Day Six – 20 July 2018 – Friday

Marlette Peak Campground (8228ft; mile 54) to Kingsbury North TH (7769ft; mile 76)

21.6 miles today of 183.4 miles total

3,218ft gain

My final day. Longer miles than anticipated. But I so look forward to that post trail meal.

While hiking I met this great team of guys. All 65+ year olds out thru hiking. There were four in total. Three PCT alums and one thru novice. They are part of a larger group of military friends who come together every year for a trip together. This year they spent a couple weeks doing trail maintenance before these few came over to the TRT for a bonus finale to their friend reunion. When I caught up to the first guy, he said he was behind the group because he had gone off trail at Spooner Summit to get water down at Spooner Lake. These guys are total badasses. Each one has had a lifetime of experience and story. When I first got on trail, I bought a 3 gallon water job thinking I might leave myself a water cache. But then I ended up starting within the dry section so didn’t need it. The point of detailing it now is that these guys were pretty worried about being in the beginning of the dry section and not being able to make big enough miles to reach enough water without each loading up under way too much weight. So I told them I would leave my water for them at the Kingsbury North TH. I never exchanged email, but I truly hope the water helped them get through the section.

I reached my vehicle at about 2PM. I stripped down my stinky hiking clothes, put on fresh clothes for driving, and finally dealt with my poor toe. It was swollen twice its size and extremely red and angry. My poor toe.

Anyway, I drove back to Stateline for victory food and beer. It was incredible timing. As I sat down for food, a torrential downpour broke the sky. I loitered at the restaurant and then took a quick nap in my Escape before hitting the road. I after the rain calmed down, I drove all the way back to Santa Barbara via Highway 395. The trip was mostly in that same downpour. But it was beautiful to watch the roiling clouds. And by the time I reached Mount Whitney, I was blessed with one of those stunning, post-storm sunsets that lit the sky on fire.

In the end, I am happy. The trail was too short, but it recharged my soul. Until next time.

Day Five – 19 July 2018 – Thursday

Picnic Rock above Tahoe Vista (7544ft; mile 22) to Marlette Peak Campground (8228ft; mile 54)

33.8 miles today of 161.8 miles total

5,581ft gain

This morning was a dream! The weather was beautiful, views were stunning, the trail was easy moving. I loved it! I felt great. After the onset of tired feet, this morning I felt like a new woman.

On trail I met a nice man named Rich. He was carrying a 30 lbs pack for training hiking in preparation to summit Mount Whitney. He said it had been 20 years since he last summited. I hope his training goes well!

Then I hiked upon a surprise waterfall in Mt Rose Wilderness. While stopped by the cool water in the shade, I met Jean and Betty Friedberg from Boulder, Colorado. They were incredibly nice people. They even invited me to wine whenever I visit the Boulder area next. Betty even shared a freshet towel with me for an impromptu trail shower. They seem like genuinely welcoming people with very interesting lives.

After such a strong morning, the afternoon heat wore me out. I felt like I was riding the struggle bus to an extreme. It felt like I was moving at a snail’s pace. Mt Rose Wilderness was so hot, exposed, and with little water. Because of this, I carried way more water than I should have, which didn’t help with the onset of soreness, tiredness, and crankiness. To top it off, I tripped and kicked a rock really hard with the kind of power that I could feel my big toe nail disconnect from its root. Looking at is tonight, my nail bed is very swollen and red. And somehow I lost my safety pins this morning packing up. I had two pinned against my hip belt pocket this whole time. So now I cannot even drain the blood blister fluid. I have a pocket knife, but it seems too coarse for the job. Plus it hurt really bad just to press on the skin even with my fingers.

Anyway, I will longer miles tomorrow than I wanted. I didn’t plan much food for my last day. I hope to get a super early start and make most the distance before the heat kicks in. Sleep now.

Day Three – 17 July 2018 – Tuesday

Gilmore Lake (8327ft; mile 133) to Tahoe City (6250ft; mile 0)

40.0 miles today of 104.6 miles total

5,314ft gain

Gilmore Lake was the perfect place to camp last night! Dick’s Pass also would have been amazing, but so happy about my morning. The sunrise over the lake this morning was incredible!

