April 23, 2017
Total miles: 16.7 miles
Start: mile 92.7
End: Warner Springs Resource Center (mile 109.5)
Total elevation gain/loss: 1778.2/2687ft
What a day! We packed so much in that it really feels like two separate days.
It was calm last night until about 1:30, then the wind picked up. Our tent held up pretty well, but it’s hard to ignore the sound of it flapping around. At around 3:30am, Michael realized that one of the stakes had been pulled out of the ground due to the wind. He fixed it (without getting out of the tent), but I figured that I was unlikely to get back to sleep.
After yesterday’s heat we’d discussed waking up early to take advantage of the cooler mornings. Starting our hike at 4:30am wasn’t quite what we had in mind, but that’s what fate arranged.
We walked slowly in the dark morning hours. The trail was along a steep slope and there were lots of prickly plants to watch out for (including cactus). At one point, Michael asked what the orange light up ahead was — a light in a tent? It took a few minutes to realize that it was actually a sliver of the moon along the horizon.
I love the early morning light!
two backpacks, no plan 