Total Miles This Hike: 51.7
PCT Miles Covered: 1753.0
Well, I was awake in the tent at 5:30AM. I think once I get into a routine I will be able to get out by 7AM everyday, but today that was not the case. I knew my feet were gonna need to be attended to before I left, and I layed in the tent procrastinating about getting up till around 7:30. Quick check of camp and everything seemed normal, including the bear cannister undisturbed where I left it the night before. As I knew I would, one day in and I was regretting bringing the bear cannister on this section. Most thruhikers only carry these cannisters through certain sections of California where they are required and send them back home the first chance they get to save the roughly 2 extra pounds they weigh. I knew better than to bring it for weight purposes, but I figured I would start with it because I knew I would be far ahead of the pack of thruhikers, and didn’t know how much use this part of the trail got otherwise. I didn’t want to be a bears only target for miles without one. Based on what I have seen so far, there is plenty of use here in Oregon, and the can will be going home first chance I get.
After a quick chat with a woman in the site next to mine who was also going south with her daughter, I finally packed everything up and headed south. Most of today was uphill, but I didn’t have to worry about water today as I passed many great sources. Though I did still go through some burned areas they weren’t as long or prevelant as yesterday. I also had to maneuver through a few more small patches of lava rocks as I made it up to just shy of 7000ft.
After reaching my highest elevation of the day I slowly started to get into lower elevations, including walking by Obsidian Falls which is about a 50 foot waterfall that cascades over a shelf of pure obsidian.
Day 2 is usually one of the hardest days because your body is very sore in muscles you didn’t know you had as a result of Day 1. I did feel like I was dragging a bit but managed to make it 17.1 miles which is a Day 2 record for me in all my hikes. Camping spot for tonight was between the trail and Hinton Creek. So far I have been in higher elevated exposed areas so the mosquitos weren’t that bad. Here they were downright obnoxious. Cooked dinner covered in deet and a headnet but had to eat it in my tent, because it was physically impossible to take the headnet off without getting bit repeatedly. Oregon is pretty nasty with mosquitos from what I hear, so the next couple weeks should be interesting...tomorrow into Elk Lake Resort...
Keep on keeping on,
- Patch
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