Total Miles This Hike: 101.6
PCT Miles Covered: 1799.8
Every time I woke up throughout the night all I could hear was the buzzing of mosquitos outside my tent. They usually die down in the middle of the night, but apparently not here. When I finally looked outside the mesh I saw about 50 of them attached to the outside of my tent. This was probably the fastest I have left camp in my life. Out of the tent, packed up and walking within about 15 minutes, no breakfast.
I did luck out to an extent today though. About 5 miles in, I had just filled up water at Irish Lake, and a couple hikers were coming northbound and told me that I wouldn’t need the headnet for a couple miles, though it would be hot. The next stretch was through a very recent burn area fully exposed climbing about 1000 feet over 4 miles. Normally this would really suck, but just not having to wear the bug net made it a bit better. Once I got through the burn area I sat down for a break and met another northbound female hiker who stopped and hung out with me for a bit. It was nice to actually have a conversation with somebody on trail because since the couple of people I saw the first day going southbound, I haven’t seen any others going that direction, and most northbounders don’t stop long enough to talk. We compared notes on upcoming sections including water and bugs, and she reminded me of a common phrase I used many times in previous hikes. “Never trust a southbounder.” I laughed when she said it, because now for the first time I was the southbounder. After about 20 minutes, we parted ways, but it was nice to have some conversation.
A little ways after that I crossed a forest service road and was surprised with another cooler.
I wondered why the girl I met hadn’t mentioned it, but then I opened it and knew why. It was empty. Sometimes an empty cooler is worse than going a long time seeing no trail magic. I don’t hope or depend on it, but the rise in spirits in seeing something like this is ultimately a morale crusher when it’s proven to be empty.
I wanted to get as far as I could today so I would have a shorter walk into Shelter Cove tomorrow for rest and resupply. My minimal goal was Bobby Lake, but after last night I was nervous camping by a lake again because of the mosquitos, so my ultimate goal was to get water at Bobby Lake and head uphill about another 3.5 miles and 800ft to the Maiden Peak Ski Shelter. The day just kept getting hotter, and my head cold had turned into just a bit of a cough that I just couldn’t kick, so I decided to just wait till I got to Bobby Lake and check the mosquito status.
When I got to Bobby Lake the mosquitos were significantly less than the night before, so I decided to just stay and push up the hill first thing in the morning. 2 other female hikers came in with a dog after I set up camp but they moved a ways around the lake so once again (as is the norm right now) I was camping alone.
In addition to the cough I have started to develop 2 blisters on my left foot, so tonight after I was done filtering and eating, I soaked my feet in the lake and will be ready to “patch” them up tomorrow morning. Shelter Cove tomorrow and my first resupply along with real food, a shower, and laundry. All very much needed.
Keep on keeping on
- Patch
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