PCT day 43 – We are definitely in the Sierra now
After a solid 12 hours sleep we started hiking around 7:30am, just a few yards up from where we were camped there was frost on the ground and patches of snow.
We had 2 miles of climbing then a 7 mile descent to water. 9 miles by 10:30am, such an improvement on yesterday!
The scenery is so beautiful and the smell of the pines is a welcome change. The terrain isn't that different to what we have walked through before but the air is completely different. It's cool and fresh.
We collected water from a sketchy puddle, water that taste 'like ass' as Marathon John came by.
We carried on to do a 5 mile climb up to 10660ft. Awesome views and we had service for a bit so I was able to contact home, let people know I'm still alive and that sort of thing.
We were right on top of the mountain and the clouds were rolling in so Cool Breeze started to get in a bit of a panic and we got out waterproof coats on and started going really fast down the mountain. I was so hot in about 5 minutes time so the waterproofs came off again. As we walked through the trees we (ok, Cool Breeze) noticed that a lot of the trees were lightening struck. We didn't want to be camped amongst the lightening struck trees!
We got 11 miles down the mountain to the creek and filtered some nice tasting water! Growler and Bangarang were there with a new friend – a German called Slip and Slide – and we all set up camp together. The guys made a fire and we chatted - mostly about food - until it got cold.
The dreaded bear can:
Slip and Slide's tiny tent:
After a respectable 22 mile day we have a big day tomorrow...