PCT SOBO DAY 83 – Twisted Trees

Day 83

Start: Stealthsite, mile 1577.7

Finish: Upper Kinney Lake, near mile marker 1604.6

Miles driven: 26.9 miles

This morning I woke up a little later than usual. I was feeling lazy and didn’t feel like hiking; my quilt was too cozy. But it was hot outside, so I didn’t have much of an excuse to stay bundled up. I packed up relatively quickly and was able to hit the road around my usual start time.

First stop of the morning: the bathroom in the parking lot. Having «real» bathrooms was a big plus of camping so close to the road. Plus, there were trash cans ready to take my extra ounces. What a luxury!

After finishing my morning business, I crossed the street and returned to the visitor center where I had had dinner the night before. They opened at 8am, so I didn’t get a chance to go in and get snacks. Oh ok.

My first “climb” of the day was up to Carson Pass. For some reason I thought it was a much more strenuous climb than it really was. I felt like I had barely gained any elevation before I was at the top. Still, the view was beautiful in the morning light.

Today was a cool day, with some sun but a steady stream of clouds. Before me stretched a wide expanse of mountains and rolling valleys. Yellow wildflowers dotted the rocky terrain, bringing life and color to the otherwise gray trail. I spent the morning climbing, climbing and stepping over several baldies, enjoying the open sky above our heads.

Around lunchtime, I ran into a couple of groups of hikers. Everyone was happy and full of excitement about the day, which made it nice to chat with them. I passed a few lakes on the way, but it wasn’t the right time to swim. Rain was forecast and it looked like it could arrive at any moment.

I began my big climb of the day, going up and around bare mountains. Plants were scarce, but that contributed to the unique beauty of the area. At the top, I could see the impending storm moving across the mountain tops. He had been lucky until now, but now small drops of rain began to fall.

However, they didn’t last long and only gave me a preview of what was to come. I still had a good amount of miles left in my day, but I was determined to run for the clouds. On the way I found myself among magnificently twisted trees. The bent, misshapen branches and dark brown bark of the Sierra juniper (I think that’s what it is) really caught my eye.

Not only that, but the fall colors were beginning to come out in full force. Additionally, there were purple, burgundy, turquoise blue, and jade green rocks lining the path. The colors in this section blew me away.

But I didn’t have much time to ogle. I still wanted to beat the rain. It was a tough run, thunder chased me the entire way, but I finally made it to Upper Kinney Lake. I quickly set up my tent on the shore of the lake, grabbed water, and settled in. Less than 5 minutes later, the downpour began. Perfect moment!

I ate dinner and snuggled into my quilt, ready to sleep through the storm. The wind had picked up substantially, so it didn’t look like it would end anytime soon.

And that’s a day in the life of a PCT SOBO hiker!

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