Day 41: The Longest Day

Date: Mon 5/28

PCT Start Mile: 566.5*

PCT End Mile: 585.8

PCT Mileage for Day: 19.3

Total PCT Mileage: 585.8

The Highlights: long hot climbs, exhaustion

*Mistakenly put 566.4 on previous blog.

Today was the longest day. It wasn’t the most miles we’ve done in a day or even the most hours we’ve spent hiking in a single day, but it was hot and exhausting and just felt like the longest day ever. I should mention that this is only my opinion (and nearly every other hiker I talked to), but Hot Mess was feeling excellent after a day of rest and cruised along, hours in front of me, LOL, and Squishy, as well as everyone else on the trail.

Wanting to eat the free hotel breakfast in the morning, we ended up getting a late start for the day. When Mama and Papa Squishy pulled over on the Highway 58 overpass where we would pick up the trail again, the sun was bright and the windmills were still. This was a bad sign. At 9am, it was already shaping up to be a very hot day.

The trail paralleled the road for a bit before turning northward and heading into the mountains. The day started with an 8 mile climb. Within 15 minutes we were soaked in sweat and stunk already. Why do we even bother washing our clothes? Our packs were full up with food for four days and 4 liters of water, since the first water source wouldn’t be for 17 miles. Uphill – in the heat – with full packs. Not our favorite hiking scenario.

While most of us were on the struggle bus early on in the hot exposed landscape, Hot Mess breezed up the climb, and when we finally reached the point where we were going to take a break, Hot Mess was just putting his pack back on. He had already been there almost an hour and was going to continue hiking. Ugh. The rest of us, including a couple other hikers, sat down to take our lunch break.

The day continued like this. The three of us struggling through the heat, Hot Mess hours ahead of us. Not long after our lunch break, we had another climb about 2 miles up a rocky forest service road before the trail went downhill again for a bit and eventually evened out, keeping a fairly level grade along the mountainside.

When the three of us girls arrived at the water source 17 miles in, it was 5:30pm. Hot Mess had left the water source over an hour ago at 4:22pm. Since we planned to camp only another 2.5 miles from here, that meant he was already at the campsite.

I refilled my bottles and bags, carrying out about 5 liters for the next stretch – 19 miles before the next water source – plus some extra water for cooking dinner tonight.

While we were at the water, several groups of other hikers arrived and after refilling, I quickly headed out again. There would be several hikers all looking toward the same campsites since everyone seemed to be especially exhausted today.

The next 2.5 miles was actually pretty nice. It was finally cooling down a bit, it was well shaded, the hiking was pretty easy, and the views were phenomenal. A nice end to a really tough day of hiking.

Hot Mess was sitting along the trail when I neared the camping area, waiting to lead me in since it was a bit hidden. After dropping my stuff, I returned to the trail to wait for LOL and Squishy and lead them to the site as well.

It turned out there was plenty of space and several other hikers eventually filtered in. Shawn was awesome and blew up my air mattress… I brought extra Jolly Ranchers for bartering. This is the last week we’ll have to do this because I ordered a very small, light, mini pump to Kennedy Meadows on the recommendation of some other hikers that have one and it will be there when we arrive in about a week. I am STOKED.

Shawn had eaten his dinner hours ago, but the rest of us ate dinner, took care of water filtering, and were quickly in our tents. Exhausted.

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