Day 67 - PCT 2024
Trail miles hiked: 4.9
Ascent: 1,262.8 ft.
Descent: 270.3 ft.
My new sleeping pad is great! I was comfortable all night without any hip pain. Hoping this is the change I needed for some descent sleep on trail. I’m sure the Z Lite underneath is a big improvement.
Wade woke up early and started a fire. I laid in bed for awhile just looking out toward the lake. None of us were in a hurry to pack up. Wade didn’t need to meet up with Tina until after 2pm and Krista and I decided to take another short hiking day so we could enjoy the campground as long as possible. We all enjoyed the morning fire while having coffee and hot chocolate.
We only hiked 5 miles today but it felt hotter than usual. I believe a heat wave is coming later this week.
We passed by an aqueduct and a couple of neat bridges. And then we were met with a climb amongst fallen trees. It would be a true animal playground!
We leap frogged a Brazilian couple hiking. They had stopped to put on mosquito spray but we continued on. As we stopped for a quick water break, they passed us. Once we arrived at camp, the French couple was there and suggested we camp down closer to the water source so they could have privacy. We wandered down to the additional tent site and realized there was only room for one tent so we politely asked if they’d switch spots as the original spot was good for 3-4 tents (and we don’t mind sharing with other hikers). They reluctantly agreed.
As I was setting up camp, I was bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes and finally came to the realization that this is the beginning of mosquito hell. The thirsty blood suckers are relentless and it’s not even bad yet. Oregon is known for their mosquitoes and I am dreading that part of it.
I figured I hadn’t eaten enough, just a quick morning snack earlier, as I started to feel lightheaded when setting up my tent. I had to sit down and eat, rehydrate with electrolytes and vedge for a few minutes. Thankfully we are staying at a water source this evening. The sensation finally passed and I was able to complete my task and get away from the mosquitoes. We tried leaving our tent for dinner but decided to eat in our tents instead. Bathroom breaks aren’t particularly fun either. Really hoping we have some mosquito reprieve while hiking.
Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦🍁
