PCT 2015 Day 104: Hot and Bothered

• Start: 1,718.8
• End: 1,742.2
• Miles: 23.4
• Camp: Little Hyatt Reservoir Outlet

We finally left Callahan’s! We started later than normal but were hiking by 7:30 and alongside the highway. Once we turned off the paved road, we started uphill towards Pilot Rock. On the way we met a previous thru hiker, Mr Poppins from 2013, who said he was around here at this sort of time and still finished by the 19th of September. That was reassuring.

When we reached the trailhead for Pilot Rock, we read about it being a nesting site for peregrine falcons. Whilst we didn’t see any, we could hear two calling to each other above us.

The trail passed through open grassy meadows, yellowed with the sun and drought. It was hot and we were struggling to hike fast after a day off. We stopped to watch a baby deer bounding along the trail and it was hard to get moving again afterwards.

Feet sore and going slow so we called it a night by a lake outlet. The miles will get done quicker in the morning. Just as we were packing up for the night I saw Big Fish through the trees. He had had a decent day, but recognised our post-zero malaise. He had arrived early at camp and was waiting for Firecracker who was similarly afflicted. We told him we would shoot for the highway by Fish Lake tomorrow to make up for it, a 32 mile day. He looked intrigued but noted their biggest day so far has been a 28 so we may not see them. At least not tomorrow.