Day 85, July 11: Mile 1207 to 1229
Start: Pack Saddle CG - Mile 1207.3
End: Mile 1228.5
Miles: 21.2
Ascent: 3821 | Descent: 3639
The day started off fine, although it was hard to wake up, as usual. I packed up as quietly as I could as to not disturb the many other PCT hikers and families camped nearby.
I left the campground around 6am and started up a gentle climb. The views were surprisingly pretty, with rolling tree-covered hillsides interspersed with deep blue lakes. Not the stunning, in your face beauty of the High Sierra but still very beautiful. I got service for a bit on a ridge and was stopped to catch up on my phone when Gus and Sensei passed me.
I continued up the climb and caught up to them having another break. Gus was dealing with issues with his pack being super uncomfortable, so Sensei was trying to help him try different things, like taking out his frame or back pad or adjusting straps. I munched on some honey mustard pretzels and electrolyte water, and left them to it to keep trying while I hiked on.
As I hiked, I breathed in deeply the smell of the pine trees, and it smelled like Christmas. I was starting to feel a bit rough, though, as the day was heating up. I had not drank enough water so far in the day and chugged a liter at the next water source, but it already felt like I was behind on water and food.
And so the day continued, and only got worse. I think I mostly got the food and water under control, but the day was unbearably hot and I was struggling in the heat. To top it off, painful blisters had formed on the outside of both of my heels. I tried to distract myself with the pretty views as well as an audiobook. It only did so much.
I leapfrogged a bit with a few hikers, some I knew and some I didn’t, including Epic, who I had just met, and Marshmallow. I had played pool with Marshmallow and a big group in Tehachapi, and it was nice to see her again. I found out that she was planning to camp around the same area that I was, and I was looking forward to have someone to chat with and distract myself before bed.
Finally, after a brutal, all-day struggle, I made it to camp. There were two perfect little spots for our two tents. She was setting up hers in one of them, so I did the same as quickly as I could and crawled inside. I ate a cold dinner in my tent, got ready for bed, and passed out quickly.