Day 53,    21 miles

After leaving Old Station campsite this morning we took a side trail to check out Subway cave.   Then it was a easy climb up Hat Creek Rim to our first views of Mount Shasta.

Then came the afternoon.  My feet felt heavy.  Tugboat, Happy, Sweet, and I  had grandiose plans to pull 30s now that we have left the High Sierras.  It’s not to be.  Yet.

I have read about this notorious stretch in past year’s pct blogs.  It’s a waterless section called Hat Creek Rim.   We were walking along an exposed hot rim all afternoon.  I’m so glad we are doing it now.   We would have been here mid July if it weren’t for this unusual big snow year and having to jump forward.

We have been meeting other hikers who jumped up from Kennedy Meadows to Ashland Oregon and are now hiking southbound.  There are also hikers who are heading north from Chester, like we did.

It’s a nice evening.  Perfect temperature, only a few flies and no wind.  We are camped by a water cache.