6/3/2023
Section: Mile post 218.5 to 232.9
Distance: 14.70 Miles
Moving Time: 06:54 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3.796 ft
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Today’s stage winds up the Whitewater River valley before jumping a ridge line and dropping into the Mission Creek River Valley. The whole day is spent on BLM land and the trail quality is well kept here.
I woke well rested and a bit surprised to be so - I think my body is finally getting to the point where it doesn’t need to be perfectly comfortable to pass out any more. Better late than never i suppose. It was a later start than usual - we weren’t ready to go until just after 7, which was sad because today was hot. By the time we were packed up “Tit Punch and the Ride Brides” had already come down the switchbacks and were talking to John in front of our campsite. John had stayed across the river at a very nice car camp complete with picnic tables and pit toilets - if I had only known…
We set out after the large group up the Whitewater river valley for about a mile to a point where the trail crossed the river. There “Tit Punch and the Ride Brides” were eating a second breakfast on the other side. Amanda crossed up river in her shoes and I swapped out the Hokas for my Earth Runner sandals to go across. On the other side we continued on, me staying in the sandals to give them a shot. I figured I would wear them until they became uncomfortable than transition back to the Hokas.
The trail began to climb out of the Whitewater river valley up the side of a ridge. Some of the Ride Brides began to catch-up with us and we talked to them a bit as they did. Ruby, who is from Tasmania, talked to us about Nepal for a while and we talked to Lisa from Germany about our time in Essen. The sandals were staying comfy so they stayed on.
Eventually the trail reached the top of the ridge and did some annoying up and down for a while. We passed John who was trying to optimize his umbrella location and indicated he would catch-up later. The trail reached the end of the ridge and descended, via a long set of switchbacks, into the Mission Creek valley. We wound ourselves down and then traveled a bit up the river.
At the first crossing we found the “Ride Brides” cleaning up in the creek and joined them, taking a seat on the opposite bank. We spent a solid hour and a half in the water and washed most of the clothes that we could take off. It was wonderful. We talked to a SOBO hiker who was finishing this section from Walker Pass before taking a couple days siesta at her house in Phoenix by the pool. She had, just earlier that day, seen a rattlesnake and a bear. Eventually, John showed up and sat with me in the river before Amanda and I decided we needed to head on. We packed up ahead of everyone else, bid adieu, and headed on up the trail.
After the creek siesta, the trail hopped the river probably 20 more times. I kept my sandals on and we made slow progress as the day got really hot. The trail climbed to about 5000 feet where we made one final push up over a headland and dropped back into the river valley. Here we set up camp, took another bath in the creek, ate and headed to bed planning on getting up early for a a brutal climb..
