Trans-Sierra Backpacking - Day 4
Explore Landscapes #123
Day 4 of the Trans-Sierra backpacking route took us from Colby Lake to Junction Meadow [12.22 miles / 1,862 ft ascent / 4,420 ft descent]
Starting the switchbacks on the way up to Colby Pass | © 2026 Jon Norris
Introduction
I just backpacked across the Sierras, through Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, on a Trans-Sierra Xtreme Challenge (TSX) trek with the Reciprocity Rx™ team. Reciprocity Rx™ is the brainchild of Sydney and Barry Williams (aka Hiking My Feelings® and WITW Consulting).
Over the next few weeks I’m going to publish a post for each day of the trek featuring route descriptions and reflection prompts from Sydney Williams, my responses to those prompts, plus exerts from my journal that I kept during the trek. In those responses I’m opening myself up, and being 100% authentic and real, so please be kind. Plus, of course, I’m including images that I took along the way.
As a landscape photographer it was a hard decision for me not to take my ‘big’ camera with me. As I was hiking with a group, I knew that I’d only be able to take snapshots throughout each day, and that I’d be carrying supplies for eight days, so adding 5+ lbs in weight made no sense. Consequently, all images were shot on my iPhone 17 Pro Plus.
NOTE: trekking miles and ascent / descent varied significantly between the GPX route files (whether viewed on AllTrails or Gaia GPS) and the data that my Garmin Fenix 7X recorded as I was trekking (it varied by 15 miles over the 8 days). I’m going to be using the Garmin data in the posts. I’m going to do some digging to try and figure out why this might be. I’ll share what I find out!
Here’s the previous days posts for this backpacking trip in case you missed them:
Tumanguya (Mt. Whitney) Backpacking Route - Day 4
Day 4’s Route Guidance
From Sydney Williams, “Day 4 is our first major threshold day.
Today’s theme is: Respect the Threshold
We begin at Colby Lake and climb toward Colby Pass, gaining roughly 1,400 feet in about 1.5 miles before reaching the pass near 12,000 feet. This is steep, concentrated effort — and it gives us a powerful practice run for Whitney. Not because Colby is the same as Whitney, but because it asks for many of the same skills: pacing, breath, foot placement, patience, altitude awareness, and honest listening.
From the pass, the day changes completely. After the climb comes a long descent — over 4,000 feet down toward Junction Meadow and the Kern-Kaweah/Kern River world. Today reminds us that descent is not failure. Descent is part of the crossing. It is how water moves, how trails connect, and how the body follows the natural rhythm of what goes up coming down.
Look for the landscape changing as we move: sparse alpine plants tucked close to the ground, granite and talus near the pass, then the return of water, vegetation, river sound, and canyon life as we descend. Water crossings on this side of the pass may feel cleansing, cooling, and reenergizing after the exposed high country.
Today’s invitation is to move with respect. Respect the climb. Respect the descent. Respect your breath. Respect your knees. Respect the mountain. Respect whatever boundary you are ready to cross.
Today’s reminder: Colby is a teacher, not a test.”
Early morning light on Colby Lake | © 2026 Jon Norris
Trans-Sierra Backpacking - Day 4
I was awake multiple times during the night—I just couldn’t get comfortable, and as I’d drank too much water after dinner—I needed to make several pit stops. When I eventually managed to get to sleep, I fell into a deep sleep, and slept through my 5am alarm. We were planning to leave camp early, so I was unceremoniously woken from a deep sleep by Chris (our hike leader).
First view of Colby Pass from the trail as we leave Colby Lake behind | © 2026 Jon Norris
The morning coffee hit the spot, and after 2 cups I was ready to go. I decided to skip breakfast, and chose to have a Clif Bar en route once we got going.
As we started up the trail towards Colby Pass the wall of granite ahead of us just kept getting taller and taller. It was hard to see how there could possibly be a route up and over the pass.
Approaching the 1.200 ft of granite talus / scree to get up to Colby Pass | © 2026 Jon Norris
From the base of the climb it looked like an impassable granite wall of talus and scree. It was a slog to get up there but I dug deep and kept going.
As the vegetation thinned out, and the wall of granite talus and scree started, I could start to make out where the trail was going and then a series of switchbacks started.
Looking back down the switchbacks to Colby Lake off in the distance | © 2026 Jon Norris
As I was hiking up the lower switchbacks I was thinking about how hard this was and made the comment to myself that this was probably the hardest thing that I’d ever done.
My inner voice immediately responded, “No it’s not. The hardest thing you’ve ever done is read the eulogy at Mum’s funeral.”
And that’s when a wave of grief hit me hard. I thought about Mum’s sudden passing two years ago and immediately felt tears welling up.
I was feeling lightheaded (due to the altitude) and had to push the feeling aside while climbing as I needed my wits about me to stay balanced and focused on reaching the pass.