Today I saw a yellow bird with dark stripes and a bright orange head. I am terrible at bird IDs, so if anyone has an idea, please let me know! I met three thru hikers today: Twizzler, who unfortunately lost his phone on the trail somewhere and was in desperate search mode, and his companions, Songbird and Spooky. I also hiked past trail crews today. I always love seeing these generous souls helping improve and tend to the trails, the places I call home.

Today felt great! Big miles and all smiles (taking a page from my trail idol, Smiles and Miles!)! I gained a fifth wind, so to speak, when I discovered I had full service five miles from Tahoe City and there was a cheap room in town. I booked the room and then booked the last five miles. This turned out to be a great plan as I rounded the trail close to town, where I had been planning to stealth camp, to find an obnoxiously loud camp or cabin too close and a mama bear with cub meandering across the trail. I didn’t need another sign to finish hiking into town. Plus, I didn’t pack my bug net for my tarp, and the incessant buzz of mosquitos drives me to an irrational place. They rarely even bite except for my face and feet. Mostly they just buzz around my face and make me crazy.

I hiked exactly 40 miles today. I could not have planned today so perfectly. I hiked into Tahoe City about 8:40PM. Late but very worth it. At the hotel I scrubbed my body like no tomorrow. Unfortunately most of the restaurants are only open until 9PM, so I ended up walking half a mile to find supper at Bridgetender Tavern and Grill. I ate a delicious veggie burrito with chips and salsa. I almost stopped for dessert, but it was already way past hiker midnight. My body sure aches.

Day Two – 16 July 2018 – Monday

Big Meadow (7651ft; mile 105.3) to Gilmore Lake (8327ft; mile 133)

29.3 miles today of 64.6 miles total

5,305ft gain

Today felt long. The trail joined the PCT a few miles after hitting the trail and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia and impatience. The TRT and PCT overlap for about 50 miles. I didn’t anticipate how mentally challenging that was going to be for me. I mean this is a beautiful section, and not that many people actually got to hike it my year due to the big fire on trail back at Ebbetts Pass. I only barely made it through the day the fires started in 2015 because of a big 32 plus mile day on the summer solstice, when I had only anticipated a short 22 miles day.

Anyway, recalling memories caused the miles to move slowly by. It felt like I was moving slowly at least. I also stopped a lot and was in a surprisingly chatty mood. I met several TRT people, but none were planning faster miles. I then met a group of PCT SoBo’ers. Technically they were all only doing sections, not the full Canada to Mexico, but I was excited to talk. It felt like catching up with old friends, despite none of us having ever met before. These instant friends are Loner, Lady Meow Meow, and Milkshake. I also met two guys, a younger and older, who are NoBo PCTers. We all stopped at the Echo Lakes Chalet around the same time. While leaving Susie Lake to make a last haul up to Gilmore Lake for the night, I met another woman with her dog. She started last year but was turned off due to snow. This would seem a bit far south for any regular PCTers. But mid July I was almost finished with California. Long ways to go for NoBos!

I decided to call an early night tonight. Catch up on last night’s journaling, get a good leg rub in, eat the veggie and avocado sandwich I bought at the Chalet, and get a swim in before bed. All checked! Mostly I wasn’t sure I wanted to try for Dick’s Pass and then hike two more miles for the lake. At the risk of not finding as many campsites there, I called it early. I will be trying to make up those five miles tomorrow with an early start. The trail tomorrow should depart from the PCT and then stay up on the rim overlooking Lake Tahoe, so I think the miles should be easier. And it will put me as close to Tahoe City as I can go and still camp for free. I am very happy the miles haven’t been as brutal as they could have been. The TRT could have been my defeat for this summer. I mean there’s still time, but I feel good for now.

The mosquitos are ruthless tonight, so I am tucking in. I didn’t bring my bug net on my tent, so I will need to literally tuck in until it becomes too cool for them to be out.