Mile 1196.5 to 1201.1 – 4.6 miles total hiked on PCT

After getting to do my laundry, drink a whole bunch of Diet Coke, get some milkshakes, and have a real dinner, breakfast, and lunch I hitched a ride back to the PCT trailhead around 1 PM.

Why so late? To get more real food and also it was very hot down at the low altitude the trail started from. So I would intentionally do a very short hike up a bunch of switchbacks that would have shade most of the afternoon.

Altogether this next section I had about 3200 feet to climb so I’m gonna split it up into two days. It’s basically what you have to climb to climb up Mount Diablo, but you don’t climb Mount Diablo with a 37 pound backpack unless you’re training for something.

This is not longer training. This is the real thing.

Switchbacks were pretty straightforward, so no complaints there.

The first campsites at the top of the switchbacks didn’t quite excite me. So that meant I was going to hike at least another mile to the next possible campsite.

The hike along the ridge was fantastic with views all around.

And then I broke the 1200 miles from the Mexican border milestone!!

I’m pretty sure the same person did this trail made marker and the last two. They’re very much the same design. 😀

The campsite I found was pretty exposed to the wind and the sun, but it had such a spectacular view I knew I had to stay there.

So I set up my tent make sure it was firmly strapped down, so it wouldn’t blow away in the wind and then I enjoyed the view.

One thing that worried me was the dark smoky clouds hanging in the distant skies. I couldn’t smell anything, although I do recall smelling something on the trail coming down to Sierra city the day before.

Without cell service, I couldn’t really check. At least the smoke wasn’t anywhere near the mountain I was on.

The smoke did add to the colors of the sunset, but I’d rather not have any smoke. Two California fires I knew about were somewhat away from the PCT, so I wasn’t sure if this was smoke from them or a new fire.

Time will tell. Good night.