Turning Around on a Solo Hiking Trip in the Eastern Sierras

At the tail end of the pandemic, I wanted to travel and go hiking somewhere. After some deliberation, I decided on the Eastern Sierras for an all-day hike. I hadn’t been there before and have only heard good things. I just had to find the best time to go and take the time off of work.

Planning for my Trip

For me the best time to go is when the weather is still decent and there are less people. For where I decided to go, that meant the springtime. This meant the snow would be gone and I would beat the summer rush. It sounded like a win-win to me!

I booked an Airbnb in a nearby town, calculated my drive time, told some family and friends where I was going, and headed out.

I was going to be in the town the day before and the day after my hike. When I got to the town, I checked the weather and even though when I was planning my trip the weather was great, that had changed. It was now forecast to snow during my hike tomorrow. Snow doesn’t bother me, but I didn’t pack any of my snow gear since it was at the time when snow was over and had melted. And when I had checked the weather previously it never said it would snow, let alone be cold enough to snow.

Change in Weather Plans

I called my brother and a friend to let them know about the change of the weather and that I was still planning on trying this hike. I informed them that I would turn around when/if it got too bad. They knew what trail I was going on, what the weather was going to be, and what my plan was. They also knew they would be getting a text or a phone call when I was done to let them know that I was back safe. And if I didn’t contact them by the late afternoon the day of my hike, that they were to call the authorities.

That night I made sure I had enough glucose and snacks, I packed a lunch, and had more than enough water. In the morning, I woke up early and drove the approximately 40 minutes to the trail head. There were some patches of snow on the way to the trailhead which worried me. But I didn’t want to give up before I got started.

Double Checking my Gear

Before heading out I double checked that my hiking backpack had everything I needed. At this time, I was not wearing a continuous glucose monitor, so I was carrying my glucose meter and insulin pen. I kept my insulin in an inside pocket close to my body. That way my insulin wouldn’t get too cold. My body heat would keep the insulin warm enough to keep it viable.

Once I had double and triple checked my gear, I was off! It was a beautiful trail and the first hour or so was great. It was a little cold out, but that works for me. I prefer it to be a little cold, that way I don’t get too sweaty during a hike. I had stopped multiple times to check my blood sugar number and so far, so good!

An Unexpected Surprise

After I climbed to the top of a steep hill and turned the corner to see over a foot of snow covering everything, trail and all. I stopped and stared at this unexpected snow, confused and a little upset. I had a look of contemplation on my face as I thought about if continuing on was a good idea. What would I need to do if I did continue, and how would this alter my hike? After a moment of consideration, I decided to try and continue. The snow was a bit slippery but nothing that my hiking shoes couldn’t handle. I knew that it wasn’t likely the snow would dissipate as the elevation continued to increase. I carried on this way for about another 30 minutes.

At this point I decided to check my blood sugar number. When I got out my glucose meter it informed me that it was too cold to work. I couldn’t get a blood sugar number! This made my decision for me, it was time to turn around. At this point I made sure my glucose meter and my insulin were secured as close to my body as possible. I needed my body heat to help me out!

Don’t Rush!

I had to actively tell myself not to rush out of the snow. Rushing would just increase my chances of falling and making a mistake. I’m happy to say that I was able to make it back out of the snow without rushing. By the time I got out of the snow my glucose meter was working again and I successfully checked my blood sugar number. At this time of writing this I can’t remember what my sugar level was, I was just happy to be able to check it.

Before continuing I stopped and ate my lunch. Shortly after I ate my lunch it began to snow. Hiking in the snow was magical! Snow makes everything so beautiful. For a while I even hiked with my head up and tongue out to try and catch some snowflakes!

Made it Back Safe and Sound

When I finally made it back to my car, I messaged my brother and my friend to let them know that I was safe and didn’t hike a majority of the trail due to the snow and it being too cold for my glucose meter. They were both happy I turned around when I did.

All this trip did was make me want to come back and explore more of the Eastern Sierras, and do so with the appropriate gear.