July 24, 2017
Total daily miles: 19.8 (9.9 PCT + 0.8 from Mazama Village + 4.6 Rim Alternate 4.5 Lightning Spring Trail)
Total PCT miles: 1425
Start: Mazama Village (Crater Lake) (mile 1818.4)
End: Red Cone Spring (mile 1832.8)
Total elevation gain/loss: 2758.5/1657.8 ft
I slept well last night despite my bruised hip, although getting up this morning was still a struggle. The good news is that my foot seems to be healing well and I was able to get my shoe on and walk around without too much pain. We packed up our stuff and then stopped next to the Mazama Village store to fill up our water bottles and enjoy a couple of the homemade English muffins that we received from my friend Angela topped with hazelnut butter.
Seven in the morning is not the ideal time to hitch out of Crater Lake park and back to the PCT, so we walked the mile back along the road before finally joining back up with the PCT. We were immediately assaulted by a swarm of mosquitoes that seemed impervious to our bug spray. I resolved to switch out of my short sleeved shirt to a long sleeved one as soon as we got to the rim (where I could change in peace inside away from the swarming bloodsuckers). Continue reading →