PCT F DAY 59

Mile 652.1 to 663.3- 11.2 miles total hiked

So I after taking a zero day in Ridgecrest, I returned to Walker pass. Still considering skipping ahead, but conditions north of Donner Summit aren’t that much better than going through the Sierra.

So for now, I’m heading north in section G. First time I tried section G it ended with a huge failure. I didn’t bring enough water. I started midday. It was early August. It was very, very hot and on top of that my Camelback failed and started leaking. By the time I got to the to of the first ridge I was exhausted and only had a half liter of water. I aborted the next morning.

The second time I tried hiking from Walker Path north I had more water. It was late June. And I planned to start early in the morning. Unfortunately, the area was going through a heat wave and then my shuttle driver screwed up, and I ended up at Walker pass midday again.

It wasn’t really any shade at the pasts so I just went for it. It was a grueling time, but I made it. No leak of water and I still had at least 5 Liters for the next 9 miles to the next water source and that was a successful hike all the way through to Crabtree Meadows.

This time, it’s a little cooler thanks to my taking the zero day. And I started with 6 1/2 L. I also started about 8:30 in the morning along with my umbrella (a hack I hadn’t learned about until after I went through that part).

And the first 2 1/2 miles that we’re so hard the first two times… not a problem. It was like night and day.

The big climb up from the water catch in the previous section was much much worse than the first two times. I climbed up from Walker Pass easily. No comparison.

Temperature was only 70 degrees F at the top of the ridge.

After reaching the ridge then I just had to continue making my way north along the ridge. I thought I might’ve even made further than I had made it on the second day of previous hike through the area.