Shepherd Pass To Mount Barnard (13990') 7.3-7.6.11

Day 1: 3 hour day - It was too hot to sleep at the Shepherd Pass Trailhead, so I headed up the trail at 5pm and got to the saddle at 9,100' at 8 pm to make dry camp (3.5 miles/2800' elevation gain). Day 2: 9 hour day - I headed up and over Shepherd Pass. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go north or south once I got over Shepherd Pass. I lost the trail in the sun-cupped snowfields and was starting to struggle; so I headed over to the benches under Rockwell Pass to make camp. (Day 2: 10 miles 4200' gain/1600' loss). Day 3: 4.5 hour day - I started out by trying to find the trail from Shepherd Pass to the PCT in the snowfields, and I found it. Once back on the trail, life was easier but the weather had become stormier; so it ended up being a short day. I followed the Shepherd Pass Trail then went south on the PCT to Wright Creek where I headed upstream and set up camp. I had gotten a look at Mount Barnard and it looked like an easy hike and something I could drop off of quickly in a lightning storm; so I thought I could give that a try after I set camp at about 11,000', but the rain came early and I stayed at camp. (Day 3: 6 miles/700' gain/1300' loss). Day 4: 5.5 hour day - I did a day hike to Mount Barnard and was just getting down off the ridge when the first rumbles of thunder started. I had hoped to move camp up to near the Junction of the PCT and the Shepherd Pass trail in the afternoon, but the rain came and it rained for hours. It didn't stop until 5 pm; so I stayed where I was. (Day 4: 6.5 miles/3000' gain with just a day pack - it was nice not to have 40 pounds on my back). Day 5: 11 hour day - Another day where the clouds started building up early. I packed up camp in the morning and headed out along Wright Creek - the water was deeper crossing the creek on the way out. I took the PCT north to the Shepherd Pass Trail and then headed up over Shepherd Pass (thunder was rumbling and the rain started by the time I arrived at the pass). It drizzled all the way out; so the temperature was cool and it was pretty easy to go all the way back to the trailhead. (Day 5: 18 miles 2800' gain/7600' loss). The entire trip was about 44 miles with 13500' gain/loss. I was only hiking/backpacking 33 hours total; so a pretty relaxing trip. The only thing that made this trip difficult was the stormy weather, which made me rush to get things done before the rain came each day.