Mammoth Trip, 2026

September 15

Mammoth Crest



19.5 km and 950 m elevation gain in 9:10 hours total time.



I got to bed pretty early in anticipation of our big hike, and accepted a melatonin capsule from Bill, which I don't usually like to take. I took them for a time once, and they help when they work, but if you can't fall asleep despite the melatonin, then the night is all so much the worse.

But luckily I slept well, with a sleep score of 84, the best in Mammoth this year, and pretty good any day. Body Battery was at 71%. Okay, big day ahead! We'd done Mammoth Crest several times before, in 2010, 2015, and 2017, and done it in either direction, sometimes with excursions up some pinnacle or other attraction, and it had been enjoyable and pretty in the past. But it's long with a lot of climbing, requiring a car shuttle to not let it get too long.

But I was younger, stronger, quicker then, and didn't have the altitude problems like now. My optimistic expectation for the hike was just to endure it and get it done. -F.