I left the Kern River and its magical bridge behind, passing a small garter snake sunning itself in the trail as I hiked out of the meadow. During a long climb that criss-crossed a small but strongly flowing stream, I came across a number of vibrant snow flowers growing out of the needle-strewn ground. Based on the high snow levels through the previous winter and spring, and everyone from fellow hikers to a local rancher back in Inyokern warning me of difficult conditions in the High Sierra, these plants were surely a sign of the snow to come.
Indeed, after reaching the ridge I came across my first tiny patch of snow along the trail. That morning I had made tentative plans to meet John for lunch at the high point, but with him nowhere to be found I continued down through some buggy meadows until finding a nice dry spot to camp in the rocks above Death Canyon Creek (much nicer that it sounds). Unfortunately instead of mosquitoes the site turned out to be infested with ants, and I quickly downed my dinner and took shelter to watch the stars flicker into sight through the mesh ceiling of my tent.
Russell on the Road 