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Day 5: Silver Pass Creek to Vermilion Valley Resort

This was our most mellow day. We started around Silver Pass Creek (9,600', 0 mi) and descended to the Edison Lake Trail Junction (7,870', 4.8 mi). From there, we left the JMT and took the trail to the point where the ferry was supposed to pick us up (7,720', 6.2 mi) and take us to the Vermilion Valley Resort, where our resupply packages were waiting for us. However, since the lake is a reservoir and there is a drought in California, they were draining the lake and we had to hike at least half a mile along the dry lakebed to the new lakeshore! We had a lot of time before we had to meet the ferry so we could swim and relax a bit, which was nice. I also learned that when I'm really hungry, I am able to eat over 1,500 calories of peanut butter in one sitting.

The total distance was about 6.7 miles, with a descent of about 1,880'.

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Large		 There was a bit of smoke in the air when we woke up, possibly from a fire around Santa Barbara or another one in the Inyo National Forest
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Large		 Breaking from the JMT to head to the Vermilion Valley Resort
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Large		 This is by where the ferry normally arrives...
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Large		 ...but since the lake is being drained to counteract the drought, the shore is over half a mile away
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Large		 Mono Creek, where we had some time to swim and clean up a bit
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Large		 The surreal walk along the lakebed
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Large		 The new ferry pick-up point
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Large		 The ferry dropped us off at the west end of the lake...
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Large		 ...and vans drove us to the Resort. Normally, the lakeshore is much closer to the Resort.
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Large		 Our tent cabin
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Large		 The Resort
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Large		 The lake off in the distance
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Large		 Dinner at the restaurant:-)

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