Having a moment at Colby Pass | © 2026 Sydney Williams
Once I’d reached the pass, and celebrated with those in the team who had already got up, I found a rock off to the side of the trail. That’s when I let the grief out. I sobbed my heart out for five minutes. It just came out. Full on ugly crying.
Sydney noticed what was going on, checked in with me, and then gave me some space to have my moment. I didn’t notice her taking the photograph, but it captures that moment perfectly. Once the moment had passed, I noticed how the release had felt really good. I regained my composure and then rejoined the group for photos at the pass.
At Colby Pass with Kings Canyon National Park behind me | © 2026 Sydney Williams
We spent about 30 minutes at Colby Pass so that we could regroup, and of course take the obligatory photos of both parks with the double-sided sign—which also featured what looked like a femur on top of it.
This was my first time at 12,000 ft in the US. My previous experience of this altitude was on the Aiguille du Midi near Chamonix in the French Alps many years previously.
At Colby Pass with Sequoia National Park behind me | © 2026 Sydney Williams
My first time at 12,000 ft in the US | © 2026 Jon Norris
The first few miles of the descent into Sequoia National Park were lovely—an undulating and meandering trail on soft ground. This made a welcome change from the granite talus and scree that we’d been struggling over for the previous two hours.
Happiness is hiking in the mountains | © 2026 Barry Williams
Looking down the Colby Pass Trail and into Sequoia National Park | © 2026 Jon Norris
The moon over the Ridgeline to our right as we descend into Sequoia National Park | © 2026 Jon Norris
We walked a few more miles before driving at out lunch spot close to the Kern-Kaweah River. I found a shady spot, rolled out my NEMO switchback sleeping mat, leant against a rock—and enjoyed my lunch.
Our lunch spot close by the Kern-Kaweah River | © 2026 Jon Norris
The Kern-Kaweah River gently cascades over the granite slope close to the Colby Pass Trail | © 2026 Jon Norris
After lunch, as the trail came close to the Kern-Kaweah River, the trail conditions deteriorated quickly. This was clearly not a trail that saw much foot traffic as it was heavily overgrown. Walking through shoulder height undergrowth that touched both shoulders was hard going.
The last obstacle of the day was Chocolate Ridge—a very steep, loose trail, which was completely overgrown in many places.
Looking up at the steep, loose, narrow gully (aka Chocolate Ridge) we had to ascend | © 2026 Jon Norris
Looking back down Chocolate Ridge | © 2026 Jon Norris
For the last few miles of the day I hung back to provide motivation and support to one of our team who was struggling with the day’s hike.
We hadn’t been forewarned about the overgrown trail, or how steep and loose Chocolate Ridge was going to be. And three of us had been left behind by the rest of the team who had steamed ahead.
Consequently we weren’t in the best of moods. We walked very slowly along the last 3-miles of the trail.
I arrived into camp mentally and physically drained—wasn’t ready for small talk or pleasantries, and took myself off to bed.
Till next time.
Day 4’s Camp Reflections
Prompts from Sydney Williams, with my responses.
Daily Reflections:
What did you notice outside yourself today? I spent a lot of time noticing the layering of the landscape; lake, meadow, slopes, rocks, and how the landscape reveals itself gradually after every turn on the trail.
What did you notice inside yourself today? As I was climbing up Colby Pass I started thinking about my Mum and her passing. I had to stifle my grief until I got up to the pass and then it all came out and I sobbed my heart out for 5 minutes.
Where did the landscape match your inner experience? The steepness and difficulty of the winding trail and switchbacks going up Colby Pass matched my inner feelings of grief that had been somewhat ‘buried internally’ for over 2 years and brought them to the surface.
Where did it challenge it? The hike down from Chocolate Ridge was excruciating. The trail was severely overgrown and we were hiking at maybe 0.5 miles per hour to keep pace with one of the group that was struggling to finish the hike. All in all it was a physically and mentally demanding day and I was completely exhausted when I arrived into camp.
What moment from today do you not want to forget? The final few steps before creating Colby Pass and seeing the expanse of Kings Canyon National Park behind us and Sequoia in front of us.
Theme Reflections:
What did Colby Pass teach you about effort, pacing, or respect? It taught me that I can overcome what appear to be daunting challenges if I hunker down and put in the effort and maintain my pace.
What did the long descent teach you about humility, flow, or letting gravity help? The long descent to begin with felt good as we walked down and through the various meadows that we passed. The wide open trail and hiking at a good pace made me feel at ease with my body.
What did you leave at the pass, and what did you carry with you into this next chapter? I opened up and left some grief at the pass which gave me a surprising amount of relief. I remembered my Mum, thought about my Dad, Jackie and our daughters. What remains is my drive to live my best life going forwards.
Story Invitation:
Where in your life are you learning that descent is not failure, but part of the journey forward? The last eight months have seen significant changes in my life, as I put aside my photography workshops (hopefully temporarily), focused on my corporate job, and in parallel helped Jackie start her Tennis and Pickleball coaching business. All of this is part of the journey forward towards retirement.
