Day 62,    31.5 miles

Today the trail was ever changing.  The morning started with a short gentle climb to over 7000 feet.  There was snow on the trail but it was easy to hike through.  There were open alpine sections with lava like, black, rocks and alpine flowers.   And more chipmunks, chickadees, and lizards.  In the forests there were many fallen trees to climb over or under.  The trail was littered with broken branches,  which I tripped and stumbled on often.  Some sections were so overgrown the trail disappeared.  We had to plow our way through.  Lots of water crossings today.  Most of the streams and creeks we could climb on logs, or rocks, to get across.  The last few rivers were too high, so we charged in with our socks and shoes on.

I’m enjoying hiking with Sweet.  We move at the same pace and can hike the same distances.  Sweet pointed out, as of today,  we both have hiked over 1000 miles of the pct.  It’s  been a few weeks that my feet haven’t hurt and my hips only ache on cold nights.  Yay.

Dirtmonger passed us going northbound.  Super cool guy.  So positive and encouraging.  I met him briefly in the Sierras, when he and Moaglee and Goliath hiked passed me.   He was doing 30s in the Sierras.  Now he is averaging 37.  He started in Campo, late April, I believe.  At this rate he will complete the whole pct in less than 3 months.  This is his 3rd time hiking the pct.

We hiked till 8pm and set up camp at Myrtle Flats, 4200 feet.  It’s a dark wooded area with a few small areas for our tents.  I pitched my tent beside the gurgling stream.  It is warm tonight, I’ll sleep well.