June 3

Hello to everyone -- Now, after 454 miles north of the Mexican border, my skin is several hues darker and I can feel the precise ache of each microscopic bone in my feet. Having crossed the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, I am now lying low at the house of a very generous family in Agua Dulce, California. The Sierra Nevadas loom ahead on the horizon. Some parts of the Sierra have received record breaking amounts of snow this winter, as much as 15 feet of snow is still rumored to lie at the high passes even now in June. So, I will be skipping around the Sierra's and will soon be taking a Greyhound bus to Vancouver, British Columbia where I will begin hiking south from the Canadian border and hope to reach the Sierra by autumn after the snow has melted. I look forward to the big woods and dramatic peaks of the Northern Cascades.

All my best, Bill

June 7

Hello again,

Suddenly, in a moment of clarity, I've decided to pass up my bus ride to Canada. I'm going to push onward towards the Sierra. While there will certainly be snowy conditions there, the information I have recieved has led me tobelieve that the high elevations will be passable. As of right now, snowfields are beginning around 11,000'. Snow level reports show that the melting rate is unusually high and there will be significantly less snow by the time I reach the area. This means that I still have about 12 days of desert walking until the Sierra faces me down on the horizon. I will have my ice axe ready to go and I am prepared for a 400 mile stretch that will probably be the most beautiful challenge of my life. If you'd like to send any mail my way, here is an address.

Bill Hogseth c/o Kennedy Meadows General Store PO Box 3A-5Inyokern, CA 93527