Start: Dick’s Lake End: tentsite at mile 1135 Miles covered: 28 PCT mile marker: 1135/2652 Highlight: Granite Chief Wilderness ridge walk at sunset Biggest challenge: Another broken phone charger cable

Start: tentsite at 1078 End: Dick’s Lake Miles covered: 29 PCT mile marker: 1107/2652 Highlight: Sunset at Dick’s Pass (Honorable mention: Breakfast sandwich, cold beverages, and ice cream at Echo Lake.) Biggest challenge: Completing another high-mileage day to stay on pace for Reno.

Start: Sherald Lake End: tentsite at mile 1078 Miles covered: 30 PCT mile marker: 1078/2652 Highlight: Early morning meadows Biggest challenge: Climbing in the afternoon heat with the low energy that comes with repeated high-mileage days.

Start: tentsite at mile 1018 (pictured above) End: campsite near Sherald Lake (I cowboy-camped that night, because the ground was too rocky for stakes.) Miles covered: 30 PCT mile marker: 1048/2652 Highlight: Trail magic at Ebbetts Pass from Limit Situation. I was the last one in, and they were almost out of everything, but another … Continue reading Day 52 – 30 mi – PCT mile 1048 →

Start: tentsite at mile 992 End: tentsite at mile 1018 Miles covered: 26 PCT mile marker: 1018/2652 Highlight: Dorothy Pass Lake and high- altitude evening views. (Honorable mention: Passing the 1000-mile mark!) Biggest challenge: My ankle was still a little sore, and horse tracks in the snow made them difficult to traverse without sinking deep … Continue reading Day 51 – 26 mi – PCT mile 1018 →

Start: tentsite at mile 970 End: tentsite at mile 992 Miles covered: 22 PCT mile marker: 992/2652 Highlight: As I proceed north from the high Sierra, the ground is getting softer, which feels very nice under tired feet. Biggest challenge: I was trying to increase my daily mileage to facilitate getting to Reno to meet … Continue reading Day 50 – 22 mi – PCT mile 992 →

Start: tentsite at mile 948 End: tentsite at mile 970 Miles covered: 22 PCT mile marker: 970/2652 Highlight: Swimming at Miller Lake. (Honorable mention: Early morning frost in the Yosemite meadow.) Biggest challenge: Long climbs while carrying seven days of food.

Start: tentsite at mile 923 End: tentsite at mile 948 Miles covered: 25 (+1 in Tuolumne) PCT mile marker: 948/2652 Highlight: Sunrise views of Thousand Islands Lake. (Honorable mention: Three ice cream bars at Tuolumne Meadows. *grin*) Biggest challenge: Those durn mosquitoes. Again.

Start: Mammoth Lakes End: tentsite above Thousand Islands Lake Miles covered: 17 PCT mile marker: 923/2652 Highlight: Garnet Lake and Thousand Islands Lake. (Honorable mention: Rock formations at Devil's Postpile.) Biggest challenge: Smoke in the morning; mosquitoes in the evening.  

Start: tentsite at mile 888 End: Mammoth Lakes via Red's Meadow Miles covered: 18 PCT mile marker: 906/2652 Biggest challenge: Although the day started with relatively clear air, the last 10 miles included increasing smoke and ash from a fire near Red's Meadow. Highlight: It wasn't the best day on the trail (still better than … Continue reading Day 46 – 18 mi – PCT mile 906 →