Beside last night's star-gazing, the campsite was perfect! Almost no wind, plenty of space, easy tent setup/take down, rocks to lounge on (though I didn't reserve much time for that), and far enough away from the trail that I wouldn't be bothered by anyone. What I decided last night as I pored over the maps was that I wanted to reach the top of Whitney, if for no reason than to get cell reception.! This sounds like the most wilderness sellout reason ever--and it is--but i really need to call home and make sure Liam is okay and got there safely. I also need to call Matt and tell him not to carry Liam's food, maybe he can just store it in a bear box at the trail head. Lastly I need to call my family and hear their voices, just to let them know I'm thinking about them and Maddie every step of the way.
Anywho, waking up, I realized this morning what a daunting task I had ahead of me. It would potentially be the second most miles I've done with a heavy pack. The climb to New Army Pass was exceptionally beautiful. I would go so far as to say it was the highlight of the day, both from a vista perspective and an energy level one. I talked to a couple of guys doing essentially the same thing as me, and it was nice, but made me miss having my own companion even more. I'll be going at a faster pace to meet my schedule, so I may not see them again, but it was nice to chat and take a break after the climb.
I'm going to give John's Spot of the Day to Long Lake because lounging on a rock by a lake reading a book sounds very much like something he would enjoy. It was a tough choice between the lake and the views awarded at the top of the pass, but ultimately the above scenario was just too enticing, offering more to do than just snap some amazing vista shots.
The descent was really nice off the top, rocky expanses of marmot homes all around me. Further down toward tee line I encountered one of many streams and creeks I would follow today. It made for a nice background soundtrack to my podcasts, but the terrain became increasingly dirty and rocky, both not conducive to faster hiking. It remained this way for most of the afternoon, pretty much until I approached Crabtree Neadow and beyond. Up and over Guyout Pass, it came to my attention that the gentle white haze beyond the adjacent mountains to the west was a fire. No one I ran into could speak to its severity, but we all figured we weren't in any danger. After all, it was so subtle that someone had to point it out to me.
Two passes in one day, and suddenly my hips started to feel quite raw. It was as though the hip belt was pinching and sanding away at my hip bones, and despite the tape I applied only got marginally better. After experimenting with ways to wear my pants and heights to wear the hip belt, I landed on a decent combination that would get me through the day. At about mile 13 my feet felt pretty battered, but I'm loving my Brokks Cascadia 10s nonetheless. It's just a matter of getting back into hiking shape.
I felt pretty determined to get to Guitar Lake, but as I climbed beyond Crabtree and past so many beautiful campsites, Ithe draw to set up camp became stronger. It was 6:15 when I finally decided on a spot just before the Timberline Lake area, and I set about my normal routine. In an effort to expedite my morning just a little bit, I'm sleeping in my hiking shirt, something I hate doing. I'm going to hope I can go to bed at a decent hour so I can get up as early as possible to reach the summit. Sure I won't be able to compete with the go to bed at 6pm/wake up at 2am crowd, but if I can be out of here by 6 or even 7 I won't complain. If I can make it to Wallace Creek tomorrow that might put me at another 15+ mile day, the thought of which sort of makes me groan. But we shall see.
On a positive note, dinner was delicious tonight--Hawaiian rice with chicken by Backpackers Pantry--dare I say, it hit the spot even more than last night's chilli. I think Asian inspired dishes are what I crave most out here. Oh my, speaking of Asian cuisine, Maddie got my favorite Thai place without me before I left, so if you're reading this Maddie, yes I remember and no I don't forgive you.
Anyway my back and feet are pretty destroyed at the moment so I'm gonna consult my maps and listen to some audiobook/podcast magic. Best to all those back home!
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