Section: Mile post 47.1 to 63.1
Distance: 16 Miles
Moving Time: 7:38 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3,445 ft
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We woke at 3 am, my watch vibrating the same time Amanda’s alarm went off. We layed in bed staring up at the stars for a while before I opened the valve on my air mattress which was the sign that I wasn’t going back. We packed and even warmed some water for oatmeal and grits on the empty parking spot for the campsite. At 4 am we were ready to go - warm-ups and all - and set out from the campground.
The stars were amazing and we heard an owl in the distance. We rejoined the trail where we departed the day before and took a left. The trail continued to round its way through a series of low hills and bluffs staying close by the S1. My REI sun shirt - which i had not initially bought into - kept me just warm enough as the cool breeze ran up the small valleys. It was really continuing to impress me, especially in the sun, negating the need to constantly smear sunscreen on my already dirty skin. Eventually the sun started to make its slow march up in the sky and I couldn’t stop taking pictures as the light continued to illuminate the hills around us in beautiful ways.
After a time we came into the Pioneer Square Picnic area to use the restroom and found Young Chris sitting on a picnic table. We sat and talked a while before using the restrooms and continuing on. From the picnic area the trail proceeded for a short time on an old road grade with a disturbingly large number of memorials on the rocks next to the trail.
2 miles down the trail Chris, Nikola and another guy who’s trail name was “Whatever” caught up to us and we chatted for a while before they sped on past. Another mile on we all stopped to pump water and John caught up with us. We relaxed by the creek, enjoying a little shade before heading out. As we hiked a larger and larger number of caterpillars could be seen on the ground, some already tragically crushed. The further we went down trai the more dense they got. I desperately tried to miss them but know I squished a few. Amanda used an app on her phone to identify them as tent caterpillar moths. “At some point in the next few weeks,” I thought “this place is going to be inundated with moths.”
At mile 14 we came to a camp positioned closest to the end point for the day. We stopped and recouperated for a couple minutes. The camp had water but it was half a mile above us in a nearby parking lot. We could stay here or drive on another 4 miles to a campsite with water. Begrudgingly, we decided to head on out to get to better water and lessen the load off ourselves for the next day.
We hiked for 4 more miles, somewhat rested from our short break. The catapillars had at least abated but the sun was at it’s hottest as we made our way along a number of small ridges. In the last mile the trail tilted sharply down eventually delivering us to a nice open camp in a small valley. In this last section another hiker named Matt passed by us on his way to the same site. Once we arrived in camp i looked around and worried for a minute that FarOut had led me astray noting no water but Matt, seeing my consternation, assured me there was a running stream about a quarter mile down the trail.
I loaded up my Gregorie’s integrated daypack with all the water bladders we had, said hi to John who had already set up at an adjacent site and went to pump while Amanda set up camp. On the way back I said hi to Old Chris and Joe who had arrived and were on their way to do the same. Old Chris mentioned some overlanders who had said hi but not offered him any beer. We both smiled and laughed and i headed back to camp. After some time a girl from the Czech Rpublic arrived and we talked to her for a while. Her name was Anishka and she was on an incredible adventure. This was her first time away from home and the flight to America was her first ever. She was pushing about 10 miles a day and intended to finish the whole thing before the summer was finished. Joe, Amanda and I sat around for another hour or so talking and laughing but at 7 we started winding down and completing our nightly activities before turning in for the night.
