Leslie, Dwight and I headed down the trail around 6:15. Many of the other hikers camped in the area were up and about as well. Seems like we all had the same idea yesterday--eat dinner at the Paradise cafe--then camp near the juntion of the PCT and Hwy 74.
It was a day of ups and downs in elevations and dramatic vistas. At Hwy 74, we were at an elevation of 5800. By mid day or so we had climbed to an elevation of 6800, then dropped down several 100, and by late in the afternoon were up to 7200-the highest elevation at which either Dwight or I have ever been. That last climb was the challenging for all of us.
We went through varied terrain as well. At the spot we stopped for breakfast, I half expected Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to come around the bend. But at the higher elevations were pine, live oak, and the above treeline mostly low scrub.
The sky was clear all day and cool (low 60's?) and generally breezy. A perfect hiking day.
We are cowboy camping just next to the trail. We grabbed the first flat spot we could find heading down off the mountain--at about 6500 ft. Leslie's tent is tucked betn some smallish live oak trees a few feet away--she can fit that thing into the smallest of spaces!
No comments:
Post a Comment