Day 25, and Up the Mountain We Go

5/13
Daily mileage: 24 ish
Mile 370.5-394

Everyone has bad days and today was a tough one for me. Started out with a super heavy pack as we headed toward Baden Powell. Nothing like descending about a 1000 ft when you know twenty minutes later you will be climbing up 3000 ft. But so it was. And up and up we went, a ton of switchbacks but at least it was pretty shaded and early so the heat wasn't too killer. Only a few patches of snow and no matter which way you look at it, 9000ft mountain tops are pretty great in the morning, especially with salad.














We had a long way to go back down the mountain and my day was not going well. Walking by yourself when you are feeling off and getting more and more negative is pretty awful.
I managed to get lost 2 times in twenty minutes, poorly marked trail junctions, and rock cairns that marked a trail that turned out not to be the PCT made me one unhappy camper.





Finally got to Little Jimmy Spring which was amazing.


After some kind suggestions from the cousins I sat my cranky self down with my food bag and ate while the plans for the rest of the day were worked out. See there was a detour coming up but instead of being straight forward there were lots of options. You could ignore the detour, use the new detour which included a "dangerous road walk" or the new detour which was 20 miles long. Opting for the old detour and a late siesta the hiking continued. My mood improved, nothing like a snack and surprising your mom with a mothers day phone call from the middle of nowhere.
Basic lesson for today, if you feel awful be logical and just go eat something, especially if you just climbed a mountain.






Pretty trail, then a gorgeous but rather ridiculous section where we crossed the highway, climbed 1200 ft in 2 miles and then went right back down across the highway. Finally it was time to start the detour, apparently we are trying to preserve endangered frogs with this one. So we were at the "dangerous road walk" stage,which I had every intention of walking, only a very nice lady offered the cousins and I a ride just after we started to leave the parking lot . So about 3 miles (and only a few minutes) we sat down at a lovely day use area and finally got our siesta.
Then it was off to wander in circles and finish the detour. Ran into Thor and PennJ and a few others at the campground but we pushed on down the canyon until right before the Burkhart trail (where we were) met back up with the PCT. Another night of the trail, but so much happier with a little extra food.

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