Today is the day! Sky Pilot Col, one of the most difficult passes on the High Route stood in our path. We were nervous about this pass but first we had to get to the base of it at Shepard Lake, which proved to be a challenge in itself especially for me and my grass allergy.Since we climbed down into forest yesterday, we needed to climb out of it again and back into the high country. Today's bushwhack was even more intense. By the time we reached Shepard Lake my allergy symptoms were at their peak.

A dip in the lake's icy water helped a lot, and I felt much better once we started going higher above the lake. Navigating was a bit of a challenge, but we managed to choose the correct chutes and avoid any class 4 rock.

The boulder fields kept going higher and higher with no end in sight. Finally we came to a vast snow bowl where we could see the notch of the pass to the right of a thumb-shaped rock. The final 200 ft looked almost vertical.To begin the snow ascent, we had to glissade down to the base of a dirty chute. This chute stretched most of the way up the main wall so we decided to follow it up.

As we climbed, the slope gradually steepened and wind picked up. I started knocking down stones toward Emma and Isabel. Unstable footing, loose rock, and dark clouds churning overhead made all this a terrifying experience. The worst part was the last 100 ft, but we were determined. This pass was named after the sky pilot, a type of high altitude flower but we didn't see any up here.

Finally the steep wall gave way to a saddle made of rock and dirt, and we were on top!Cresting a pass is always an instant sensory overload. You've been staring at the same wall of rock for forever then bam - views for days. In the distance we could see Mt Dana and the high peaks of Yosemite National Park. The Cascade lakes shimmered down below.

When we peered over the edge, we were relieved to see a scree slope on the other side, which was much easier to go down than the way we came up. We relaxed a little, and it seemed like we would be able to make it to camp before the storm started.

Skiing down the loose scree led us to a trail, and it was easy going from there. Claps of thunder echoed all around us as we set up our tents by one of the lakes.We waited out the storm by cooking dinners. Isabel spilled one of hers in the process which was unfortunate, but luckily she had a spare. When the storm cleared we stepped outside to a stunning landscape. Today was one of the hardest hiking days of my life, ending at the most beautiful camp location. I want to come back here!

Virginia Canyon to Cascade Lakes - 4.7 mi and 2943 ft gained.