PCT Map Miles 721.9
Miles Hiked 661.7
Elevation 9,160 feet
Miles Hiked Today 16.1
My alarm went off this morning, and I was up at 4 AM. By 5:30, I was hiking. The day started at an elevation of just over 6,100 feet. Essentially, the trail went up all day. There were some flat spots and there were a couple of descents, but with all the ups and downs, I would guess that I gained at least 4,000 feet. My elevation as I write this is 9,160 feet. Anyway you look at it, I did a lot of climbing today.
The good news for the day is that a lot of it was spent in interesting meadows and stands of trees. I hesitate to use the word forest, because I walked in and out of the trees frequently. However you look at it, it sure is good to be walking with tree cover for at least part of the day.
Another advantage of being on this section of the Pacific Crest Trail in the high Sierra is there’s plenty of water. Instead of carrying four liters of water I only carried two liters today. When I ran out there was a river right there, and I filled up with another two liters. Carrying less water sure lightens the backpack.
I met another hiker today going southbound. It makes the second hiker that I’ve seen since I returned to the trail in Tehachapi. I did see a group of international hikers heading for Mount Whitney, but I don’t count them because they weren’t on the trail yet. When I met them, they were leaving Kennedy Meadows community. I gave the southbound hiker the scoop on the Kennedy Meadows General Store. He was especially warned about staying overnight because of the guard dog that barks all night.
I found a nice place to set up my tent a little after 4:00. In fact there were a number of good tent sites in the area. The problem is they all had ant nests. I set up my tent with that in mind and kept an eye out for ants. As expected, a big group of them headed for my tent. I fought them off with some Repel insect repellent. I don’t know if I won the battle but they have retreated for now.
At this elevation, it promises to be cold tonight. I haven’t been cold at night since May. I’m not looking forward to it.
